The India opener also credited India’s team management for showing faith in his high-risk style and allowing him to express himself

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2025After powering India to a six-wicket win with a 39-ball 74, Abhishek Sharma referred to his innings as a reply to Pakistan for “coming at us without any reason”.The climate of heightened political tensions between the two countries has spilled over onto the field during this Asia Cup, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan’s players, and Pakistan’s displeasure at this spilling over into a protest against match referee Andy Pycroft that threatened, at one stage, to escalate into a boycott.Related

• Suryakumar found guilty of breaching code of conduct; verdict on Rauf and Farhan awaited

• Shaheen Afridi brushes off criticism as Pakistan eye Asia Cup final

• Similar goals, similar problems: SL, Pakistan resume borderline sappy yet competitive rivalry

• Things Pakistan say, things Pakistan do, and the gap between them

• Agha on Fakhar dismissal: 'It did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper'

Sunday’s Super Fours match, the second meeting between the two teams during the tournament, witnessed several feisty moments including heated exchanges between Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf and India openers Abhishek and Shubman Gill.Rauf was also captured on cameras by fans making gestures to the crowd. In response to being heckled by chants of “Kohli, Kohli” from a section of Indian fans, he held up his hands and appeared to indicate the number six, and then made more gestures that resembled an aircraft flying and coming down.”Today, it was pretty simple,” Abhishek said while receiving the Player-of-the-Match award. “The way they were coming at us without any reason, I didn’t like it at all. And I thought that this is the only [answer] that I could give with my bat and obviously [contribute] with the win towards my team. That’s all that was going through my mind. I just wanted to deliver for my team.”Abhishek and Gill have been close friends since their Under-14 days; they stitched a 105-run stand off just 59 balls, giving India a flying start in their chase of 172.”We’ve been playing since our school days, so we enjoy each other’s company really well,” Abhishek said. “And the way we started, I thought that we’re going to do this in one of the games and that’s how we’re going to start our partnerships.”And luckily it was today, and I feel the way he [Gill] was giving them back, I really enjoyed it on the other side.”Shivam Dube took two wickets to peg Pakistan back after a strong start•AFP/Getty Images

Abhishek’s innings, which included six fours and five sixes, all but sealed the game for India. He began the innings with a first-ball six off Afridi, going one better than last week’s group-stage meeting where he hit the left-arm quick for a first-ball four.”I feel it’s very important for the team because if you see someone playing like this, they need really good support from the captain and the coach,” Abhishek said about his high-risk batting style. “I feel that’s what I’m getting from my team and that’s the intent they want me to show in all the games.”That’s how I want to play because I’ve been practising really hard for this. If it’s my day, I’m going to make sure that we win the game.”Unlike the group-stage game, which they dominated from the outset, India endured a few nervous moments on the field. Pakistan, courtesy Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, raced to 91 for 1 in their first ten overs but India pulled the game back in the second half, conceding just 80 runs in the last ten.”The way the boys are stepping up in every game, showing character, I think it’s making my job really easy,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said. “I think the boys showed a lot of character, composure; they were calm after first innings. After the ten overs, I told the boys during drinks as well, the game starts now, and the way they reacted, everyone on the field and all the bowlers, I think it was commendable.”Suryakumar also heaped praise on the “fire and ice combination” of Abhishek and Gill. “The way Abhishek complements Shubman Gill’s batting is amazing and it’s very enjoying to watch both of them bat together. The way they did it today, I think it was required for someone to bat at least 10-12 overs and give us that strong base and they did the same thing.”It was an off day for Jasprit Bumrah, who conceded 45 runs in four overs, but allrounder Shivam Dube stepped up, returning 2 for 33 in his four overs. “That’s completely fine,” Suryakumar said on Bumrah’s display. “He’s not a robot, he will have a bad day someday, but the way he comes back in every game after that is really important. Very happy the way Shivam Dube came out, raised his hand and bailed us out in that situation.”

Abject. It is, painfully, an accurate way of summing up Liverpool’s form this season. The Premier League champions will not retain their belt, not like this, not with such deep tactical cracks and incoherent players and non-existent belief in Arne Slot’s plan.

