Arsenal’s summer transfer window underlined their ambition to finally turn promise into silverware.

After finishing second last season, ten points behind Liverpool, and reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Mikel Arteta moved aggressively in the market.

Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Nørgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Piero Hincapié all arrived.

However, the two headline signings were Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

Although Arsenal’s early results have shown promise, several issues still need to be addressed.

They opened with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford and followed it with a 5-0 demolition of Leeds at the Emirates.

But a trip to Anfield exposed their old frustrations, as they failed to test Liverpool and slipped to a 1-0 defeat courtesy of a wondrous Dominic Szoboszlai free-kick. Gyokeres, meanwhile, was far from his best…

Gyökeres and the Anfield Test

Gyökeres was signed for £63.5m with the expectation that he could be the missing piece in Arsenal’s title chase.

The 27-year-old had left Sporting Lisbon with a scarcely believable record of 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 appearances.

According to FBref, he combines the raw power of a traditional striker with modern mobility, ranking in the 94th percentile for goals per 90 minutes (0.85) and the 97th percentile for progressive passes received (8.50 per 90).

In other words, he not only scores frequently but consistently finds space behind the defensive line. His home debut hinted at that pedigree.

Two goals against Leeds made for a dream Emirates introduction.

Yet the Anfield clash told a very different story. Arsenal mustered just a single shot on target across 90 minutes, and Gyökeres looked isolated throughout.

He finished the game with no shots attempted, just one dribble, and only two key passes created for teammates. Of his seven attempted passes, just five found their mark (71%), and he lost possession six times.

In duels, he fared little better: winning three of five on the ground but none of his three aerial battles.

Those numbers didn’t reflect a lack of effort; they reflected a lack of supply.

Gyökeres is built to attack space and thrive off quick service, but when that supply line is starved, he drifts out of games.

At Anfield, he was forced to drop deep in search of the ball, which blunted his penalty-box threat and left Arsenal short of a central presence when they did occasionally progress up the pitch.

For a striker capable of bullying defences and finishing ruthlessly, the lesson was clear: he cannot do it alone.

He needs a consistent creative partner feeding him opportunities.

Eberechi Eze is the key to unlocking Gyokeres

That’s where Eze comes in.

Signed for £60m, the England international returned to the club that once released him as a teenager.

Introduced from the bench at Anfield on the 70th minute, he offered a glimpse of why Martin Keown once called him an “immense talent.”

His ability to glide into half-spaces, receive under pressure and commit defenders suggested a player tailor-made to unlock Gyökeres.

The data paints the same picture.

Matches Played

34

Goals

8

Assists

8

Progressive Passes

97

Progressive Carries

69

Shot-Creating Actions

135

At Crystal Palace last season, Eze ranked in the 84th percentile for assists per 90 (0.30) and the 83rd percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.64), underlining his consistent creative output, as per FBref.

He also sat in the 75th percentile for key passes (1.97 per 90) and the 73rd percentile for crosses (4.09 per 90).

Few midfielders in the league combined end product with such variety in chance creation.

Just as importantly, Eze has proven he can thrive alongside a physically imposing striker.

At Palace, his link-up play with Jean-Philippe Mateta became a central weapon.

Eze would drift between the lines, drag markers out of position, and release angled passes into Mateta’s runs.

Gyökeres, with his superior movement and finishing, is a natural upgrade on that template.

The parallels are striking: a technician who thrives on the half-turn paired with a hulking centre-forward built to punish defences.

At Anfield, Arsenal’s failure to connect midfield and attack highlighted the need for exactly that kind of partnership.

As Eze becomes an established member of the side, Gyökeres’ movement into channels and across the penalty area can finally be rewarded.

Gyökeres has already shown he can bully defenders and stretch backlines, while Eze has proven he can unlock tightly set defences with vision and flair.

Together, they can transform Arsenal’s sterile possession into penetrative football.

