The Yankees fell short of the ultimate goal again when they were eliminated by the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday.

New York fell in a 2-0 hole after the series opened in Toronto and battled back to take Game 3 on Tuesday, only to watch its season end with a 5-2 loss in Game 4 on Wednesday night. After the game, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone was asked if he has any doubts about his future in New York after he finished his eighth year managing the team.

"No, I'm under contract," he said. "I don't expect anything."

Before the regular season, the Yankees announced they had reached a two-year contract extension with Boone to keep him as their manager through the 2027 season. He remains confident his team will eventually break through and win the franchise's first World Series since '09.

"I believe in so many people in that room," he said postgame via SNY. "That hasn't changed, the fire hasn't changed. It's hard to win the World Series, been chasing it all my life."

The Yankees went 94-68 in the regular season, tying the Blue Jays for the best record in the AL, but they were given the first wild-card spot because Toronto held the tiebreaker. They had a chance to put the Blue Jays behind them, but Toronto's home-field advantage and high-powered offense was too much to overcome. Boone admitted it wasn't the easiest year for him personally, but he expects to be back in the Bronx next season and make a run at the World Series full force.

"This has been a tough year for me personally," he mentioned Wednesday via Fox. "But all you go through to become this team you think can really do something special and for it to abruptly end is always difficult."

Winning at least 90 games in six of his eight seasons as the Yankees' skipper, Boone is still in search of that elusive World Series.

Should Celtic re-appoint Ange Postecoglou to replace Brendan Rodgers?

Well, the Australian did enjoy great success during his two seasons in Glasgow, winning five trophies, meaning he may remain the club’s most universally popular manager of the modern era.

However, following an ill-fated 39 days stint in charge of Nottingham Forest, reports suggest that Postecoglou is not looking to jump straight back into management, while his record at Tottenham and the City Ground, Europa League triumph aside, would be causes for concern, suggesting he may not be the dream candidate some supporters believe him to be.

Instead, should they target “one of the best coaches” around in a move reminiscent of what occurred in the year 2000?

Martin O'Neill's Celtic career

On Monday evening, when news of Rodgers’ resignation was announced, Celtic also confirmed that Martin O’Neill would be placed in interim charge, working alongside Shaun Maloney.

This is the 73 year old’s first managerial position since an Ange-esque 19 game stint at Nottingham Forest in 2019 and, having been in charge of the Republic of Ireland for five years before that, he hasn’t truly been a club manager since leaving Sunderland in 2013.

He did make a winning start to life back in the dugout, overseeing a 4-0 demolition of Falkirk in the Premiership on Wednesday night, with Johnny Kenny bagging a brace, while Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti were also on target.

Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against fierce rivals Rangers at Hampden should be a significantly tougher assignment, but O’Neill certainly has pedigree when it comes to winning Old Firm games.

The Irishman began his managerial career in the ’90s with very impressive stints in charge of Wycombe Wanderers and Leicester City, gaining promotion in charge of both, before winning two League Cups with the Foxes.

This earned him the Celtic job in 2000, viewed very much as a left-field choice at the time, but this proved to be a masterstroke.

Prior to his arrival, Rangers had won 11 of the last 12 Scottish titles, but O’Neill won the league in three of his first four seasons as well as leading Celtic to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003, ultimately defeated by José Mourinho’s Porto at the Cartuja in Seville.

Not since Jock Stein has a Celtic manager been so successful in Europe, with O’Neill also winning 13 of his 24 Old Firm games, while he also boasts the best win percentage of any permanent Hoops boss in history, before even including Wednesday’s win.

Martin O’Neill

283

75.6%

Ange Postecoglou

113

73.5%

Neil Lennon

335

70.7%

Jock Stein

761

69.6%

Brendan Rodgers

292

68.8%

Gordon Strachen

195

64.6%

Willie Maley

1,617

64.4%

Ronny Deila

118

63.6%

Billy McNeill

455

60%

David Hay

209

56.9%

Tommy Burns

140

55.7%

Liam Brady

126

54%

Jimmy McGrory

843

49.7%

Note: minimum 100 matches in charge.

