Category Uncategorized

This season is shaping up very nicely for Chelsea at the moment.

Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League and have the chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then in Europe, they sent a warning out to the rest of the sides in the Champions League with their thumping 3-0 win over Barcelona, a game in which Estevao shone once again.

Maresca and Co will have a chance to make Chelsea’s season even better once the transfer window reopens in just over a month, not just by signing players, but by selling one who once looked like Estevao when he was a youngster.

Estevao's sensational start to life at Chelsea

The expectations placed upon Estevao have been monumental for quite some time now, to the point that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” months before Chelsea even signed him.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Since then, the hype surrounding him has only grown, thanks in large part to his fine form in Brazil, where he produced 17 goal involvements in 37 games last season.

Even so, few would have expected the start to this season he has had.

The youngster is not only playing a decent number of minutes, but he’s chipping in with important goals and has already shown a hugely impressive ability to get the fans on their feet.

So far, the 18-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist for the Blues in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes.

That comes out to an excellent average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or every 123.33 minutes, which would be commendable for a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenager.

The Franca-born wonderkid has been so effective this year that fans and pundits have actually spoken about him being a particular threat to league-leading Arsenal ahead of Sunday’s game.

However, while Chelsea should be delighted with their new wonderkid, they also need to find a way to sell one of their biggest duds, who once looked like Estevao when he was first breaking through.

The Chelsea flop who needs to be sold

Chelsea have become quite good at moving on players they don’t want in recent years, but even then, a couple remain in the bomb squad who are proving tricky to sell, like Raheem Sterling.

The former Manchester City star joined the club in 2022, and while he’s had moments for the club in which he’s looked excellent, they’ve only ever been that, moments.

Moreover, while his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games isn’t terrible, he’s never really put together a string of impressive performances, which is why he was allowed to join Arsenal on loan last year.

Unfortunately, that move only made the situation worse, as he ended up scoring just a single goal and providing five assists in 28 games for the Gunners, and was labelled a “passenger” by journalist Charles Watts.

Since returning to Stamford Bridge, the 30-year-old has been left to train separately from the first team, and with a weekly wage of £325k, that is far from ideal.

It is a serious shame that things have not worked out for the former England international, as before his move south, he was one of the best players in the league.

For example, during his time at the Etihad, he scored 131 goals and provided 86 assists in 339 appearances and won four league titles.

He was even a brilliant player for Liverpool, making his debut in the 11/12 season, but making his name in the 13/14 season, when, like Estevao now, he was just 18 years old.

In that season, the Kingston-born phenom managed to rack up an incredible tally of ten goals and seven assists in 38 appearances, totalling 2535 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 149.11 minutes.

Appearances

38

17

Minutes

2535′

740′

Goals

10

5

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.44

0.35

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.11′

123.33′

It wasn’t just the goals, though, as, like the Brazilian, he was a serious threat with the ball at his feet, thanks in part to his speed and close control.

Ultimately, Sterling will go down as a legend of the Premier League, but for the sake of all parties, Chelsea need to sell him in January, even if they barely get anything.

The original Estevao: Chelsea lead race to sign "best player in the world"

Chelsea could sign the original Estevao for a mega-money fee.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool should not panic over Ibrahima Konate's future, saying his former club will be "absolutely fine" if the defender leaves on a free transfer next summer. The France international has less than a year remaining on his contract and it remains to be seen whether he will agree an extension ahead of the January transfer window opening.

• Contract situation continues to drag on for Bayern & Real Madrid-linked Konate

  Konate has established himself as a key fixture in Liverpool’s starting XI following his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2021. The 26-year-old has formed a strong partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Reds’ defence, making 147 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals.

  However, speculation remains rife regarding Konate’s future ahead of the January transfer window opening in less than two months’ time. The centre-back is into the final year on his current deal and it is up in the air as to whether he will ink fresh terms at Anfield.

  German newspaper are reporting that German giants Bayern Munich are tentatively weighing up whether to rival La Liga heavyweights Real Madrid by making a move for Konate, who is eligible to arrange a free transfer in January.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Liverpool told they will not 'fall apart' should Konate leave the club

  But while rumours continue to swirl regarding Konate’s contract situation, Liverpool have been told they will not "fall apart" if they are forced into the transfer market to replace him.

