This season feels like a do-or-die for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

The Spaniard has done a brilliant job of taking the club from mid-table mediocrity to perennial title challengers in five years, but he now needs to get the team over the finishing line.

Fortunately, even with the absurd number of injuries they’re already facing, the Gunners now have a squad full to bursting with brilliant players, like Eberechi Eze, who could help them win the Premier League or Champions League.

Interestingly, though, while Arsenal should be delighted to have the Crystal Palace star on the books, one of their former players is currently performing just like him.

The problems Eze solves for Arsenal

Now, while there are undoubtedly other things he brings to the table, there are two main ways Eze can help Arsenal, and they are somewhat interlinked.

Firstly, the Gunners ended last season with 17 fewer goals scored than champions Liverpool, and therefore needed to go out and sign a serious attacking threat in the summer, like the former Palace star.

For example, in 43 appearances last season, totalling 3,303 minutes, the England international scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists.

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

That means he averaged a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes, and the fact that he was able to do so in a mid-table side is even more encouraging.

This links to the other main way in which the Greenwich-born star could help the Gunners: his positional versatility.

On top of being proven in the number ten role, the former QPR gem is more than capable of playing off the left.

Not only will this give Arteta more tactical flexibility in games, but it also means the 27-year-old will be able to provide genuine competition for Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, two players who underperformed last year.

In all, Eze looks like an excellent signing for Arsenal, even though a player sold by the club years ago is starting to resemble the £68m man.

The former Arsenal star playing like Eze

It would be fair to say that Arsenal do not have the best track record when it comes to selling, often due to them selling a player for way less than their worth.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

That isn’t actually the case in this instance, as former Hale Ender Alex Iwobi was sold to Everton in 2019 for a hefty fee of around £35m.

The Nigerian wasn’t a bad player for the Gunners, far from it, but he wasn’t ever spectacular, and so when the Toffees made an offer like that for someone who’d amassed a tally of 39 goal involvements in 149 games, it was probably the right decision to let him go.

While he played a big role on Merseyside, the versatile international was eventually sold to Fulham for around £22m in the summer of 2023, and it would be accurate to say he’s been at his best with the Cottagers.

In fact, since moving to Craven Cottage, the former Gunners ace has scored 16 goals and provided ten assists in 83 appearances, totalling 6118 minutes.

Appearances

149

140

83

Goals

15

9

16

Assists

24

16

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

0.17

0.31

Yet, despite putting in consistently good performances for the West Londoners and already racking up three goal involvements in five league games this season, some consider him to be overlooked, with journalist Daniel Storey going as far as calling him “one of the most underrated midfielders in the country.”

With that said, what makes him like Eze?

Well, the first similarity the Nigerian shares with the Gunners ace is his positional versatility, as he’s just as comfortable playing on the wing as he is in midfield.

Second, he is also becoming a greater goal threat for his side, racking up 15 goal involvements in the league last season and just seven the year before.

Finally, like the North Londoners’ new star, he is also capable of making things happen, both through his brilliant close control and ability to deliver a pinpoint-accurate cross into the penalty area.

Ultimately, Arsenal did the right thing in selling Iwobi when they did, but it’s also true that the Fulham star is playing incredibly well at the moment, and looking a bit like Eze in the process.

Arsenal had Lewis-Skelly 2.0 in Hale End "monster", then he left for £0

The talented Hale Ender looked like he was going to be a star for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 25, 2025

The season only kicked off a month and a half ago, but it’s already been full of twists and turns for Arsenal.

For example, after winning their opening two Premier League games, Mikel Arteta’s side then lost away to Liverpool, after which many fans and pundits alike began to write off the team’s title credentials.

However, fast-forward to today, and the Gunners find themselves atop the table and with two wins from two in the Champions League.

EPL

West Ham (H)

2-0 (W)

UCL

Olympiacos (H)

2-0 (W)

EPL

Newcastle (H)

2-1 (W)

EFL Cup

Port Vale (A)

2-0 (W)

EPL

Man City (H)

1-1 (D)

UCL

Bilbao (A)

2-0 (W)

EPL

Forest (H)

3-0 (W)

Yet, while things are going brilliantly from a performance and results perspective, the North Londoners continue to be ravaged by injury, including club captain Martin Odegaard.

Fortunately, Arteta now has a few options when it comes to replacing him, one of which could be starting a star player in an entirely new position.