Arsenal brewing the homegrown Eze who's the "biggest talent in England"

The sensational talent will become a superstar for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 6, 2025

Manchester United fans have been blessed with numerous elite-level strikers over the years, with many capturing the hearts of the supporters during their respective stints at Old Trafford.

Wayne Rooney spent 13 years with the Red Devils, joining them as a youngster from Everton and going on to exceed everyone’s expectations upon his arrival.

The Englishman netted 253 goals in his 559 outings – a tally to this day which remains the most in the club’s history after he overtook Sir Bobby Charlton’s record back in 2017.

He often starred alongside the likes of Robin van Persie and Dimitar Berbatov – subsequently playing a huge role in their record-breaking 13 Premier League title triumphs.

However, in the present day, boss Ruben Amorim is hunting for his own talisman to try and end the decade-long wait for another league trophy at the Theatre of Dreams.

What Sesko & Mbeumo will bring to Man Utd

After scoring just 44 league goals in 2024/25, Amorim made it clear that he wanted a new centre-forward in the summer window – with the board backing him with a deal to land Benjamin Sesko.

The deal to land the Slovenian international cost upwards of £70m, with the former RB Leipzig talisman able to be an immediate and long-term solution to their problems, given his tender age of 22.

However, he’s already showcased his quality in the Bundesliga, racking up 27 league goals in the last two years – a tally higher than any player in the Red Devils’ current first-team squad.

He’s going to be aided in his attempts by fellow new addition Bryan Mbeumo, after the Cameroonian international also joined Amorim’s men in a deal worth a total of £71m.

Like Sesko, the 26-year-old has thrived in front of goal over recent times, scoring 20 times in the Premier League throughout the 2024/25 campaign – subsequently leading to his big-money transfer.

However, despite the talents of the aforementioned talents, one former Red Devil star has thrived since leaving the club and once again demonstrated his incredible goalscoring nouse.

The former United star who’s outscoring Sesko & Mbeumo

Securing deals for experienced attackers isn’t unfamiliar to United after securing the signature of legendary forward Zlatan Ibrahimović back in the summer of 2016 after his release from PSG.

The Swede moved to Manchester at the age of 34, but that didn’t stop him from making a huge impact within the club’s first-team during the 2016/17 campaign.

He’s registered a staggering 28 goals in his 46 outings across all competitions – helping the side win the Europa League and Carabao Cup under José Mourinho.

Zlatan wasn’t the only experienced option landed by the hierarchy in recent years, with Edinson Cavani also following a similar pattern after also joining from the French giants.

Such a move occurred four years after his former teammate, also moving at a similar age, given that the Uruguayan was 33 at the time of his free transfer to join the Red Devils.

Cavani would spend two years at Old Trafford, racking up 59 appearances and managing to find the back of the net on 19 separate occasions – including an outrageous long-range against Fulham.

Given he was entering the back end of his career at the top level, he would leave in the summer of 2022 – departing on a free transfer to join Spanish side Valencia.

Fast-forward to the present day, the 38-year-old is still plying his trade for Argentine outfit Boca Juniors, but is still managing to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.

Games played

59

Goals scored

19

Assists

7

Minutes played

3094

Yellow cards

6

Minutes per goal

163

Minutes per assist

442

Cavani, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has scored 24 goals since the start of the 2024/25 campaign – a simply remarkable tally given his age.

Such a figure is also higher than new additions, Sesko (21) and Mbeumo (22), subsequently highlighting the attacking threat he still carries to this day.

There’s no denying that the hierarchy made the right choice in allowing him to depart United, but it’s great to see a former fans’ favourite still thriving like he did at Old Trafford.

If the two new additions can make a similar impact to the Uruguayan at the Theatre of Dreams, there’s no reason why the club can’t be competing at the top end of the table once again in the years ahead.