The most concerning part of the recent 3-0 defeat in Manchester against Pep Guardiola’s resurgent outfit is that Liverpool were outplayed across the park. Be it physical, mental or tactical metrics, Manchester City shone, and the Reds were blinded by their opponent’s superiority.

Jeremy Doku stood out, darting this way and that, scoring a stunning goal in the second half after breaking away from Ibrahima Konate. The Belgian winger completed seven of eight dribble attempts and created three chances, as per Sofascore.

Liverpool have got so many problems, and the recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid provided only the veneer of a revival as City hit the Merseside club with a sobering reality check.

Among Slot’s biggest concerns is the enduring slump of Mohamed Salah. For so many years, the Egyptian has been an unstoppable force for Liverpool, but, aged 33 and at the front of a sinking ship, he is struggling to recover more than a flicker of his former greatness.

Mohamed Salah is becoming a problem

Will we see the best of Salah in a Liverpool shirt again? There’s every chance that the right winger expended incredible amounts of mental and physical energy driving his club to the league title last season, and across all competitions, he scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists.

Almost three months into the new campaign, Slot’s second in the dugout, Salah has recorded eight goal involvements, but his general play and the accuracy of his shooting have paled in comparison to the many years behind him. Salah is not himself.

This is a worry, to be sure. Not just because Liverpool are playing without their talisman in his groove, but because Slot has shown a hesitance toward unleashing Federico Chiesa right from the start of last season, and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon.

How much longer can it go on like this? Man City reduced Liverpool’s superstar to half-chances and a role within the defensive press. How many times has Salah picked Pep apart? How often has he been the leading light against this arch-rival of modern times?

Premier League

19

9 (6)

Champions League

2

2 (1)

Community Shield

2

1 (1)

FA Cup

2

0 (0)

Carabao Cup

1

1 (0)

There is, of course, the caveat to all this that Salah would be far better placed in a system of greater fluency. This has been anything but the case for the Anfield side this season.

But Father Time is not on the Premier League legend’s side, and, having penned a new two-year extension worth £400k per week in April, Salah has around 18 months to show that FSG have received more than bang for their buck one final time.

But there’s a very real possibility that Salah is past his prime, and that Liverpool need to find a successor.

An onerous task if ever there was one. However, Liverpool actually have a Kirkby prospect who has what it takes to swipe the icon’s shirt.

The Liverpool teen who can take Salah's #11

Slot needs to find a solution to Liverpool’s current woes, but let’s all take a breather, just for a moment. Liverpool have so much talent. Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will come good. But, more excitingly, there’s a wealth of teenage talent soon to be at Slot’s disposal, with one prospect a cut above the rest.

Rio Ngumoha knew he was headed to the upper crust of the Premier League, and a youth system that has shown itself since Jurgen Klopp came along to be a hothouse for those immensely gifted young stars.

Chelsea’s loss was Liverpool’s gain. Ngumoha was poached from Cobham in 2024 and made his professional debut against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup midway through his maiden year on Merseyside.

A left-sided winger with incredible speed and dribbling, the 17-year-old Ngumoha has the potential to become a superstar at Liverpool, with his physical, athletic and fierce playing style offering shades of that man Doku, Anfield villain last weekend.

You could say Ngumoha is preternaturally talented. After all, journalist Kieran Gill is among those to have singled him out as a “generational talent”, and he certainly illustrated his potential with an incredible strike on his Premier League debut, netting the winner against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park in August.

Since then, he has featured sporadically for the Redmen, playing seven games in all competitions but only starting in the Carabao Cup, among that youthful group who were brushed aside by Crystal Palace last month.

Ngumoha’s time will come. He is so fast, so sure of himself when on the ball. He is among the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, and that goal is sure to be the first of many.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

Time must be afforded to one so young. Take Doku. Criticised often at Man City for being endowed with such ferocity and fleet-footedness, but lacking end product and elite decision-making.

Doku is only 23, and his performance against Slot’s beleaguered lot last weekend was the display of a winger reaching new levels of maturity and technical understanding.