Arsenal's injury problems

For a period this season, it felt as if Arsenal were unable to complete a game without losing a player to injury, and while things are no longer that bad, the situation is far from ideal.

Jesus

Knee

Havertz

Knee

Madueke

Knee

Hincapie

Groin

Odegaard

MCL

For example, while the likes of William Saliba, Ben White and Christian Norgaard are fit again, and Declan Rice looks ready to play for England this week, Arteta is set to be without five first-team players when the international break comes to an end.

The most prolonged absence remains Gabriel Jesus, and while he has taken pictures of himself back on the grass, the manager confirmed that it would be “many, many months” before he plays regular minutes for the first team again.

What makes the Brazilian’s absence so much more of a problem is the fact that Kai Havertz is also out following the surgery he had on his knee back in late August, meaning there is no natural competition for Viktor Gyokeres at the moment.

The attacking woes don’t stop there, though, as Noni Madueke is expected to remain out of contention for at least another month or so after suffering a knee injury in the home game against Manchester City last month.

The former Chelsea player is yet to score or assist a goal in red and white, but his performances this season have been brilliant, and he added a blistering directness that has sometimes been missing from the team.

Another summer signing currently sidelined is Piero Hincapie, who is out with a groin injury, and while his absence is a blow, it’s hard to determine how much of an impact he’ll have this season, considering he’s played just six minutes thus far.

Finally, arguably the most impactful injury of them all is Odegaard’s, as before being forced off with what has now been confirmed as an MCL injury, the Norwegian was starting to look like the creative force he was a couple of years ago.

Fortunately, Arteta does have a few ways he can address the captain’s absence, and perhaps one worth trying is starting his best player in a new position.

The Arsenal star who could replace Odegaard

So, the way Arteta is likely to solve the problem of Odegaard being out injured is by starting Eberechi Eze in the attacking midfield position.

Chalkboard

While this is a perfectly logical solution, and one that many will be calling for, it does create one issue: a weaker left-wing position, as neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Martinelli has excelled when starting for a long time.

Therefore, a way to keep the left-hand side strong is to do something entirely new and try playing Arsenal’s most important player in a central location: Bukayo Saka.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, this isn’t an example of moving the Englishman to a less important position to accommodate someone else; if anything, moving him to the middle of the pitch would allow him to have a far greater influence on the game.

Described as one of the club’s “very best players,” by podcaster Adam Keys, the Hale Ender has shown time and time again that he has the technical and mental skills to play a more central role.

He’s an excellent striker of the ball, can see a pass that few others in the team can, has spent the last three years being double and triple-teamed by defenders, and, while he’s not the fastest, he has incredible agility in the way he moves around the pitch.

Moreover, with 100 goal involvements in 200 league games, the 24-year-old has the output to be measured against the best number tens in the game.

Finally, in addition to the eye test and his record, the North Londoners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the underlying numbers to prove he’d be a goal-scoring chance-creating machine in central areas.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 1% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the Premier League last season for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, shot-creating actions, goal-creating actions, and more, all per 90.

Goals + Assists

0.83

Top 1%

npxG + xAG

0.71

Top 1%

xA: Expected Assists

0.41

Top 1%

Key Passes

3.02

Top 1%

Shot-Creating Actions

6.09

Top 1%

Goal-Creating Actions

1.20

Top 1%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.73

Top 1%

GCA (Dead-ball Pass)

0.26

Top 1%

Assists

0.52

Top 2%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.40

Top 2%

SCA (Shot)

0.52

Top 3%

Touches (Att Pen)

8.43

Top 3%

Progressive Passes Rec

13.27

Top 4%

Crosses

6.09

Top 4%

SCA (Dead-ball Pass)

1.04

Top 5%

Touches (Att 3rd)

37.22

Top 6%

Shots Total

3.44

Top 8%

Crosses into Penalty Area

0.62

Top 8%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

3.70

Top 8%

SCA (Take-On)

0.62

Top 8%

Shots on Target

1.15

Top 11%

GCA (Take-On)

0.10

Top 11%

Penalty Kicks Made

0.05

Top 12%

Carries into Penalty Area

2.65

Top 12%

Ultimately, it would be a left-field decision, but Saka is a genuinely world-class player, and perhaps Odegaard’s injury will be the perfect opportunity for Arteta to see how he fares in the middle of the park, where he can have a more significant impact on the game.