  Speaking to the Carragher – who made 737 appearances for Liverpool, winning 11 trophies – said: "I’d like him [Konate] to stay but if he doesn’t stay, Liverpool will sign someone else. Liverpool won’t fall apart if Konate leaves.

  "He's not Virgil van Dijk. He's a good centre-back who you hope will sign, but if he doesn’t want to sign, Liverpool will be absolutely fine. He's a very good centre-back, he's a title winner at Liverpool, he's played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. He's obviously a quality centre-back.

  "It's not poor management [if he goes for free]. You can't physically make somebody sign a contract. Then it's your decision, do you keep him to the length of his contract or do you sell him?"

• Reds legend Carragher wants to see more consistency from Konate

  In a run which saw Liverpool lose four consecutive Premier League games against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United and Brentford, Konate was one of a number of players whose performances had notably dipped. 

  However, the ex-Sochaux man has since played a key role in helping Arne Slot’s side get back on track with victories over Aston Villa in the league and Xabi Alonso’s Real in the Champions League, with Carragher now challenging him to keep improving over the next few weeks.

  "It's still only a couple of games," said Carragher, when asked about Konate’s recent displays. "He hasn't had a great start to the season and he needs to show a bit more consistency.

  “He was fantastic against Real Madrid and he needs to keep that going over the next few months, it can't just be two games on the bounce.

  "There’s no secrets [to picking up your form]. It’s about working harder and you become more professional. It’s on your mind constantly that you want to get back into good form and every you think tiny detail will make a difference, whether that’s what you eat, what time you go to sleep, it’s just becoming an ultra-professional on and off the pitch."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Up next for Liverpool: A trip to Man City for Pep's 1,000th game

  Konate will be hoping to continue his and Liverpool’s recent revival when they travel to Manchester City in a mouth-watering league fixture on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s side have been in terrific form of late, losing just one of their last 13 games in all competitions.

  The match will be extra special for Guardiola as he prepares to celebrate his 1,000th game in management against a Liverpool side who have been his biggest nemesis during his trophy-laden period in English football.

  Ahead of the match, City manager Guardiola admitted he misses competing against former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, saying: "In terms of Jurgen's side or Pep's side, I think we respected each other.

  "I had the feeling that Jurgen gave me a lot and I miss him. He gave me a lot in sense of, to beat that guy, how much I have to think and work and do it, to make it better."

Leroy Sane has hinted at a possible return to his boyhood club Schalke, saying he could imagine ending his career where it all began. The former Bayern Munich winger, who made a switch to Galatasaray in the summer, called the idea of a Schalke reunion 'exciting', but admitted that it will not happen anytime soon.

• Sane hints at emotional Schalke reunion

  After leaving Bayern on a free transfer, the German international is now making his mark in Turkey with Galatasaray, but he has not ruled out a return to the Bundesliga in the future. The winger came through Schalke’s academy before joining Manchester City in 2016. He played a crucial role in Pep Guardiola's setup, helping them win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup triumph, and two League Cup successes before making a move to Munich in 2020. While Sane left Germany after five years with the Bundesliga giants in July, he admitted he still feels a strong connection to Schalke, who are experiencing a resurgence after years of misery, sitting second in the second-tier after 11 matches. 

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Return to Schalke not anytime soon

  In an interview with , the 29-year-old spoke openly about the idea of returning to his boyhood club, calling it something that 'would be exciting.' Reflecting on his memories with his former club Bayern, he shared how he and teammate Leon Goretzka, who also came through Schalke, often talked about their time in Gelsenkirchen.

  "I had a great time there. Playing in the arena was always a lot of fun – it was my first step in professional football," he said. "That's why I'm basically open to anything. That would be a nice story, of course. We'll see where my path leads me. If an opportunity arises at some point, I'd certainly be open to it. 