O’Neill will be hoping to improve that win ratio further, for however long he remains in the dugout, although that won’t be easy, with games against Rangers and then Midtjylland in Herning next on the agenda.

So, should Celtic appoint someone who is reminiscent of when O’Neill first arrived a quarter of a century ago?

Celtic could appoint 'one of the best coaches' in England

Of all the people reportedly in contention to become Celtic manager, Nicky Hayen, Craig Bellamy, Robbie Keane, Kjetil Knutsen and others, would Kieran McKenna represent the biggest coup?

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Sky Sports has reported that the Ipswich Town boss is a name whom the Celtic hierarchy are ‘very keen on’, although it remains to be seen if he would leave mid-season – while a reported £5m get-out clause could also prove prohibitive.

Just 39 years old, the Northern Irishman has been in coaching since 2009, employed by Tottenham and Manchester United as a youth coach and scout, before working alongside José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær as an assistant at Old Trafford.

Solskjær spoke glowingly about McKenna, describing him as “the most thorough and analytical… process-driven coach that I’ve worked with”, while fellow ex-Man United great Nicky Butt agrees, labelling him “one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen on the grass”.

His reputation earned him his first head coach role at Ipswich, enjoying unparalleled success in Suffolk, guiding the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions, leading them back into the Premier League for the first time since 2002, even if they were relegated straight away.

A mixed start to this EFL Championship campaign has the Blues 12th, but there is still firm belief that, with McKenna in charge, the East Anglian-based outfit will be promotion contenders.

In fact, despite taking a battering pretty much every week in the Premier League last season, only Mick O’Brien in the ’30s and Sir Alf Ramsey have a better win percentage of any Ipswich boss in history.

As outlined by the Coaches Voice, McKenna favours a ‘short-passing style’ with width provided by attacking full-backs, allowing wingers to drift inside, concluding that this approach should take him ‘ to the top of the game as a coach’, something that would suit how Celtic have played in the past and their current squad.

Also, as documents, McKenna’s history working with youth teams means he is more than willing to bring through younger players, helping Omari Hutchinson and others realise their true potential at Portman Road.

So, while his lack of experience, and poor Premier League record, with an admittedly weak squad, are causes for concern, the Celtic board must be bold, rather than churning through the same three of four faces.

If Neil Lennon wasn’t currently Dunfermline Athletic manager, he’d almost certainly be in the dugout; the Pars face Scott Brown’s Ayr United on Friday, winner gets the Celtic job anyone?

On a serious note, when O’Neill arrived in 2000, this was off the back of work with Wycombe and Leicester largely in the EFL, so who is to say McKenna could not do something similar, as he would certainly bring a freshness and new ideas to a club going a bit stale.

​​​​​​​

As good as Kenny: Celtic star who won 10 duels is already undroppable

This Celtic star who was as good as Johnny Kenny is now undroppable for Martin O’Neill.

ByDan Emery Oct 30, 2025

Liverpool have been backed to sign a “magnificent” player in the January transfer window, but they will face competition from Real Madrid.

Carragher bemoans Liverpool "crisis"

The champions lost a fourth successive Premier League game on Saturday evening, with the 3-2 defeat away to Brentford continuing a scarcely believable run of poor form, and big-money signings like Florian Wirtz struggling again.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes this is now a genuine “crisis” for Arne Slot, not holding back in his criticism of the champions for Sky Sports.

“Losing four games in a row for Brentford would be a disaster. To see the champions do it with the expenditure in the summer means we’re in crisis time for Liverpool right now. There will be a lot of serious questions asked in the dressing room between the players and the coaching staff and the people above the manager.

“When they’ve looked at what they’ve spent, they’ll be looking for a lot more. Liverpool have to look at the physicality and height within their team because, right now, I don’t think they have enough.”

Liverpool are struggling in many areas, not least in defence, with 14 goals already conceded in their first nine league games this season. It could be that a new defender is looked at, and a fresh update has emerged regarding the Reds’ winter window plans.