Berta holds new Arsenal contract talks with big-name duo after Raya, Saka and Timber

The Italian is looking to extend a host of deals.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 9, 2025

When asked whether Manchester United had seen the best of him yet, £74m man Benjamin Sesko had the perfect response – “there’s loads to come”.

Speaking after netting his first Old Trafford goal in the Premier League win over Sunderland prior to the international break, the Slovenian striker didn’t appear to be getting carried away, despite having scored in two games in succession.

And rightly so, considering the nature of his price tag, with the ex-RB Leipzig sensation still having plenty to prove following his summer arrival from Germany, albeit with the recent signs having certainly been more promising.

Amid a post-Sir Alex Ferguson era that has been littered with short-term, problematic fixes in that centre-forward berth, alongside expensive gambles such as Rasmus Hojlund, the Red Devils simply need Sesko to deliver the goods over the next few years.

Thankfully, there is at least a new wave of talent brewing in the academy to potentially rival the 22-year-old moving forward, with the club’s new number nine in waiting already shining at Carrington.

Ranking Man Utd's best No.9's of the Premier League era

While it may not carry the same weight as United’s famed number seven, there is still a level of pressure and scrutiny that comes with being the club’s number nine – a jersey that started the Premier League era in the hands of cult hero, Brian McClair.

The selfless Scotsman – who scored 101 goals in all competitions during his 11-year stay at the Theatre of Dreams – notably relinquished that status to marquee signing, Andy Cole in 1995, following the free-scoring Englishman’s arrival from Newcastle United.

In truth, it is hard to look past Cole as the best of the lot, with the one-time Arsenal man memorably forging that partnership with Dwight Yorke, helping to spearhead Alex Ferguson’s side to treble glory in 1999.

The successor to Cole then came a few years after his 2001 exit, in the form of Louis Saha, with the Frenchman lauded by Gary Neville as among the most underrated players in Premier League history, having previously “destroyed” him during his Fulham days.

Craven Cottage would prove to be the destination for United’s next number nine, Dimitar Berbatov, with the fleet-footed Bulgarian eventually departing for west London in 2012, following four fruitful years in Manchester that included claiming the Golden Boot in 2010/11.

The less said about the next recipient, Radamel Falcao, the better, considering his forgotten, one-season stint, while Anthony Martial’s two spells with the jersey showcased a mix of genius but also frustrating inconsistency.

The Frenchman had seen that status initially removed in 2016 following the statement signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the enigmatic Swede scoring 28 times during his solitary full campaign in red, despite having arrived at the age of 34.

Romelu Lukaku, by contrast, didn’t quite live up to the billing, departing after just two turbulent years that did at least yield 42 goals in 96 games, before the number nine returned to Martial.

The most recipient was of course Hojlund, who initially arrived as the new number 11, although last term saw the Dane score just ten times in all competitions, before being shipped off to Napoli.

1 – Andy Cole

2 – Dimitar Berbatov

3 – Louis Saha

4 – Brian McClair

5 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

6 – Anthony Martial

7 – Romelu Lukaku

8 – Rasmus Hojlund

9 – Radamel Falcao

Sesko, hopefully, will far exceed Hojlund’s impact in Manchester, although he might not be the future number nine…

Man Utd's next number nine in waiting

Having arrived with Hojlund still on the books, Sesko unsurprisingly opted for the vacant number 30 shirt, having previously worn it for both Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg during his stints in Germany and Austria.

With number 11 also what the new United man wears for his country, perhaps he is gunning for Joshua Zirkzee’s jersey instead, rather than the now vacant number nine.

Perhaps, if things go to plan, the successor to Hojlund could well emerge in the form of academy sensation, Chido Obi, with the 17-year-old having already made a fine impact at Carrington since his arrival from Arsenal last summer.

Described as a “goalscoring machine” at the Gunners’ Hale End academy by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Obi has translated such form to Manchester over the past 12 months or so, scoring 12 times in just ten U18 games, alongside netting five goals in 11 outings in the U21 setup, as per Transfermarkt.

Not set to turn 18 until next month, the teen marksman had previously scored 32 goals in just 21 recorded games for Arsenal’s U18s, with United having pulled off a real coup by prising him from their top-flight rivals.

While chances have yet to come at first team level this season, the Denmark U20 international did make eight senior appearances in 2024/25 under Amorim, namely producing a lively cameo in the FA Cup against Fulham.