Ngumoha will only get better and better as the years go on, and while he can contribute this season, these foundational years could see him bloom at the end of next term, when Salah supposedly leaves, and he could take his shirt, stepping up as Liverpool’s new wide talisman.

Can Nghumoha reach those heights, take that #11 from Salah himself? You’ll have to stay tuned. But Ngumoha will make it easy to do that. Watching him play football is a treat, and he has the capacity to not just emulate a stylistic peer like Doku but become one of the very best in world football.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Martin O’Neill may reportedly have taken charge of his last game as Celtic’s interim manager, according to a significant new update that has emerged.

O’Neill is such a popular figure at Parkhead, with the 73-year-old bringing positivity back to the club after a frustrating end to Brendan Rodgers’ time in charge.

The Northern Irishman has addressed his future at Celtic in recent days, still pinching himself at making a return, but admitting he doesn’t know what the next step is.

“I have to go back down to London again, I’m going to go into a darkened room and come out on Thursday and think ‘has this really happened?’ So I should imagine at some stage or another during the course of the next week, whether it be tomorrow, whether it be Saturday or Sunday of next week, that somebody will let me know what’s happening.

“No, I genuinely don’t know. But if they make an announcement in, let’s say, in the next week or something about a new manager, I will take this fortnight and I was nearly going to say rather morbidly, to my grave, but hang about. Well you never know, but it’s been fantastic.”

O’Neill will ultimately know that he isn’t the long-term answer for Celtic, with his appointment only a short-term fix, and now a new update has emerged regarding his future.

O'Neill may be replaced at Celtic during international break

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, O’Neill’s spell in charge of Celtic could reach its conclusion during the current international break.

A new “development” took place last weekend, with Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy now one of the leading contenders to come in at Parkhead alongside Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen. It is stated that top target Nancy is now “available” and ready to join the Hoops straight away after his current club were knocked out of the MLS playoffs.

As mentioned, O’Neill won’t be expecting to get the Celtic job permanently, despite some good results in charge, but if he has managed his last game for the club, he will depart as popular as ever.

Shock Celtic manager frontrunner receives backing from Parkhead higher-up

The Bhoys may well now have found their preferred choice to succeed Martin O’Neill.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 11, 2025

Ultimately, the Hoops have to make the right appointment to take the club in the right direction, and if they feel they have found the correct choice during the international break, an immediate change is needed.

Wilfried Nancy’s managerial record

Columbus Crew – MLS Cup winners (2023), Leagues Cup winners (2024)

Matches – 132 Wins – 71 Draws – 32 Losses – 33

CF Montreal – Canadian Championship winners (2021)

Matches – 79 Wins – 38 Draws – 16 Losses – 25

Nancy looks to be an interesting option currently, having won 109 out of 209 matches in management in North America, but the one main risk is that he hasn’t proven himself in Europe, unlike Knutsen with Bodo/Glimt.

Approach imminent: Manager with 209 wins to 70 losses excited by Celtic

Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz was substituted against Manchester City after another torrid performance from both the Germany international and his teammates.

Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a convincing win over an old rival as Manchester City overpowered Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. Typically Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet, opening the scoring for a dominant City side at the Etihad Stadium with his 99th Premier League goal after missing an earlier penalty.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk had an equaliser controversially disallowed, but the champions were second best for much of a sodden afternoon and fell further behind to a deflected Nico Gonzalez strike before the break.

The outstanding Jeremy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club. Victory lifted City back up to second in the table and within four points of leaders Arsenal, and condemned Liverpool to yet more soul-searching.

Arne Slot’s side had emerged from a recent slump with impressive back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but the defeat was their fifth in six league games and left them eight points adrift of the Gunners. During the game, City fans made a point of criticising one particular Liverpool player as he was withdrawn from the match.

Liverpool signing Wirtz was a "waste of money"

Though they would spend more on Alexander Isak just weeks later, Liverpool broke the British transfer record when they signed Florian Wirtz for £116 million in the summer. Much has since been said about the German, who has struggled to swiftly adapt to English football.