  "I was just talking to Leon Goretzka about it the other day. I'm really happy that things are going so well there. They've had a strong start and are right up there at the top. I hope it stays that way all season. The atmosphere is fantastic, you can feel it from the outside too. The team and the fans have a great rapport, and the fans have been incredibly loyal over the last few years. Seeing them march to every home game and fill the stadium – it's impressive. I hope they'll be back in the Bundesliga next season."

  He added to : "I think that would be a great story, but I still have a little time. I’m just only turning 30!"

  Sane came through Schalke’s academy and made his senior debut in 2014 before earning a move to Manchester City two years later. Back then, Schalke were competing in Europe. Since then, the club has been in decline, dropping down to the 2. Bundesliga.

• Sane starting to find rhythm after slow Galatasaray start

  The German winger also opened up about his move from Bayern to Galatasaray, saying he has settled in well after a slow start in Turkey.

  Sane endured a rough start in Istanbul, struggling to find a consistent spot in the starting 11. He was an unused substitute in Galatasaray’s 1-0 Champions League win over Liverpool. Off the pitch, he made headlines during Oktoberfest after reportedly being provoked by a group of Bayern fans inside a crowded beer tent.

  But the 29-year-old is starting to find his feet. "I had to settle in first. I had an adjustment period, so things didn't quite go as planned on the pitch at the beginning," the German admitted. "I had to get to know my teammates, and they had to get to know me, how to interact on the pitch, how to play together. That took a little while. But now, in the last few games, I'm very happy with my performances and how I've played. I want to carry this momentum forward and keep going."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  What's next for Leroy Sane?

  Sane has found his rhythm after a slow start at Galatasaray and will be hoping to keep that momentum going as the club looks to extend its lead at the top. The winger has scored three goals and provided two assists in 13 appearances so far. Galatasaray currently sit first in the Super Lig with nine wins from 11 matches and are gearing up to face Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 win over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, with all of their goals coming in just 14 exciting second-half minutes.

Arsenal run rampant in second-half demolition of Atlético Madrid

Arteta’s side set out their stall for a rapid start and might have been ahead inside five minutes when summer signing Eberechi Eze created space for himself on the edge of the area, with his resulting strike looping off David Hancko’s ankle and over goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

However, the crossbar denied Eze a first Champions League goal before Declan Rice thudded the follow-up into the ground and over.

Eze was involved again with 19 minutes gone with an eye-of-the-needle pass to Bukayo Saka. The England winger, who had the away side “on toast” according to Paul Merson, beat Oblak to the ball, but Atleti’s keeper did just enough to divert his dinked effort away from danger.

Bukayo Saka

5

Gabriel Magalhaes

3

Viktor Gyokeres

3

Julian Alvarez

3

Eberechi Eze

2

via WhoScored

Moments after the interval, Alvarez was given time and space to turn on the edge of the box. His fine curling effort had a diving Raya beaten, but it was the home side who were saved by the woodwork this time round.

Then came the goals.

Rice’s sumptuous set-piece on 57 minutes was begging to be converted, and an unmarked Gabriel did not disappoint. Arsenal’s second came from a fine driving run from Myles Lewis-Skelly, with the England teenager picking up the ball in the centre circle and getting past four Atlético players before finding Martinelli — who curled his shot into the far corner and doubled the home side’s advantage.

The score became three when Viktor Gyokeres’ barren run without a goal finally came to an end. Eze failed to volley home Martinelli’s cross, but the ball fell to Gyokeres, who managed to dig out his shot which deflected in off Hancko’s heel.

The Swede had another three minutes later. Rice’s corner beat everyone bar Gabriel at the back post, and the Brazilian’s header was bundled in off Gyokeres’ thigh. The 27-year-old had gone 38 days without scoring, but now had two goals in three minutes.

Simeone was deflated on the touchline, while Arteta oversaw his side’s sixth straight win of a season which is promising to deliver so much.

It was a night to remember for the Gunners, who maintained their 100 per cent start to the Champions League campaign, but one man who wasn’t anywhere to be seen in the matchday squad was 20-year-old Alexei Rojas.

Alexei Rojas responds to dig over Arsenal role

The South American, who joined Arsenal’s academy in 2019, is yet to make his senior debut for the north Londoners, with Colombia U20 manager César Torres taking a sly dig at Rojas’ role under Arteta and explaining why he didn’t play him at the Under-20 World Cup.