On another day, the £4m-rated starlet – who has scored three goals so far this term – may well have walked away with a goal during that night at Old Trafford, having been denied from the angle by a fine save from Bernd Leno.

Subsequent appearances showcased that the raw forward still has plenty of work to do to establish himself in the senior side, although he did score twice against Hong Kong during the post-season tour.

Hopefully, with Hojlund out of the equation – and with Joshua Zirkzee looking more suited to a number ten berth – Obi can begin to challenge Sesko more directly in the months and years to come, with Amorim certainly needing competition at the top end of the pitch.

Currently the club’s number 32 – albeit while wearing the nine in the U21 ranks – the former Gunners gem will be pushing to secure a promotion in the years to come.

Considering his sky high potential, he looks destined to be United’s next number nine.

Man Utd already sold Hojlund 2.0 who's "one of the best ST's in the world"

Selling a striker who’s now flourishing in Serie A? Manchester United know all about that…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 15, 2025

Alejandro Garnacho pulled out his trademark Manchester United celebration after scoring his maiden goal for Chelsea against Sunderland on Saturday. Garnacho, who joined the Blues on a permanent transfer from United in the last transfer window, took seven matches before scoring for the first time in a Chelsea shirt. Following the goal, the Argentine also emulated his idol Cristiano Ronaldo while celebrating.

AFPGarnacho pulls out Man Utd celebration

Garnacho featured in the Chelsea starting lineup for the third game in a row in the Premier League as he continued to adjust to the new conditions at Stamford Bridge. In the fourth minute of the match, Enzo Fernandez won the ball in his own half and fed Pedro Neto with a quick pass. Neto then sent a through ball towards Garnacho from the centre circle as the Argentine winger made a run from the left flank. 

The youngster received the ball and made a run straight into the Sunderland box, before dodging past an opponent defender and finding the back of the net with a quality strike from a narrow angle. After scoring the goal, Garnacho, along with Neto, sat on the billboards to celebrate. He had earlier performed such a celebration in 2024, while at United, where Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Hojlund joined him on the advertising board. 

AdvertisementGetty Garnacho emulated Ronaldo

Before approaching the sideline and sitting on the advertising board, Garnacho had pointed towards the ground to celebrate his maiden Chelsea goal. Football fans have seen such a celebration performed by legendary Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo on numerous occasions in the past. Garnacho has been a lifelong fan of Ronaldo and he has often gone public to show his admiration of the Al-Nassr star. He even shared a dressing room with Ronaldo briefly in the 2022-23 campaign at Old Trafford. 

Why did Garnacho leave Man Utd?

After being put in Ruben Amorim's 'bomb squad' in the summer, Garnacho was determined to exit Old Trafford for a new experience elsewhere. He had a fallout with coach Amorim last season, which eventually cleared his way out of the club. The Blues signed him for £40m ($54m) from the Red Devils in the summer, but until Saturday, Garnacho had failed to live up to the expectations.

Following his departure from Manchester, Garnacho recently opened up about his journey with United, as he told TNT Sports: "I’ve got nothing bad to say about my old club Manchester United, just bad moments in life. I’m very happy to be here now, play in this competition and get three points today.

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AFPChelsea aim for three points

Garnacho did hand Chelsea an early lead but they blew off the advantage within 18 minutes as Wilson Isidor restored parity in the match. Maresca will now have to rethink his tactics and take a more attacking approach in the second half to walk away with crucial three points. 

After the Sunderland clash at home, the Blues are scheduled to take on Wolves in a Carabao Cup encounter on Wednesday before meeting Tottenham Hotspur in a key Premier League fixture on November 1.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico do Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira, será denunciado ao STJD pela Associação Brasileira de Árbitros de Futebol (Abrafut). O motivo foi a alegação do português de que a derrota para o Grêmio, na quinta-feira (21), teve interferência da arbitragem.

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– Isso é roubar! Isso é roubar! – disse Abel, se dirigindo às câmeras enquanto ia para o vestiário antes mesmo do fim da partida.

Na nota de infração enviada ao STJD, a Abrafut diz que não irá mais aceitar insinuações que comprometam a honra e dignidade dos árbitros.

– Não aceitaremos mais nenhum tipo de insinuação, acusação ou insulto comprometendo a dignidade e a honra dos nossos árbitros, que estão atuando de forma que tem que ser, cumprindo as regras do jogo – diz trecho da nota da Abrafut.

+ Condição especial para matrícula no curso Gestor de Futebol, aprovado por Dante, Petković, Léo Moura e outros craques. Saiba mais!