Liverpool backed to sign "magnificent" centre-back

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed Liverpool could look to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi in January to fend off interest from the likes of Madrid.

“There’s obviously been a hell of a lot of talk about Marc Guehi, they missed out in the summer and now there’s all sorts of clubs having a look at him. At first, it seemed like a certainty that he would go to Liverpool in January, but that doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment because he’s got these other options.

“It’s no surprise that the likes of Real Madrid are in for him now, he’s England’s starting centre-back and he’s going to be available for free. But I’ve always felt Liverpool could try to get it done in January even if it isn’t a certainty any more. He is by far the best option out there at the moment, and he’ll be available for £35million or less, which is a bargain fee for a defender of that quality.

“When you consider the difficulties they’ve had in defense lately, I expect they’ll be even more determined to get that deal done as soon as possible.”

Guehi vs. Konate in the Premier League this season	Guehi	Konate
Appearances	9	9
Starts	9	9
Minutes played	810	746
Clearances per game	5.4	5.4
Aerial duel wins per game	3.0	3.9
Tackles per game	1.9	1.9
Goals	1	0
Assists	1	0

Missing out on Guehi on deadline day felt significant at the time, and it almost feels as though things have unravelled for Liverpool ever since then. He even assisted against them in the Eagles’ 2-1 win at Selhurst Park, and has been called “magnificent” by former Reds left-back Stephen Warnock.

The 25-year-old would surely be starting over the out-of-form Ibrahima Konate currently, and he would have added much-needed centre-back depth, especially with Giovanni Leoni now out injured for the rest of the season.

Move over Salah: Slot's 5/10 Liverpool star is the new Jordan Henderson

Liverpool’s crisis deepened as they were condemned to a fourth successive Premier League defeat at Brentford.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 26, 2025

If the chance arises to sign Guehi in January, Liverpool simply must swoop, or if not, snap him up on a free transfer at the end of the season. It would be a surprise if Palace allowed him to leave before then, especially with European commitments, but receiving a fee for him could still appeal.

Newcastle United now hold strong interest in signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who has received high praise from England manager Thomas Tuchel.

Alan Shearer recently spoke about just how happy he is Anderson has been able to kick on since leaving his boyhood club due to PSR issues, saying: “It was the best thing. Although it was tough for Newcastle and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for PSR.

“But it was the best thing that happened to him, to get out and play. He wasn’t going to get in Newcastle’s midfield. You’ve got to give him credit. He wouldn’t be far away now [from getting in Newcastle’s midfield], I agree with that.”

With the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes to choose from, Eddie Howe has some quality midfielders at his disposal, but it will no doubt be frustrating to have lost their academy graduate, who has since gone on to attract attention from a number of Premier League clubs.

The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the Whitley Bay-born midfielder, and reliable reporter John Percy has now dropped an update on his future at Forest…

Newcastle hold strong interest in signing Elliot Anderson

According to Percy, Newcastle now hold strong interest in signing Anderson, but would-be suitors will have to spend big to get a deal done, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for over £100m, including installments.

Sean Dyche’s side are unwilling to sanction a departure this winter under any circumstances, meaning a move will have to wait until next summer, at which point the central midfielder will be in high demand, with Man United also very keen.

The Telegraph report also relays comments from England boss Tuchel, who said: “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment,

“He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, that’s why he is with us and starting for us.

“He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent.”

The 23-year-old has emerged as an important player for the Three Lions as of late, recently putting in a solid display as Tuchel’s side cruised to a 2-0 victory against Serbia in their penultimate World Cup qualifier.

As such, while it will sting to shell out around £100m for a former youth player, Newcastle should definitely pursue Anderson next summer, particularly considering there are now doubts over Joelinton’s future…

Newcastle hold internal talks to sign Ederson amid Joelinton concerns

Newcastle now hold internal talks to sign Ederson amid Joelinton concerns

The Magpies are looking to upgrade their midfield, as there are now doubts over the Brazil international.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 5, 2025

West Ham and Tottenham have held discussions over signing former Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the looming January transfer window, and he’s now given a response to both sides.