In response to Torres, speaking to AS, Arsenal’s young shot-stopper fought back — clarifying that he is indeed viewed as a senior player in Arteta’s squad.

Rojas has appeared on the bench for Arteta, particularly last season, but is yet to get a nod in the matchday squad, which could be down to his involvement in the Under-20 World Cup as it only concluded two days ago.

Colombia took third place in the tournament after beating France, so they were in it for a long period, and it will be interesting to see what Rojas’ role is now he’s coming back to N5.

An injury on her left shin has ruled out left-arm spinner Upadhyay from the five T20Is and three ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jun-2025Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has been named as a like-for-like replacement for Shuchi Upadhyay for India Women’s white-ball tour of England. A left-shin injury has ruled Upadhyay out of the tour.Upadhyay made her ODI debut during the tri-series in Sri Lanka, against South Africa. She received her maiden T20I call-up for the upcoming England tour.The BCCI said the shin injury was diagnosed during the pre-tour camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru.She was the third-highest wicket-taker at the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy held in December last year. She picked up 18 wickets then at an economy rate of 3.48 and an average of 15.44 in nine innings. She was named the Player of the Tournament as her team, Madhya Pradesh, won the trophy.Radha, who has played seven ODIs and 84 T20Is, last featured for India in December 2024, where she picked up four wickets against West Indies. However she was overlooked for the ODI series against them that followed.Before the West Indies series, she was the highest wicket-taker in the one-dayers against New Zealand at home.India will take on England Women in five T20Is, followed by three ODIs, starting June 28.

Defending champions KKR are one slip away from entering must-win territory for the rest of this IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-20253:53

DC’s bowling a concern at Kotla?

Delhi Capitals won a crucial toss in Delhi as dew has started playing a much bigger role in IPL matches. They elected to field on a track they expect to be slightly slow, but one that could get better to bat on later in the night. DC were unchanged from the side that lost their last match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Kolkata Knight Riders made one change, bringing in left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, who for majority of his time in the IPL has played the role of the specialist substitute fielder for KKR. They were coming off a washed-out game against Punjab Kings.With three defeats in the last five games, DC’s campaign has plateaued after a smashing start. They still had 12 points from nine matches, which meant they could get right back into the contention for a top-two finish if they could start winning again. Their explosive batting unit struggled to get going in their last home game on a slow surface, and will be hoping they get better batting conditions to work with in the night.Defending champions KKR were one slip away from entering must-win territory for the rest of the tournament. Their batting unit has not clicked at all. Ajinkya Rahane, not a regular T20 player, has been their best batter.The likely Impact Players were Vaibhav Arora for KKR and Ashutosh Sharma for DC.Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Rovman Powell, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Anukul Roy, 11 Varun ChakravarthyPossible Impact Players: Manish Pandey, Mayank Markande, Vaibhav Arora, Ramandeep Singh, Luvnith SisodiaDelhi Capitals: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Abishek Porel, 3 Karun Nair, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt.), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mukesh KumarPossible Impact Players: Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser McGurk, T Vijay, Donovan Ferreira

Bumrah came away with figures of 4-0-29-0 on his return from injury

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-20256:24

The Patidar hand in RCB’s aggressive approach

Fifties from Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, and a finishing kick from Jitesh Sharma took Royal Challenger Bengaluru (RCB) to 221 as they looked for their first win at Wankhede Stadium in 10 years. However, Mumbai Indians would be optimistic as the pitch was an absolute batting beauty with the small Wankhede boundaries to boot. Kohli, though, said that the pitch was not as straightforward as they made it look.Coming off 29 balls, this was Kohli’s fastest T20 fifty since 2019, and his first sub-30-ball fifty in the IPL since 2018. Kohli’s aggressive intent allowed Patidar to get a look at his first 10 balls but then he went from 8 off 10 to 64 off 32. Jitesh ended up with an unbeaten 40 off 19 to make sure RCB didn’t lose momentum in the end.Jasprit Bumrah made a successful return to competitive cricket with analysis of 4-0-29-0 even as others around him went for a plenty. Notable was Trent Boult’s most expensive analysis in the IPL: 4-0-57-2. He did get a first-over wicket for the 31st time, but that failed to dent RCB’s intent.Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal took 73 in the powerplay but left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur took Padikkal out for 37 off 22. A crucial spell of play was Hardik Pandya’s wide lines that not only defended the leg-side boundary but also resulted in the wickets of Kohli and Liam Livingstone. However, Patidar got the better of his counterpart with ramps, shots across the line and straight hits. He scored 33 off 12 Hardik deliveries; his other 12 balls went for 12 and brought two wickets.While the batters took apart Boult at the death, but this is when Bumrah bowled the 18th and the 20th over for six and eight runs to keep RCB from getting completely out of MI’s reach.