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ByEthan Lamb Sep 10, 2025

دافع قائد ريال مدريد، داني كارفاخال، عن احتجاجات الفرق ضد خافيير تيباس رئيس رابطة الليجا، مشيرًا بأصابع الاتهام إلى تصرفه تجاه نادي برشلونة.

ويتصدر ريال مدريد ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد مرور تسع جولات، بفارق نقطتين عن برشلونة الذي يتواجد في وصافة الترتيب.

واتحدت أندية الدوري الإسباني ضد رابطة الليجا ورئيسها تيباس، بسبب قرار نقل بعض مباريات الدوري الإسباني إلى الخارج، بما في ذلك إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وسبق وانتقد ريال مدريد القرار علنًا في بيان رسمي، مؤكدًا أن ذلك يخل بمبدأ تكافؤ الفرص بين الأندية المشاركة في بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

اقرأ أيضًا | كينان يلدز يكشف عن حلم طفولته قبل مباراة ريال مدريد ويوفنتوس في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وقال كارفاخال في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “يبدو لي أن هذا غش وتشويه واضح للمسابقة، هذا لا يُلزم جميع الفرق بالتنافس في ظل نفس الظروف”.

وشدد: “أعتقد أنه من الضروري أن نكون منصفين تجاه اللاعبين أنفسهم والأندية والدوري نفسه، وأن نطالب بموقف عادل، ولا أعتقد أن هذا يحقق ذلك”.

وسبق وأبدى لاعبو برشلونة أنفسهم الاحتجاج على القرار، بالوقوف 15 ثانية هم ولاعبي جيرونا قبل مباراة الفريقين بالجولة الماضية في الدوري الإسباني.

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill chose to bowl on a black-soil surface in Hyderabad. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins said that they were happy to bat first and that they will not veer away from their aggressive approach with the bat, despite having suffered three losses in a row.Harshal Patel was unavailable for this match because of an illness, according to Cummins. In his absence, SRH handed left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat his first match of the season.GT also made one change, giving offspin-bowling allrounder Washington Sundar a franchise debut. They shored up their spin attack at the expense of left-arm seam-bowling allrounder Arshad Khan. Rashid Khan, who will be facing his former franchise SRH for the first time in Hyderabad, and R Sai Kishore will lead their spin attack.Gujarat Titans XI: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Rahul Tewatia, 5 M Shahrukh Khan, 6 Rashid Khan, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Mohammed Siraj, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Ishant Sharma
Impact subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Arshad KhanSunrisers Hyderabad XI: 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Kamindu Mendis, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Zeeshan Ansari, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Mohammed Shami
Impact subs: Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Simarjeet Singh, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder

Celtic are back from the international break and find themselves preparing for a tough run of fixtures, including the start of their Europa League campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

The Irishman has spoken in frank fashion about the frustration he faced during the summer transfer window, claiming his side ‘weren’t ready’ for their Champions League playoff match against Kairat Almaty after the Parkhead hierarchy failed to push critical deals over the line.

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Nevertheless, the Bhoys brought in ten new players by the end of the market period before Kelechi Iheanacho was released from his Sevilla contract to sign as a free agent.

However, the lack of synergy between the Celtic board and Rodgers has been on show for all to see, and one of his lesser-spotted summer signings has now sent an intriguing social media message that may explain his own situation in a little more detail.

Celtic loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey sends cryptic Instagram message

Taking to Instagram, Celtic summer signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey changed his profile picture on the platform to reflect a message that said ‘Delays teach patience, which prepares you for blessings’ after failing to make a first-team appearance since arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Becoming the Hoops’ eighth addition of the window, the 19-year-old has also been left out of the Bhoys’ Europa League squad by Rodgers alongside Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, causing some to question why he was acquired in the first place.

For now, Lennoxtown product Dane Murray appears to be ahead of Simpson-Pusey in the pecking order and is usually first in line to come off the bench when Rodgers decides to shuffle his backline around.

Regardless, there is a long season ahead for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, and there is every chance that the England youth international could have a part to play as his loan club pursue another domestic treble.