Ivan Toney attracts Premier League interest after Saudi displays

Toney’s excellent since moving to Al-Ahli has reportedly prompted several Premier League clubs to consider bringing him back to English football, with his exceptional goalscoring record defying initial skepticism about his £40 million transfer.

The 29-year-old has silenced doubters emphatically, scoring 42 goals across just 62 appearances in all competitions since arriving in the Gulf state.

His output has spearheaded Al-Ahli to success, including their maiden AFC Champions League triumph and victory in the Saudi Super Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.

Toney’s memorable hat-trick against 2024 champions Al-Hilal marked Al-Ahli’s first victory over their rivals in eight league games, with the striker going on to net 12 goals across just seven matches during one extraordinary purple patch.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

His performances even briefly earned the Englishman a spot back in Thomas Tuchel’s England setup earlier this year, but Toney has struggled to fire his way back into contention since then.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, reports have suggested that Toney could return to the Premier League in a bid to battle his way into Tuchel’s thinking ahead of the tournament next year.

West Ham now in pole position to sign "monster" striker after already making contact

The Hammers are after a new centre-forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Of all the teams linked with a move for Toney, West Ham and Spurs stand chief among them as the two London clubs allegedly scour for striking options.

Tottenham are said to have held preliminary talks over a deal for Toney already, while West Ham have allegedly sounded out the striker as they look to replace the exit-bound Niclas Füllkrug.

Now, a report by talkSPORT has shed light on the situation, with Nuno Espirito Santo handed a key update.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after discussions

West Ham and Tottenham have discussed January moves for Toney, but the England striker has made clear his intention to remain in Saudi Arabia, effectively ending hopes of an immediate Premier League return.

Sources close to the situation confirm Toney’s camp has communicated directly to interested Premier League clubs that the striker remains settled, content and unwilling to push for a transfer.

Al-Ahli sporting director Rui Pedro Braz reinforced this stance publicly, insisting speculation surrounding January departures holds no basis in reality and declaring the club counts on Toney moving forward.

Additionally, Toney must remain abroad until April 2026 to maintain his non-UK tax residency status. Returning prematurely would trigger significant tax liabilities estimated at around £14 million.

Al-Ahli would also demand more than the £40 million they paid for a permanent transfer.

The SPL club would only consider sanctioning Toney’s departure if they secured an elite-level replacement, something which could be very difficult to do in January’s limited window.

Right now, the odds are stacked against an exit for the ‘remarkable’ striker, so West Ham and Spurs may need to look elsewhere.

According to other reports, West Ham have already made contact over a deal for USG striker Promise David, who could be available for a generous £17.5 million.

The Baltimore Orioles are rolling right now, winning seven of their last 10 games and taking control of the AL East division after trailing the New York Yankees earlier in the season. 

They’ll look to keep that rolling on Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs, who are in last in the NL Central despite winning five of their last 10.

Chicago is an underdog on the road in this one, against a Baltimore squad that is 29-17 at home in 2024.

Dean Kremer is on the mound for the second time since returning from the IL, making him an interesting target tonight. 

I’ll explain that and more in my best bet, but first, let’s check out the odds and key things to know for this matchup.

Cubs vs. Orioles Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line

Orioles +1.5 (-148)Cubs -1.5 (+124)

Moneyline

Orioles: +140Cubs: -166

Total

9 (Over +100/Under -120)

Cubs vs. Orioles Probable PitchersBaltimore: Dean Kremer (4-4. 3.93 ERA)Chicago: Jameson Taillon (5-4, 2.99 ERA)Cubs vs. Orioles How to WatchDate: Tuesday, July 9Time: 6:35 p.m. ESTVenue: Camden YardsHow to Watch (TV): MASN, Marquee Sports NetworkOrioles record: 57-33Cubs record: 42-49Cubs vs. Orioles Key Players to WatchChicago Cubs

Cody Bellinger: A potential trade candidate at the deadline, Bellinger comes into this game hitting .266 with nine homers and 37 runs batted in across 77 games. While Belli hasn’t been as good as he was in 2023, he’s still one of the biggest threats in this Cubs lineup. 