The MI captain, who missed their first game of the season, is back to face the team he led to the 2022 title

Himanshu Agrawal28-Mar-20252:59

Cricinformed: Rashid’s magic wearing thin

Big picture – Can Rashid put opening-game blues behind him?Hardik Pandya was at the receiving end of the home fans’ ire when he last played an IPL game in Ahmedabad. Last year, turning up as Mumbai Indians’ (MI) captain against Gujarat Titans (GT), a side he had led to a title and back-to-back finals before being traded out, Hardik was booed by fans who had once hailed him as a hero. And now, as it turns out, his first game in IPL 2025 is against GT at the Narendra Modi Stadium.After missing MI’s first game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) due to an over-rate penalty that carried forward from last season, Hardik is all set to return to action. His presence should help MI regain some of the balance and experience they may have lacked against CSK.Related

'Everyone will see beyond what happened last year' – Jayawardene backs returning Hardik

Suryakumar Yadav confident his T20 runs will come

Auto-rickshaw driver's son Vignesh latest entrant to MI's talent club

That won’t be the only tale of shifting allegiances. Rashid Khan, GT’s go-to man since 2022, will be up against a side whose owners have him in their SA20, ILT20 and MLC dressing rooms. Like Rashid, his GT team-mate Kagiso Rabada also represents MI’s sister concerns MI Cape Town and MI New York.Rashid finished both IPL 2023 and 2024 with economy rates above eight an over, having only gone as high as 6.73 in six IPL seasons before that. He started this season by conceding five sixes against Punjab Kings (PBKS), who took him for 48 runs in four overs. GT conceded 243 in that game, on a flat deck in Ahmedabad.The surface shouldn’t be too much different against MI, whose batters should relish it after starting their season on a slow, spin-friendly pitch in Chennai.New loyalties – Robin MinzWicketkeeper-batter Robin Minz might have played for GT last year had he not suffered a bike accident just before IPL 2024. GT replaced him with BR Sharath, and Minz, since then, has moved to MI.Hardik Pandya endured a tough night on his last IPL visit to his old home ground•BCCITeam news and likely XIIsHow do GT fit in Washington Sundar? He started on the subs bench against PBKS, but was surplus to requirements. Rashid’s skill and experience make him indispensable, while R Sai Kishore was GT’s standout bowler against PBKS with figures of 3 for 30. As for the batting, the presence of Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia and Sherfane Rutherford, whom GT used as Impact Sub against PBKS, provide plenty of left-hand options in the top seven. So Washington might have to keep waiting for his chance. GT fell two big hits short of hunting down 244 against PBKS, and despite their bowlers getting carted around may not make too many changes to a line-up that nearly got them across the line.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Sherfane Rutherford, 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Arshad Khan, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh Krishna.Against CSK, MI brought in left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur as their Impact Sub to replace Rohit Sharma. Figures of 3 for 32 gave Puthur, on T20 debut, instant recognition. So Pandya for Minz is likely to be MI’s only change, with the presence of Mitchell Santner and Deepak Chahar at Nos. 8 and 9 giving them depth on what will probably be another batter-friendly pitch.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Naman Dhir, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Satyanarayana Raju, 12 Vignesh Puthur.Big questionBoth GT and MI have daunting batting line-ups capable of piling up huge scores, the former with an almost 50-50 mix of right- and left-hand batters. If Ahmedabad serves up another belter, another high-scoring thriller could be on the cards.In the spotlight – Shubman Gill and Suryakumar YadavDuring GT’s chase of 244 against PBKS, Shubman Gill bashed 33 off just 14 balls. He hasn’t historically started that quickly in T20s, but he stated before the start of the season that he wanted to take the responsibility of maximising the powerplay. While the early aggression was forced on him by the target PBKS set, it will be interesting to see his approach if GT bat first. It could have some bearing on his international