What has Brendan Rodgers said about Jahmai Simpson-Pusey?

Shortly after his arrival in Glasgow was confirmed, Rodgers admitted to the press before his side defeated Aberdeen in August that Simpson-Pusey may be some way off featuring regularly due to his lack of a full-intensity pre-season.

He stated via Sky Sports: “He’s a little bit away in fairness to Jahmai. He’s been training with the small group at Manchester City and isn’t quite up to speed yet. You can see his quality straightaway and it’s just going to take a bit of time in terms of his fitness and the intensity.”

Clearly, Simpson-Pusey is a man with plenty of talent, given he claimed the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award last term and also made six appearances in the first-team under Pep Guardiola.

Now, he faces the challenge of nailing down a regular slot in Celtic’s backline, which may require persistence as the Manchester-born man looks to unseat the likes of Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty over the coming months.

Manchester United are looking to conclude some late deals and may now be on the road to making an important signing that will remedy a key area of their squad, according to reports.

Manchester United reject Kobbie Mainoo loan request

Plenty of stories are doing the rounds surrounding Manchester United at the moment, but Kobbie Mainoo’s future has shot to prominence in the last few days amid confusion surrounding his situation.

Despite murmurs that he has submitted a request to go on loan, Ruben Amorim has made it clear that he wants the England international to fight for his place rather than leaving to find regular minutes elsewhere.

He told reporters at his most recent press conference: “I want Kobbie to stay. He needs to fight for his place, and we need Kobbie. So that is not going to change.

“The rest I don’t know how it’s going to finish. I understand that the players that are not playing in this moment are disappointed, but everyone has the same opportunity to play. You have to fight during the week.”

After the Red Devils’ shock defeat to Grimsby Town, pressure is on Amorim’s shoulders from Old Trafford chiefs, heightening the need for signings before next Monday’s deadline.

Man Utd now seriously considering late move for "wonderful" £32m midfielder

INEOS may not be done just yet…

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Atletico Madrid star Conor Gallagher is in the frame to join Manchester United as a potential reinforcement in the engine room, albeit it remains to be seen whether that can be completed in time.

Randal Kolo Muani has also been approached by the Red Devils, though again, it may be difficult to bring in someone of such repute at short notice.

With speculation escalating, Manchester United are now in the final stages of concluding a deal to address an important area of the field.

Manchester United in final stages of Senne Lammens deal

According to Sacha Tavolieri on X, Manchester United are now in the ‘final stages’ of a deal to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens in a transfer that will amount to £21.6 million.

The 23-year-old is set to sign by the weekend on a five-year contract after talks began to accelerate on Friday, and his current employers are now confident they can complete a sale that will see the Red Devils inherit a valuable option between the sticks.

Earning a save percentage of 73.3% this term, per FBRef, he has conceded four goals in Antwerp’s first four matches of the season, but could now be set to unseat Andre Onana at Old Trafford.

Now, it remains to be seen if the final details mentioned will be wrapped up before the close of play. However, Manchester United appear to be making good time.

This is the third time since November 2024 that Ferguson has suffered an injury

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Apr-2025Punjab Kings (PBKS) fast bowler Lockie Ferguson picked up an injury two balls into his spell in the IPL 2025 game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday.Ferguson pulled up after the second delivery of the sixth over and was seen holding the side of his left leg just below the hip. He had to leave the field after consultation with the physio and did not return to bowl again as SRH pulled off the second-highest successful chase in IPL history with eight wickets in hand.In Ferguson’s absence, Marcus Stoinis completed the sixth over but did not bowl again for the remainder of the SRH chase. PBKS used eight bowlers in total, including the medium pace of Shashank Singh, who was bowling for the first time this season.”He’s someone who can get you wickets… as he’s done in the previous matches, that was a big blow for us,” PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer said of Ferguson after the match. “But it happens. He’s someone who clicks 140-plus all the time. It’s part and parcel of a bowler’s life.”Ferguson had only just recovered from a hamstring injury that he picked up in the ILT20 in the UAE, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy in February. This is the third time since November 2024 that Ferguson has been injured. Before his hamstring issue in the ILT20, he had also suffered a calf injury, which forced him to miss the ODIs against Sri Lanka late last year.With PBKS having made an Impact Player substitution already in the game – fast bowler Yash Thakur came in for batter Priyansh Arya – they were left a fast bowler short in their defence of 245. Ferguson is one of only two overseas fast bowlers in the PBKS squad this season, the other being Australia’s Xavier Bartlett. Before this game, Ferguson had taken five wickets in three innings while maintaining an economy of 9.36 and a strike rate of 13.20.