Across all competitions, not including the Community Shield, Wirtz has racked up no goals and two assists in 14 games, hardly the return expected by a player who commanded such a transfer fee. Due to his form, questions have been asked about Wirtz’s position in the first team.

Against Man City, Wirtz’s Premier League struggles continued. The German was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 83rd minute and as per Adam Bate of Sky Sports, was serenaded by the home support.

Minutes Played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Key Passes

0

Shots on Target

0

Total Shots (Shots Blocked)

2 (2)

Accurate Passes in Opposition Half

11/16 (69%)

(All stats are from SofaScore)

Given the money spent across the summer, there is little excuse for Liverpool’s form throughout the 2025/26 season. Wirtz, however, similar to fellow new arrival Isak, has yet to showcase anything that represents the fee that was paid for him. The German midfielder is still, of course, in the infancy of his Liverpool career, but it is apparent that he needs to quickly find a vein of form on Merseyside.

Liverpool want another Newcastle star after Isak

Bangladesh have home series lined up against Ireland, West Indies, Pakistan and New Zealand in the 2025-26 season calendar

Mohammad Isam18-Sep-2025

Mushfiqur Rahim will play his 100th Test against Ireland in Dhaka•AFP/Getty Images

Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to play his 100th Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka when Bangladesh face Ireland in the second Test of the two-match series starting November 19.The update comes after Cricket Ireland agreed to play both Tests, having earlier reportedly wanted to play an ODI series instead of the second Test. The first Bangladesh-Ireland Test will be played in Sylhet from November 11.Mushfiqur, currently on 98 Tests, will become the first Bangladesh cricketer to reach the three figure milestone when he gets there. He made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2005 at Lord’s, becoming the second-youngest to play a Test at the venue after Sachin Tendulkar.He is currently Bangladesh’s only batter with 6000-plus runs. His 219 not out against Zimbabwe in 2020 is also the team’s highest individual score.After Bangladesh and Ireland face off in two Tests, the T20Is will be held on November 27 and 29 in Chattogram, and in Dhaka on December 2.Cricket West Indies, meanwhile, announced on Wednesday that West Indies will tour Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in October. They will play the three ODIs on October 18, 20 and 23 and the three T20Is on October 27 and 30, and November 1.According to the ICC’s future tours programme, the December-January window is free for Bangladesh, which means that the Bangladesh Premier League is likely to be held at that time. The T20 World Cup will follow in February.Bangladesh’s 2025-26 calendar also includes home series against Pakistan and New Zealand.

Worcestershire 593 for 9 (Roderick 151, Brookes 100, D’Oliveira 84, Taylor 66*, Edavalath 61) vs DurhamWorcestershire’s relegation was confirmed on day three of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Durham despite centuries from Gareth Roderick and Ethan Brookes.Worcestershire, whose fate was sealed after failing to pick up a third batting point, continued to frustrate a Durham side desperately seeking points to avoid the same fate.Roderick picked up his 12th first class century on a docile pitch after the morning session was washed out and despite a first Durham wicket for Afghan leg spinner Shafiqullah Ghafari, they continued to pile on the runs throughout the day.Brookes joined Roderick in the middle and he picked up his fifty, while Roderick passed 150, but a double-wicket burst from Sam Conners halted the Pears’ momentum.However, Brookes continued the onslaught and notched up three figures as the Pears finished on 591 for 9 at the close.Rain meant that play didn’t start until 1.20pm with 70 overs in the day and Roderick, unbeaten on 95, and nightwatcher Ben Gibbon resumed Worcestershire’s innings.Gibbon continued his good work from the previous night as he frustrated the Durham bowlers and Roderick finally got his first century of the season, coming off 180 deliveries.Gibbon continued to play his strokes, picking up a boundary on the offside off the bowling of Ghafari.Conners almost got the breakthrough as Gibbon edged one on 28, but Emilio Gay couldn’t cling on to it at second slip.Ghafari got his first Durham wicket, Gibbon lbw for 33, but it was too late for a second Durham bowling point.The Pears duo of Roderick and Brookes then guided their side to 400, however Raine nearly had Brookes caught behind, but Ollie Robinson couldn’t hold to a diving catch.The solid Roderick continued to frustrate the home side as he played a lovely dab off Will Rhodes to third region for four just before tea.Roderick resumed after tea as he slammed a Matthew Potts delivery through the covers for four, while Brookes produced a carbon copy in the same over.The Pears keeper continued his vigil in the middle by punishing a Rhodes delivery, but Roderick offered a rare opportunity as Rhodes couldn’t cling on to a caught-and-bowled opportunity. Milestones then followed for the visitors as Brookes passed fifty from 86 balls, while Roderick picked up his 150 from 276 balls.Brookes was dropped a second time, as he edged a Ghafari ball on 57, but Robinson spilled the catch, and Brookes made him pay as he picked up the first six of the game with a hit down the ground.Roderick finally fell for 151, as Conners got him lbw, his second of the match and he followed that up with the wicket of Matthew Waite for a three-ball duck.Brookes continued to pick up runs as he played a wonderful sweep shot for four off the bowling of Ghafari and he took his side to 500 later in the over.Tom Taylor got another life as he miscued one when he was on 15, but Gay couldn’t hold onto it.Brookes then picked up his second ton of the campaign from 130 balls and Taylor absolutely smashed one down the ground for four one ball later.Brookes departed for 100 as he was bowled by Potts after going for a big shot, but he completely missed it, however his team-mate Taylor got to fifty from 54 balls.Final pair Ben Allison and Taylor took Worcestershire to close and will resume unbeaten on 10 and 64 respectively in the morning.