A associação havia protocolado outra notícia de infração na quarta-feira (20), contra o treinador do Botafogo, Bruno Lage. O compatriota de Abel Ferreira reclamou da arbitragem após a derrota por 1 a 0 para o Atlético-MG. Além do técnico, o centroavante Diego Costa também foi denunciado.

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Abel FerreiraPalmeiras

كشف عبد الناصر محمد مدير الكرة بالفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك سبب غياب محمد صبحي حارس مرمى الأبيض عن قائمة الفريق لخوض مباراة بيراميدز في بطولة السوبر المصري.

ويلتقي بيراميدز مع الزمالك في السابعة والنصف من مساء اليوم على استاد آل نهيان بنادي الوحدة الإماراتي في العاصمة أبوظبي، في إطار نصف نهائي كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام بيراميدز في السوبر المصري.. الدباغ أساسيًا

وقال عبد الناصر للموقع الرسمي للزمالك، إن الحارس كان سيتواجد بشكل طبيعي خلال مباراة بيراميدز، ولكن تعرضه للإصابة بشد خفيف خلال مباراة طلائع الجيش الأخيرة في مسابقة الدوري، تسبب في استبعاده من لقاء اليوم.

وشدد على أن الجهاز الفني للفريق بقيادة أحمد عبد الرؤوف فضل إراحة صبحي في لقاء بيراميدز خوفًا من تفاقم الإصابة.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع بيراميدز، في السابعة والنصف مساء اليوم الخميس على ستاد آل نهيان في أبوظبي في نصف نهائي بطولة كأس السوبر المصري.

For the third time this season, Eddie Howe has the job of picking up his Newcastle United players after suffering defeat in the Premier League against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Danny Welbeck’s double secured a 2-1 victory for Fabian Hurzeler’s men, which has left the Magpies currently sitting in the bottom half of the table after the first eight outings.

The result leaves Howe with a huge task on his hands to try and turn the situation around, after winning just 25% of the league outings in 2025/26 to date.

Both of their victories have come on home soil, with their tally of just three points out of a potential 12 away from home certainly becoming a real concern for the 47-year-old.

However, at one stage, it appeared that the Magpies may have been able to get something out of the contest after the brilliance of one first team member.

Nick Woltemade’s brilliance against Brighton

After Alexander Isak joined Liverpool from Newcastle this summer, his replacement was already going to have huge boots to fill given the Swede’s success at St James’ Park.

The hierarchy chose Nick Woltemade as the man to take the responsibility on his shoulders, something which the German has done brilliantly in recent weeks.

He’s made five appearances in the Premier League since his big-money transfer to Tyneside, but has had an immediate impact – netting four goals with his latest coming against the Seagulls.

Such an effort was arguably his best to date, incredibly flicking Lewis Miley’s cross into the bottom left-hand corner past the despairing Bart Verbruggen.

Woltemade also completed a dribble, made five passes into the final third and won two aerial battles – subsequently showcasing his incredible all-round display.

However, despite such a showing, numerous other Magpies players struggled to impress at the AMEX, which could put their places in the starting eleven at huge risk.

The Newcastle player who could be on borrowed time

Losing in the Premier League is to be expected given the competitive nature of the division, but the fashion in which Newcastle did so on Saturday is nothing short of unacceptable.

Howe has instilled huge expectations into the fanbase, given the recent success, but such a showing against Hurzeler’s side fell way below the high stands his men have set.

Anthony Elanga was one player who once again struggled on the South Coast, subsequently being replaced at the break as a result of his first-half showing.

However, he wasn’t alone in that regard, with Brazilian international Joelinton another starter who was withdrawn from the contest after just 45 minutes.

He’s been a player who’s been called into question by the supporters for his lack of impact, with his outing against the Seagulls certainly doing himself no favours.

The 29-year-old only registered a total of 39 touches of the ball, whilst only making three passes into the final third and was unable to create any clear-cut chances.

Joelinton also failed to complete any of the long balls he attempted, even losing possession six times and often being wasteful when having the ball at his feet, having been described as “tough to watch” by Magpie Media.

Joelinton vs Brighton

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

45

Touches

39

Passes completed

21

Long balls completed

0

Possession lost

6x

Dribbled past

2

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Crosses

0

Aerials lost

100%

Match rating

4/10

Out of possession, the Brazilian was dribbled past twice, whilst also losing 100% of the aerial battles he entered in what was an afternoon to forget for the midfielder.