In spite of all the drama that has plagued Newcastle United throughout the summer transfer window, there’s a sense that Eddie Howe will be rather pleased with the lion’s share of his club’s business.

Newcastle rebounded from a frustrating start to the 2024/25 campaign and qualified for the Champions League, finishing fifth in the Premier League, having also defeated Liverpool at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.

But the feel-good factor faded out after the curtains draped on a successful season, with a slew of failed bids for top targets dampening the mood and then some.

This has been a transfer window of attrition, but one that Newcastle have weathered and now appears to be emerging from victoriously, having strengthened across the park.

And while the pursuit of a new striker has been an interminable and fruitless thing up until this stage, Newcastle have finally made headway, welcoming Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record fee.

Why Newcastle signed Woltemade

While this remains conjecture at this stage, all the pointers suggest that Woltemade has been welcomed to Newcastle as Alexander Isak’s replacement.

Newcastle’s free-scoring talisman has made a menace of himself on Tyneside for three years now, but has essayed to secure a move to Premier League champions Liverpool for over a month, and appears set to get his wish.

A blow, no doubt about it. To Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, Isak was “the best striker in the Premier League” last season, after all. He scored 27 goals across all competitions, and replacing him was understandably viewed as a steep task.

But Woltemade, 23, has all the tools to thrive as the Sweden star’s successor. Across all competitions last year, the 6 foot 6 centre-forward scored 17 goals and supplied three assists, with talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing his “unstoppable” form in front of goal.

A fantastic signing, of course, but there’s little evidence at this stage that Woltemade will hit the ground running, especially since Newcastle plan to further bolster their frontline with the signing of a Prem-proven number nine, Brentford’s Yoane Wissa at the top of the list.

Landing the German was fine business, but Newcastle aren’t done there. Indeed, Howe and United’s transfer officials have their sights set on a centre-midfielder to complete the set.

Newcastle in last-gasp race for midfielder

As per Caught Offside, Newcastle have joined a late transfer tussle for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is anticipated to be on the move ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Valued at £45m by the Spanish giants, Gallagher only swapped the Premier League for La Liga one year ago, and though he showed plenty of promise under Diego Simeone’s wing last year, he is open to making a dramatic return to his homeland.

Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be leading the race at this stage, but Newcastle are ready to pounce if the chance presents itself, with Crystal Palace and Manchester United also interested.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

What Gallagher will bring to Newcastle

Now that Woltemade has arrived, Newcastle are in a far better position to tackle the campaign ahead. However, his signing comes with the caveat that Isak will leave, and however you brush it up, that is a big blow.

But Gallagher would only reinforce a deep and dynamic midfield cohort, and having been described as being “like a machine” in midfield by former Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo, it’s clear he has the backing of those billed as superstars in the Premier League.

And, moreover, he has a tried-and-tested method of success in England’s top flight, having showcased technical skill, intensity and energy throughout his years at Stamford Bridge and his loan spells with West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, routinely covering the most distance in a match while at Selhurst Park.