Ben Jacobs was full of praise for one Manchester United player in their draw with Tottenham Hotspur, comparing him to an Old Trafford treble winner.

Matthijs de Ligt struck deep into stoppage time to rescue Manchester United a 2-2 draw after a dramatic finale at Tottenham. This repeat of the Europa League final in May looked set to go the way of Ruben Amorim’s improving team after Bryan Mbeumo haunted old Brentford boss Thomas Frank with a goal in the 32nd minute.

It sparked boos at half-time from a disgruntled Spurs fanbase which has seen only three home wins in the Premier League in 2025, but the hosts’ turned it around with substitute Mathys Tel able to produce an 84th-minute equaliser.

When Richarlison deflected in a shot by the excellent Wilson Odobert in the first minute of stoppage time, Frank looked set to get the statement home win in the league his five-month tenure had lacked.

Yet wild home celebrations were followed by more late drama as De Ligt powered home a header from a corner in the sixth minute of added time to earn United a 2-2 draw and extended their unbeaten run under Amorim to five matches.

In a dramatic game full of twists and turns, Jacobs picked out one Man United player who enjoyed a display comparable to a former treble winner in the highest praise that he could receive.

Reporter compares Lammens to Schmeichel

Lammens enjoyed an excellent display and was only five minutes away from keeping a clean sheet, only for Spurs to climb back into the game. The two goals didn’t take away from the goalkeeper’s performance, however, with saves from Joao Palhinha and Cristian Romero particularly standing out.

It’s also worth noting that both goals that Lammens conceded suffered deflections, leaving him with no chance in the United net.

Jacobs was one of many to share praise for the summer signing, going as far as to say that he’s Peter Schmeichel “in disguise” following his save from Romero in the second-half.

By the time the full-time whistle sounded, Lammens had made two diving saves and made five recoveries in a solid display. As every game goes by, he’s looking more and more like an excellent signing and the much-needed upgrade on Andre Onana that United have been desperate for.

Amorim’s side are now five games unbeaten in what marks significant improvement on their previous form. Heading into the international break, things are finally looking up for those at Old Trafford. Mbeumo is firing on all cylinders, Lammens is performing and European qualification once again feels like a realistic goal.