As a result of his dismal showing, he was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by Newcastle World journalist Jordan Cronin – further showcasing how disappointing he was in the defeat.

After such a showing, there’s no denying he needs to be dropped from Howe’s starting eleven, especially after Miley registered an assist after replacing him.

Joelinton has been an excellent addition for the club, but it appears as though he could be on borrowed time given his recent slump in form over the last few weeks.

Related Fewer touches than Pope: Howe must drop 4/10 Newcastle man after Brighton

Newcastle United suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 18, 2025

Having watched Kent bat for nearly a day and a half to make 374, Lancashire produced a determined response in the long evening session at Blackpool to finish on 120 for one and leave this Rothesay County Championship match fairly evenly poised with two days left to play.Ben Compton’s 135 was the centrepiece of his side’s 374 but Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings put on 119 to give supporters a faint hope they might bat past the visitors’ score and give their bowlers a chance of forcing their team’s first Championship victory of the season on the final day.For their part, Kent’s supporters will have been encouraged by the departure of Jennings, who was lbw to Joey Evison for 49 three overs before the close, and by the help Jack Leaning extracted from this slow pitch, especially when bowling outside the two left-handers’ off stumps. It all suggests that this match between the bottom sides in Division Two could be set for a fascinating conclusion over the next two days.The morning began almost perfectly for Lancashire when James Anderson had both Leaning and Evison caught at short midwicket by Josh Bohannon inside his opening two overs.But having dismissed Leaning for four and Evison for a 12-ball nought, the home side enjoyed no further successes in the first session. Instead, Compton reached his fourth century of the season -and also his fourth against Lancashire – off 201 balls when he back cut Mitch Stanley to the rope.By lunch, the Kent skipper was unbeaten on 124 and Harry Finch was 28 not out. The pair had put on 60 for the sixth wicket and the second new ball, which was eleven overs old, was hitting the middle of their bats.That trend continued for the first 40 minutes of the afternoon session. But just at the point when it was tricky to see where Lancashire’s next wicket might come from, Anderson’s bowlers removed both batsmen, Finch, caught behind off Balderson for 52, and Compton, similarly snaffled by Hurst in the next over when nibbling at a ball from Green, for 135. The Kent skipper has batted 402 minutes, faced 296 balls and hit 15 fours and a six.Grant Stewart followed five overs later when his skier was caught at mid-off by Bohannon, whose third catch of the day also gave Mitch Stanley his maiden first-class wicket. Matt Parkinson perished to Wells’ leg spin for 11 but Wes Agar enlivened the play before tea by smashing three big sixes in his 41 before he was caught at long off by Stanley long-off Bailey.That wicket ended the Kent innings on 374 with the wickets spread among six bowlers. Balderson was the best and most successful with three for 54. Anderson took two for 51 and Green bagged two for 104 from 37 overs.Despite frequent appeals and a few near things Wells and Jennings batted with increasing confidence in the 38-over evening session, Wells reaching his fifty off 97 balls with seven fours and a six and finishing unbeaten on 57. Nightwatchman Tom Bailey was nought not out at the close

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their home comforts in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

The grass isn't always greener, but this weekend turned out to be a largely successful one for Britain's footballing expats. Two of them conjured up vital goals against title rivals, while the current England captain also revelled in another big victory, albeit without getting on the scoresheet. However, a select few were left downbeat after ending up on the wrong side of a result, and one former Chelsea star missed a golden opportunity to leave a lasting mark.

Every Monday this season, GOAL will bring you the definitive lowdown on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who appears to be suffering with homesickness. Let's get stuck into this week's edition…

• Bellingham delivers crushing Clasico blow

  What a week for Jude Bellingham! The Real Madrid midfielder scored his team's Champions League winner against Italian giants Juventus in midweek, and then repeated the trick in a bad-tempered Clasico encounter with Barcelona on Sunday.

  Any concerns over whether Bellingham would take months to rediscover his best form after shoulder surgery have been emphatically dispelled. Deployed as a right-sided No.10, the 22-year-old was sensational against Barca in both attack and defence.

  Bellingham's beautifully weighted pass set Kylian Mbappe free to score Madrid's opener, and he cleverly ghosted in at the far post to score their second just before the break, tucking home from close range after Eder Militao had nodded a Vinicius Jr cross back across goal. Los Blancos went on to win 2-1, with Fermin Lopez's 38th-minute effort proving to be nothing more than a consolation for the visitors, and Madrid now sit five points clear at the La Liga summit.