selection too. He was named India’s vice-captain for the T20Is against Sri Lanka last year – the first time a full-strength India side had played T20Is after the World Cup – he hasn’t played that format since then, partly because India were resting all-format players with Tests and ODIs the main priority in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy. Getting back in the T20I side won’t be easy, though, with Gill facing stiff competition from Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order.Suryakumar Yadav has only scored 119 runs in his last ten T20 innings, while playing for MI, India and Mumbai. Of those runs, 48 came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Madhya Pradesh. Leading MI against CSK, Suryakumar made 19 off his first 14 balls before slowing down against spin and finishing with 29 off 26. Ahmedabad, where the pitch is likely to be flatter, could be the perfect venue for Suryakumar to regain form.Will Shubman Gill keep pushing for quick starts in the powerplay?•IPLPitch and conditionsA hot day is expected in Ahmedabad, with a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius, but the temperatures are expected to drop into the mid-to-high 20s by the time of the match. No rain is expected, but dew is likely to make the pitch – which is expected to be flat to start – to get better for batting in the second innings. Gill had chosen to chase against PBKS with dew in mind, and GT came close despite PBKS piling up 243. Six of the eight games played in Ahmedabad in IPL 2024 were won by the side batting second.Key stats Ahead of GT’s match against PBKS, there was plenty of interest around the question of where their new recruit Jos Buttler would bat. He came in at No. 3, with GT choosing not to disturb their opening combination of Gill and Sai Sudharsan. It was only the second time in 107 IPL innings that Buttler had batted at No. 3. He’s done so 24 times in all T20s, though, and his srike rate in that position (147.64) is almost the same as his strike rate as opener (147.45). Despite expensive IPLs in 2023 and 2024 by his standards, Rashid remains among the tournament’s most effective bowlers. Among those with at least 150 wickets in the IPL, only Lasith Malinga has a better average, and only Sunil Narine a better economy rate. Rohit Sharma fell for his 18th duck in the IPL when he was dismissed without scoring against CSK. Among the 30 batters to have been out at least 100 times in the tournament, that is the joint-second-most ducks behind Glenn Maxwell (19). Mohammed Siraj is yet to dismiss Rohit in T20s. Across 10 innings, Rohit has scored 74 runs off 55 balls against Siraj, and hit him for seven fours and four sixes.Next three fixturesAfter hosting MI on Saturday, GT travel to Bengaluru and Hyderabad for back-to-back away games on April 2 and 6. They return home after that to play Rajasthan Royals on April 9.MI, meanwhile, have only a day’s gap between this game and their next one. They host Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday, then fly to Lucknow to play Lucknow Super Giants on April 4, before returning home for a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 7.

Leeds United have been dealt an injury “blow”, with a £40,000-a-week star set for a spell on the sidelines.

Leeds start Premier League season with 1-0 win over Everton

The Whites made a perfect start to life back in the Premier League on Monday evening, beating Everton 1-0.

Summer signing Lukas Nmecha scored the winner from the penalty spot late on, with Anton Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Lucas Perri all making their debuts from the start.

Since then, Leeds have brought in Noah Okafor to bolster their attacking options even further. The Switzerland international has cost the Whites up to £18m, something which Farke was delighted with.

“He has really good pace, he’s a really good dribbler, really good on the offensive one-on-one. A strong player as well. I don’t want to pressure him too much because he’s not played one game, so I’ll let him deliver before, but from his skills, he has more or less everything to impress, and it’s up to him.”

Incomings

From

Fee

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Louis Enahoro-Marcus

Liverpool

Undisclosed

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Okafor is in contention to make his debut against Arsenal this weekend, however, one Leeds star won’t be at the Emirates.