Man Utd preparing club-record bid for "world-class" star

Both batters scored unbeaten centuries and posted South Africa’s third-highest partnership in women’s ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025Marizanne Kapp and Tazmin Brits hit centuries and put up the third-highest partnership for South Africa in women’s ODIs to brush aside Pakistan in the series opener in Lahore.South Africa were in trouble early in their chase of 256. Sadia Iqbal bowled Laura Wolvaardt in the second over and Sune Luus was out lbw by Rameen Shamim in the tenth. But from 43 for 2, the 216-run third-wicket stand lifted South Africa, and the pair finished the game off with ten balls to spare. Kapp, the No. 4, stayed unbeaten on 121 with her third ODI ton, while opener Brits scored 101 not out for her fifth ODI century.Together, they hit 22 fours and two sixes, taking down Pakistan’s experienced bowlers. Fatima Sana and Nashra Sandhu conceded 59 runs and 61 runs respectively in their ten overs while Diana Baig conceded 56 runs in eight. Rameen was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with figures of 1 for 29 in her ten overs.A jubilant Sidra Amin after reaching her fifth ODI ton•PCBPakistan had posted a competitive 255 for 4 with a big partnership of their own. Sidra Amin, like Kapp, also scored an unbeaten 121 and with opener Muneeba Ali put up a 147-run stand for the second wicket.Muneeba fell for 76 in the 31st over but Aliya Riaz’s 34-ball 33 gave Pakistan some impetus approaching the death overs. However, after Riaz’s run-out in the 44th over, Pakistan could not generate enough momentum for a winning score with No. 6 Natalia Pervaiz struggling in the back-end scoring only 5 in 14 balls.Ayabonga Khaka, who took the first two Pakistan wickets, finished with 2 for 36 in nine overs. Tumi Sekhukhune had 1 for 37. Kapp conceded only 2.85 per over in her seven-over spell.The second ODI is on Friday at the same venue.

Mason Greenwood sparked a mass brawl after scoring his opening goal in Marseille’s feisty 5-1 win over Riviera rivals Nice in Ligue 1 on Friday evening. The former Manchester United forward is now the leading goalscorer in France's top flight after netting a brace in a victory which saw Roberto De Zerbi’s side leapfrog Paris Saint-Germain at the summit.

Marseille's Emerson struck by lighter after Greenwood's first goal

Already in front thanks to former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s effort after 11 minutes, Greenwood soon doubled Marseille’s lead with the first of his two goals at the Allianz Riviera. Shifting onto his right foot inside the penalty area, the 24-year-old’s shot took a deflection which wrong-footed Nice goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf.

Greenwood and his Marseille team-mates subsequently celebrated the goal in front of the Nice ultras, which was one of a number of trigger points for the unsavoury scenes which marred the derby-day encounter. According to via French broadcaster Marseille defender Emerson Palmieri was struck with a lighter that was thrown by a Nice supporter.

AdvertisementAFPMass brawl broke out by dugout as Nice protested Greenwood's strike

The report adds referee Jeremie Pignard then brought the lighter to the match delegate and asked both sets of players to gather near the touchline. However, control was soon lost as a melee broke out with Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and Nice defender Ali Al-Abdi at the heart of it. The two substitutes were cautioned as a result.

Nice were already angered over what they felt was a foul by Aubameyang on defender Juma Bah in the build up to Greenwood’s goal. But after a check by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the goal was allowed to stand, bringing an end to the fracas which disrupted the match for three minutes.

Marseille went on to record a thumping victory over their fierce rivals as Greenwood netted again after 53 minutes, while forward Timothy Weah and winger Igor Paixao joined him on the scoresheet. De Zerbi’s men moved top as a result of the win, with PSG set to entertain Le Havre on Saturday evening.

Greenwood becomes Ligue 1 top goalscorer following Nice brace

Greenwood’s two goals saw him move above Strasbourg attacker Joaquin Panichelli at the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts. He has now scored 10 times in 13 league games for OM in 2025-26, while he has also found the back of the net on one occasion in this season’s Champions League.

The Bradford-born forward left Premier League side United after charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February 2023. He joined La Liga outfit Getafe on loan before signing for French giants Marseille on a permanent basis in 2024, scoring 21 goals in 34 Ligue 1 matches last season.

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AFPFormer Manchester United forward expresses happiness at Marseille

As he continues to rebuild his career at Marseille, Greenwood has previously expressed his happiness at the club, amid tentative speculation linking him with a return to England.