  Xabi Alonso's men were great value for the victory, too, with a missed penalty from Mbappe keeping the score down. If they can maintain this level, a clean sweep of silverware is not beyond the realms of possibility for the 15-time European champions.

  Mbappe will continue to bag most of the headlines with his goals, but Bellingham is shaping up to be Madrid's leading man again. He tormented Barca's defence throughout his 89 minutes on the pitch, mustering five shots in total, and also shut down the majority of their counter-attacks as he posted five lung-busting recoveries.

  Alonso singled out the former Borussia Dortmund star for special praise after the game, telling reporters: "We knew before the last break that he needed time, minutes, to get going. He’s done better than we expected after the last break. Jude is all about feeling, communicating, and connecting. That’s why he’s had some very good games."

  An England recall should now be a formality when the November international break comes into effect. Bellingham is well and truly back.

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• Magic McTominay downs Inter

  Napoli went into Saturday's home game against Inter still reeling from a shocking 6-2 defeat to PSV in the Champions League. Antonio Conte vowed to "bring the whip" to his players after that setback, and the tough love certainly seemed to have a positive effect.

  The reigning Serie A champions, who had also lost their last domestic outing to Torino, returned to the top of the table courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Inter, with goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Scott McTominay and Frank Anguissa seeing off Inter.

  Anguissa scored the pick of the bunch to round things off after a scintillating run from near the centre-circle, but it was McTominay's 54th-minute strike that held the most significance. He raced on to a searching long pass from Leonardo Spinazzola, and after appearing to misjudge the flight of the ball initially, readjusted himself before unleashing a fearsome volley that was destined for the bottom corner as soon as it left his boot.

  McTominay also scored both of Napoli's goals in the PSV game, having previously found the net just once in his first eight appearances of the season. The Scotland midfielder has rediscovered his eye for goal just when his team needed him most.

  "I lost it in the lights, so the pass took me by surprise, the lights are so bright I couldn’t see it. Then I just thought to shoot," the ex-Manchester United ace told when asked about the instinctive strike. "Now we need to find that consistency so we can continue to push."

  Conte has historically struggled to maintain consistency across domestic and European competition as a manager, but when McTominay is firing on all cylinders, Napoli can go toe-to-toe with any opponent. Despite the summer additions of De Bruyne and Rasmus Hojlund, McTominay is still the king of Naples and the key to their hopes of more silverware.

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  Kane gives up Bayern spotlight

  Harry Kane has been arguably the best player in Europe so far this season. He racked up 20 goals and three assists in his first 12 appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich, including Champions League braces against Chelsea and Pafos, emerging as the early frontrunner for the 2026 Ballon d'Or in the process.

  Heading into Bayern's latest Bundesliga clash with Borussia Monchengladbach, Kane was looking to find the net for the 12th game in a row for club and country, having also netted twice in England's 5-0 World Cup qualifying win over Latvia last month. But all good things must come to an end.

  Bayern maintained their perfect start to the 2025-26 with a comfortable 3-0 win at Gladbach, but it was Joshua Kimmich, Raphael Guerreiro and teenage sensation Lennart Karl who provided the goals, not Kane. It was a frustrating afternoon for the 32-year-old, who found little joy against Gladbach's low block after the hosts were reduced to 10 men just 17 minutes into the contest.

  Kane thought he'd broken the deadlock just after the hour mark, only to be denied by the offside flag. Fortunately, Kimmich then popped up moments later to set Bayern on their way to a 13th consecutive victory, equalling AC Milan's 33-year-old record for the most competitive wins by a team in Europe's top-five leagues to start a season.

  Last season, Bayern's glaring flaws as a collective were exposed whenever Kane had an off-day, but they looked far more well-rounded now. Vincent Kompany has created a team that should win the Bundesliga title again at a canter and push far harder for the Champions League trophy. The goals will flow for Kane again soon enough; what's more important is that he is no longer shouldering the team's hopes by himself.

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• Greenwood scores beauty but Marseille found out

  Mason Greenwood and Marseille were on cloud nine after routing Le Havre to go top of Ligue 1 last week. The Manchester United academy graduate hit four goals in a thumping 6-2 win that sent a strong message to reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who surprisingly dropped points at home to Strasbourg, but Roberto De Zerbi refused to get carried away with talk of a potential tilt at the title, saying: "Today is only October 18, not May 18, so today, first place counts for nothing."