Newcastle lost Sandro Tonali and Joelinton to injury after Monday night’s agonising defeat against Liverpool, and Gallagher’s presence would have gone a long way toward injecting that extra bit of quality and drive against the Reds, who withered and were pressed against the ropes on

Across the past year at Atletico, Gallagher has played an important role, featuring 52 times and contributing to ten goal contributions. His prowess translated to life in Spain, and his ability to operate across a range of midfield roles in England speaks for itself.

Woltemade, for all his promise and potential, scored 12 times in the Bundesliga last season, and that doesn’t issue a fail-safe promise of prolificacy in the Premier League, considered by many to be the toughest division across the continent.

But how can Gallagher’s skill on English soil be contested? He has performed with aplomb for three different clubs, all of differing levels, and demonstrated his range while doing so.

There’s no doubt that Woltemade will alight on Tyneside with a weight of expectation, and that he has big boots to step into, but Gallagher would merely add to a midfield circle that already operates so fluidly and aggressively, and his skill set suggests he would dovetail right in.

And with someone like Wissa, who scored 19 times in the Premier League last season, there’s actually every chance that Woltemade could spend the campaign jockeying for a place at the front of the ship and taking a seat on the bench for a multitude of matches.

This shouldn’t be a negative thing for the Toon, however; even with the potential sale of Isak, Newcastle have recruited shrewdly, and have a wealth of options ready to raise Howe’s system up another gear.

Upgrade on Joelinton: Newcastle in talks over signing “one of the best CMs”

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Nottinghamshire 297 for 5 (Slater 92, McCann 79) trail Durham 378 (Ackermann 116, O’Neill 5-81) by 81 runsA couple of key scalps for seamer Paul Coughlin in the final session left Nottinghamshire with work to do on day two of their Rothesay County Championship match against Durham.The Sunderland-born 32-year-old, whose had two injury-plagued years at Trent Bridge, bowled key man Joe Clarke (37) and had 19-year-old prospect Freddie McCann (79) caught behind before Nottinghamshire closed the day on 297 for five in their first innings in reply to Durham’s 378, having also lost Jack Haynes just before the close.Nottinghamshire had looked well placed at 225 for two after opener Ben had provided a platform with a fine 92, before Coughlin’s spell set them back.Earlier, following a start delayed by 45 minutes after a sprinkler malfunction left pools of water on the outfield, Coughlin had been last Durham man out as Australian fast bowler Fergus O’Neill completed a debut five-wicket haul.For spectators present when the bails failed to drop after Durham’s Colin Ackermann was bowled on day one, the delay was another freakish occurrence they could have done without under a near-cloudless sky, even if it initially brought amusement.As the umpires’ attention was drawn to a leaking sprinkler nozzle a few feet from the stumps at the Stuart Broad End, comic scenes ensued as the offending sprinkler and several others then suddenly burst into life, sending players and officials scurrying to avoid a soaking.The water was turned off after a matter of seconds. Yet enough was deposited on the playing area to hold things up for a frustratingly long period.Once play did start, the players went off again after just 14 minutes for the change of innings after Durham, 370 for nine overnight, lost their final wicket.Not that O’Neill was complaining. A leg-before verdict against Coughlin gave the bustling seamer figures of five for 81 on debut.Durham could have done with O’Neill’s in-form Australia A team-mate Brendan Doggett at their disposal with injuries depleting their pool of seam bowlers here, although in the event, the available quartet served them well.Doggett, who took 11 wickets in the match to help South Australia win the Sheffield Shield final a week ago, will join them for next week’s home fixture against Warwickshire.Nottinghamshire openers Slater and Haseeb Hameed negotiated the first 16 overs to be 48 without loss at lunch, Hameed surviving a chance to wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson off England’s Matthew Potts on eight. By tea, the home side were probably where they wanted to be at 166 for two, although they had suffered a blow moments before when Slater fell.Potts had got his man when skipper Hameed was leg before for 27 but the left-handed Slater looked in imperious form, having just pinged away his 19th four, most of which raced away to the short boundary on the Bridgford Road side.But when Will Rhodes dropped one in short on the leg side, Slater was irresistibly tempted by the longer boundary, only to find Emilio Gay lying in wait at long leg. His meaty pull could not have picked out the fielder any more accurately, enabling Rhodes to celebrate a debut wicket and end a 95-run stand with McCann.Clarke began with a streaky four off an inside edge but settled quickly and was building another potentially valuable partnership with McCann until a belter of a delivery from Coughlin uprooted his middle stump.McCann, a tall, technically elegant left-hander who scored two centuries in five matches after being promoted to the Championship side towards the end of last season, continued where he left off and after 10 boundaries few would have bet against another hundred until he dabbled with a ball he need not have played outside off stump and was well taken by Robinson, before Ben Raine turned the screw by dismissing Haynes leg before for 30 with the second new ball.