Speaking in July, he said: “I hope to be here again next year and play in the Champions League. Other players told me it would be special to play here. I think it was a very positive season, we achieved our goal.

"I had a baby here with my girlfriend, I feel at home, it’s a really special place. Not many people have the opportunity to come to Marseille and play for such an amazing club.

"I’m happy with the goals I scored this year. This is a great result for me and with the players and staff we have here, anything is possible.”

A former Tottenham player has backed one of Thomas Frank's key players to "control" Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the north London derby against Arsenal. Spurs are eighth in the Premier League, whereas the Gunners sit top of the pile heading into Sunday's clash at the Emirates. But one man is predicting Mikel Arteta's side will come unstuck against the Europa League holders.

• Gyokeres warned about Tottenham talisman

  Former Tottenham midfielder Sandro believes that Arsenal striker Gyokeres will provide a stern test for Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero this weekend. However, the Brazilian believes Dutch defender Micky van de Ven will keep the former Sporting CP forward in check, that is if the 27-year-old is fit to face Frank's players. Sancho also stressed how important getting all three points will be for their season.

  He said, via The Metro: "Gyokeres will be fit for this game. Gyokeres is a player that works very, very hard for the team. I saw him here in Portugal and he can run! He can run, he will give everything for the team. But I think Romero is an intelligent defender, he’s strong and he’s a winner. Van de Ven is fast enough to control him, fast enough to control him in the deep. Gyokeres is a fighter. He will fight with Romero all game long, you’re going to see that. They will be 100% fighting throughout this match, because I see two players that want to fight. Romero will be there to fight for everything. Every single ball, he’s going to throw his head in. Gyokeres will also push Romero, I’m so excited to watch them battle. This could be a very important game for us to change our momentum. If we can win this game, it could be a game changer for the period ahead."

  Gyokeres has scored four goals in the Premier League following his switch from Portugal in the summer. So far, he has proven to be a solid recruit, although he is unlikely to get anywhere near the goalscoring numbers he produced at Sporting CP, where the Sweden international bagged 97 goals in 102 matches.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Van de Ven hailed as world class

  Another former Tottenham player has sung the praises of Van de Ven this week. Ex-Spurs centre-back Michael Dawson believes the 24-year-old will captain the club one day and is one of the best in the world in his position.

  He said: "For me, Micky van de Ven is one of the best centre-backs in the world, not just the Premier League. I honestly believe that. I'm a huge, huge fan and I think he’s got everything. There aren’t many centre backs around that have the pace he does but also are able to read the game in the way he does. I know people will probably say his pace gets him out of trouble at times but I don’t really buy that and I think at times last season he was left to cover an awful lot of ground because of the way the team was set up. That goal he scored in the Champions League was mind blowing. For a centre-back to do that was special and I don’t really see any weaknesses, he’s got all the attributes to go right to the top. Without a shadow of a doubt he’s a future Tottenham captain. I look at Virgil van Dijk and he’s the benchmark for me in terms of how long he’s been at the top for, but I don’t think Micky is far off that, I really don’t. He’s got all the attributes to be a leader and I’m sure the reason he was tied down to a long-term contract was with that in mind."

• Tottenham backed to beat Arsenal

  Tottenham face a mighty test on Sunday, as Arsenal have won four and drawn one of their five Premier League home games this season. While Spurs' home form is poor, their away record is the second-best in the division. However, their results at the Emirates do not make for pleasant reading if you are a Tottenham fan. In 20 outings there, they have won two, drawn six, and lost 12. But Sandro thinks his old team will emerge victorious this time out.

  He added: "When you talk about Arsenal and Tottenham, I just want Tottenham to win, 100% of the time. But to try to guess is very tough because Arsenal are doing a good job at the moment. Arsenal are in good shape but I think Spurs will win 1-0."

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  Big tests ahead for Tottenham

  Frank's side are gearing up for a brutal few days as after travelling to Arsenal, they head to Paris to take on Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in Europe's elite competition on Wednesday. They then round off the month with a clash against London neighbours Fulham on Saturday.