  The Marseille boss was right to be apprehensive. A visit to Sporting CP in the Champions League three days later brought OM crashing back down to earth, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat after losing Emerson Palmieri to a red card right on the half-time whistle. 

  Preparations then began for Saturday's trip to fourth-placed Lens, which proved to be another banana skin. Marseille made the best possible start to the game, though, with Greenwood producing a lovely first-time finish from the edge of the box in the 17th minute for his eighth goal of the season.

  Confidence should have been surging through the squad again, but instead, they imploded. Benjamin Pavard gave away a needless penalty six minutes later, which Odsonne Edouard gratefully converted, and the former Bayern defender then scored a horror own goal early in the second half that ended up sealing all three points for Lens.

  Marseille have a formidable forward line, led by the likes of Greenwood and summer signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Igor Paixao, but De Zerbi's side won't be proper trophy contenders until they fix the defence. The centre-back partnership of Pavard and Nayef Aguerd certainly didn't work against Lens, and West Ham and Chelsea flop Emerson has always been a liability at full-back.

  PSG moved back into first by breezing past Brest on the same day, and that's where they'll be again on May 18. The brutal reality is that Luis Enrique's side are still miles ahead of their Classique foes.

Fast bowler confident he’s ready for Test comeback after coming through Sussex return unscathed

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025Jofra Archer says that the mental challenge of returning to four-day cricket after a four-year absence has been a bigger issue than the physical toil. However, he is confident that his body will be ready for Test cricket if he gets the call-up later this summer.Speaking to Sussex Cricket at Chester-le-Street after the second day’s play, where he had dismissed Emilio Gay lbw for his first first-class wicket for 1,501 days, Archer admitted the experience had been “mentally tough” on a surface that offered very little lateral movement for the bowlers.”I’m glad to just finish a day of four-day cricket,” he said. “Last time I played [against Kent at Hove in May 2021], I just made it to tea, so I’m glad to go all the way today.”When the scoreboard got to 50 overs, I was, like, ‘Jesus, time to come off now!'” he joked. “But it wasn’t too bad. Doing it session-by-session was okay, but the pitch didn’t do much.”Today could have been the longest day I’ve ever had, and not because it’s red-ball cricket,” he added. “I’ve been in the field for two-and-a-half days before, and it still didn’t feel as long as today. When the ball is moving, and you’re getting something off the pitch, it feels a bit more exciting.”However, crucially for Archer’s hopes of getting back into the Test team – for whom he last featured on the tour of India in 2020-21 – his body has so far shown no reaction to the added toil of red-ball cricket.”It felt all right today,” he said. “I’ve been playing for a year, and bowling for two years, including the build-up, so everything is fine.”There have been no restrictions on this game,” he added, when asked if the ECB had requested that he limit his workload. “Whatever I did, I did. Obviously there can’t be a limit if you’re looking at a Test match. They were in the field for a day-and-a-half [in the first Test at Headingley].Related

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“You can’t have restrictions if you’re potentially going to go in. You put your body through as much pressure, safely, as possible, to put yourself in the best position.”Archer’s return to action this summer was delayed by an injured right thumb that he sustained during the IPL. However, he classified that setback alongside the freak glass cut he received from a broken fishtank back in 2021, calling it more of an “accident than an injury” compared to the career-threatening elbow and back fractures that have chequered his recent career.”If you get cut in the kitchen with a knife, no-one’s going to call it an injury,” he said. “It’s similar with my thumb. I just got hit while batting as we do all the time, but unfortunately it got fractured. If it was my left thumb I could have carried on and no-one would know but, because it was my bowling hand, I had to give it a bit of care.”But injuries are injuries. Nobody gets injured on purpose, no one knows when they will happen … it can be in the gym, or rehab, pre-hab, or whatever. If you’re supposed to get injured, there’s nothing you can do to get away from it.”Asked if he could ever have envisaged a return to first-class cricket during his long lay-off, Archer replied: “Back then, I didn’t have the choice because I didn’t think my body could hold up to it.”Now it’s a different challenge, because I know my body can hold up to it. The mental part of the game [will be tough]. Over the next couple of days, I’m going to have to battle a bit with it, but it’s all good. It’s a new challenge, and I’ll keep trucking along.”