Farke confirms Ethan Ampadu injury “blow”

When asked about Ethan Ampadu’s condition after he was replaced following a heavy challenge in the second half against Everton, Farke revealed some “bad news” for the Leeds captain.

Related Their new Raphinha: Leeds could hijack late move to sign £32m "magician"

Leeds could pull off a last-minute hijack

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 22, 2025

Ampadu, on £40,000-a-week, actually set a new Leeds record outside the Don Revie era following Monday’s win over Everton.

It is now 25 consecutive league games without losing for the skipper, and he’ll be hoping to continue that run when he returns.

Manchester United have been extremely active within the current summer window, already addressing the need for additions in key areas of the pitch.

Bryan Mbeumo is the biggest addition made by Ruben Amorim this summer, with the Cameroonian international moving to Old Trafford in a £71m deal from Brentford.

He arrives at the club with real excitement, after managing to find the net 20 times in his 38 Premier League outings for the Bees last time around.

However, the prospect of the 25-year-old linking up with Matheus Cunha in attacking areas is certainly an exciting one, handing the side the attacking threat they’ve lacked in recent times.

Despite the two previous additions within the final third, further signings are expected between now and the end of the window, further highlighting the ambition of the current owners.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Benjamin Sesko has been one of the biggest names mentioned with a summer move to join United this summer, unsurprisingly so given his tally of 21 goals across all competitions in 2024/25.

Talks have already commenced over a move to land the 22-year-old this window, being a part of the club’s final shortlist to fill the void at the top end of the pitch.

However, he’s only one of two players currently in their sights, with Ollie Watkins another player currently being considered, according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell.

He claims that, like Sesko, the hierarchy are in constant talks with Aston Villa over a move for the 29-year-old, who’s seen as a Premier League proven option for Amorim.

The report also claims that Unai Emery doesn’t want to lose his talisman this summer after scoring 16 times in the league last campaign, subsequently placing a £60m price tag on his head.

Why United’s latest target would be perfect with Mbeumo

Mbeumo will be hoping to make his own impact at Old Trafford next season, wanting to carry over his tremendous form at Brentford that ultimately led to his big-money addition.

He’s capable of finding the back of the net on his own, but will also be able to provide others with the chances to bolster their own tallies after registering seven assists in 2024/25.

Such numbers made him the third-highest contributor in England’s top flight, highlighting the incredible talent Amorim has managed to get his hands on this window.

However, as previously mentioned, he’s unlikely to be the final addition in such an area of the pitch, potentially leading to a move for Watkins in the near future.

A deal for the Englishman could be an exciting one, but one that could allow him to thrive alongside the Cameroonian, just like he did during his own spell at Brentford.

The pair last partnered each other in the Championship back in the 2019/20 campaign, managing to register 40 league goals between them as the side fell at the final hurdle, suffering defeat in the play-off final.

Both ended the year in the top ten of the division’s top goalscoring charts, before taking different paths, which has led them to their current positions in their respective careers.

However, they could star together once again, with Watkins, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by ex-professional Stephen Warnock, able to be the recipient of Mbeumo’s impressive assist tally.

He managed to register 1.4 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of 44% last season, and could be able to transform the fortunes of the side within the final third.

Games played

38

Goals & assists

24

Goals per shot on target

0.4

Progressive passes

1.1

Pass accuracy

72%

Progressive carries

1.9

Carries into final third

1.3

Aerials won

1.9

Fouls won

1.2

Watkins’ all-round ability is further reflected in his tally of 1.9 aerials won, having the ability in the air to add a new dimension to the Red Devils’ frontline throughout the upcoming campaign.

If the pair can rekindle their impressive partnership together at Old Trafford, the side will have every chance of rising up England’s top flight in Amorim’s first full campaign in charge.

It may prove to be a pricey addition, but it’s one that would provide the excitement the fanbase have lacked in attacking areas, making the Red Devils a force to be reckoned with once again.

Their very own Isak: Man Utd in concrete talks to sign "phenomenal" £80m CF

Manchester United could be about to land a star who’d be their own version of Alexander Isak.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 29, 2025