Tottenham Hotspur kick-started their Champions League 2025/26 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over LaLiga outfit Villarreal in North London last night.

It wasn’t a vintage performance from Thomas Frank’s men, but it was a performance that got the job done and secured all three points in their opening encounter.

The Lilywhites will need to produce better displays going forward if they are to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stages of the competition.

There’s no doubt the Dane will ensure the side don’t replicate such a display, especially when the side travel to face Bodo Glimt in their next European outing at the end of the month.

However, if the side is to produce a better display in Norway, the manager will need to drop one player after his dismal showing against Marcelino Garcia’s men.

Why Richarlison needs to be dropped by Frank

While Richarlison has been a live wire for Spurs this campaign, netting two goals to date, his showing against Villarreal was arguably one of his worst in the new season.

The Brazilian was handed the responsibility of leading the line once again, but failed to produce a performance highlighting the trust put into him by boss Frank.

He only registered 23 touches during his 77-minute performance, completing just three passes in the process – subsequently failing to maintain possession for the Lilywhites.

The 28-year-old also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles and failed to register a single effort on goal, further showcasing his lack of positive impact in the final third.

Richarlison’s dismal outing didn’t stop there, even picking up a yellow card for a late challenge on Juan Foyth – showing glimpses of his rash past, which has led to questions previously being asked about his attitude.

There’s no denying that the manager should drop him from his next starting eleven, but he shouldn’t be alone in being excluded after his recent showing in the Champions League.

The Spurs star who should be dropped alongside Richarlison

The start to the Frank reign at Spurs has been a positive one, with his side winning four of the first five competitive games he’s taken charge of in 2024/25.

Wins against Manchester City, Burnley and West Ham United were certainly more convincing, but the same can’t be said for the showing against the Spanish outfit last night.

The three points will be the most important aspect, but the manager will no doubt be concerned about his team’s lack of talent during the 1-0 triumph on home soil.

Richarlison was just one player who failed to deliver, but Djed Spence also fell into such a category despite his own recent rise to stardom in North London.

The full-back has started every game of Frank’s tenure, subsequently leading to the 25-year-old claiming his maiden England call-up during the recent international break.

However, his recent success is credit to the player, but his outing against Villarreal showed glimpses of arrogance – resulting in a debut Champions League performance to forget.

Spence featured for 69 minutes against the Spanish outfit, winning just one tackle and failing to make a single interception – falling way below the standards he’s set for himself.

Minutes played

69

Touches

52

Tackles won

1

Interceptions made

0

Possession lost

9x

Misplaced passes

6

Recoveries made

0

Match rating

5/10

He also lost possession nine times, misplacing six of his attempted passes, even registering just 52 touches of the ball – a tally fewer than that of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 55.

As a result of his showing, Spence was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold – further highlighting his struggles in Europe’s biggest competition.

Such a showing will cast doubt over his position in the first-team squad, which could see Destiny Udogie handed a rare start in the Premier League this weekend.

The Englishman and Richarlison certainly endured evenings to forget last night, with Frank needing to try alternative solutions if he is to maintain the excellent start to life in the role.

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