Baltimore Orioles

Gunnar Henderson: A legit MVP candidate, Gunnar Henderson is on fire as of late, raising his season-long batting average to .293. He’s hit 27 homers and has 61 runs batted in for the O’s with an OPS+ of 182. Don’t be shocked if he has a big game in this one. 

Cubs vs. Orioles Prediction and Pick

I’m eyeing a prop bet in this game, and it’s something that I put in today’s MLB Best Bets column. 

Julio Rodríguez is doing his part for the Mariners in their winner-take-all Game 7 as Seattle plays for the franchise's first trip to the World Series.

To begin the American League Championship Series decider, he hit a leadoff double on the second pitch of the game to get in scoring position for Josh Naylor, who drove him in two batters later. That gave Seattle an early 1-0 lead, but the Blue Jays were able to tie the game in the bottom half of the first thanks to an RBI single from Daulton Varsho.

Rodríguez wasn't done, though, crushing a go-ahead solo home run in his next at-bat to take back the early lead. The ball sailed 423 feet over the left center field fence after a seven-pitch at bat.

In the clutch at-bat, he quickly got down 0-2 and was nearly called out on strikes on a checked swing down in the count. First base umpire Doug Eddings ruled that Rodríguez didn't go around, but the checked swing was insanely close and could have went either way:

Rodríguez took a second ball before fouling off two pitches ahead of the massive homer to break the 1-1 tie. He may have gotten away with one, but Eddings had to go with his gut which said Rodríguez held off. The call can't be taken back and it may prove to be critical in the decisive matchup for a trip to the World Series.

After taking over as interim manager following the Rockies firing Bud Black mid-season, Colorado is promoting Warren Schaeffer as the full-time manager for the 2026 season. The team announced the decision on Monday afternoon.

Schaeffer took over in May and posted a 36–86 record as interim manager with the Rockies this year. Despite the unfortunate outcome of the season, the Rockies are ready to give Schaeffer a fresh slate next year.

“We’re confident Warren is the right person to lead our club moving forward,” Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said in a statement. “He has established strong relationships with our players, understands the culture of this franchise and embodies the energy and work ethic we want on and off the field.”

A couple Rockies players endorsed Schaeffer after the season for him to return in the future, including outfielder Jordan Beck.

“I like what he’s changed; I like what he brings to the table,” Beck said in September, via CBS Sports. “There is real accountability and there is true conversation. He makes guys feel really comfortable and prepared, and that’s important for a young team.”

The 40-year-old Schaeffer was promoted to the major leagues for the 2023 season as he was hired as the Rockies’ third base and infield coach. Before coming to majors, Schaeffer worked 10 years coaching and managing in the minor leagues.

Comparing the top batsmen of each era against the average player of that period

Himanish Ganjoo16-Jun-2020The year 2018 saw remarkably tough conditions for batting in Test cricket, with West Indies, South Africa and England hosting teams on devilish pitches that aided fast bowlers. Batsmen playing in the top seven averaged a measly 31.46 in 2018. Since 1946, only three other years have returned a lower average. This rose to 34.68 in 2019 and then to 36 in the ten Tests played in 2020, but Test-match batting in general has been difficult in the past few years. Apart from adverse conditions for batting, the idea that shorter formats have made batsmen less disciplined has been proposed as an explanation for this.Investigating the exact reasons for this noticeable fall in batting numbers requires nuanced analysis of multiple factors, which is beyond the scope of this piece. Here, I will look to break Test batting up into different phases, and analyse which players have outperformed the average batsman and by how much. After all, Steven Smith averaging over 60 in an era where batting is hard should be put in context, vis a vis someone averaging the same in batting-friendly times.We will go backwards from 2020, looking over 16 eras of four years each, ending with 1957. Four years make one touring cycle in Test cricket, so a player’s performance over that period is likely to consider a variety of conditions over a big enough sample size. Also, before 1957, there are not enough players with decent sample sizes over any four-year period after the Second World War.We will consider players batting in the top seven batting positions only. To begin, let us look at the averages by phase: