If this is to be the end of Martin O’Neill’s brief return, what a way to sign off.

On Thursday night, Celtic ended a 16-match, four-year-long winless streak in European away games by beating Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip, coming back from a goal down to do so; Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren all on target.

This means O’Neill has won five of six matches since being parachuted into the role following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation.

The 73-year-old, alongside Shaun Maloney, is set to remain in charge when the Celts visit Easter Road to take on Hibernian on Sunday lunchtime, but there is optimism that Wilfried Nancy will take over soon, potentially in time for the visit of Dundee on Wednesday.

Once the Frenchman does swap Ohio for Glasgow, one of Celtic’s breakout stars from this season could well become a key figure, currently on course to replicate an active club legend.

Callum McGregor's importance at Celtic

While players, managers and board members come and go, Callum McGregor remains a constant, the heartbeat in both the team and the club as a whole.

Thursday saw the captain make his 540th appearance for the club, starting 21 of 22 matches so far this season, accumulating 1,939 minutes out of a possible 2,040 so far (95%).

When Scott Brown departed in 2021, his leadership and all-around brilliance was supposed to be impossible to replace, but McGregor has transitioned into this role seamlessly, lifting 24 major trophies to date, and it is incomprehensible to imagine a Celtic side without him.

As well as winning back the ball and keeping the team ticking in possession, McGregor continues to produce key moments, lashing home a 95th-minute winner at St Mirren last Saturday night, having scored a similar rocket against Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

Having joined the club as an eight-year-old, McGregor continues to set an example to all those in the Celtic academy dreaming of representing the first team one day, but who is currently on course to follow in his footsteps?

Celtic's next academy star

Celtic have endured rotten luck in terms of injuries this season.

Cameron Carter-Vickers could be out for the rest of the season following achilles surgery, Jota remains sidelined after rupturing his ACL in April, while Alistair Johnston suffered a torn hamstring against Kairat in August, only to aggravate the issue 26 minutes into his return when Sturm Graz visited Parkhead.

With Johnston, who has been so excellent since joining the club, having started only five matches all season, most would have expected Anthony Ralston to deputise, but it appears as though Colby Donovan has leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

After featuring sporadically during pre-season, scoring against Cork City at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in July, the 19-year-old made his competitive senior debut against Livingston when Rodgers made wholesale changes in between the two legs against Kairat.

Well, since then, he hasn’t really looked back, starting just two Premiership matches, but included in the lineup for four of the five Europa League fixtures, these against Crvena zvezda, Braga, Sturm Graz and now Feyenoord, putting in an excellent display in Rotterdam.

The table below documents how well he has played in Europe so far.

Colby Donovan’s UEL stats
Stats	Donovan	Celtic rank
Minutes	283	9th
Assists	1	2nd
Completed passes	151	7th
Key passes	3	6th
Big chances created	2	3rd
Passes into final 3rd	14	5th
Progressive passes	18	4th
Passes into box	4	3rd
Shot-creating actions	6	7th
Goal-creating actions	3	1st
Successful dribbles per 90	1.8	3rd
Tackles	7	2nd
Touches	227	6th
Average rating	7.10	2nd
Stats via FBref and SofaScore

As the table documents, Donovan has been excellent in the Europa League this season, contributing in a wide variety of ways.

The teenager ranks highly for all the in possession metrics, recording an assist for Liam Scales’ crucial equaliser against Sturm Graz, while only Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren have created more big chances, ranked first in terms of goal-creating actions.

Given that incoming manager Nancy deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, his Columbus Crew side featuring flying wing-backs Max Arfsten and Andrés Herrera, his imminent arrival could be great news for the youngster.

Speaking ahead of the clash with Braga, then-manager Rodgers praised Donovan’s “outstanding” performances, labelling him a “real bright spark” as well as heralding his “personality” and “mentality”.

Well, these all feel like compliments that could be thrown the way of a certain McGregor, whose leadership is as invaluable as his quality to this team.

Thus, it is certainly still early days, but all the signs suggest that Celtic supporters are rightly excited about Donovan, who will go on to have quite the career should he manage to match McGregor’s achievements and make 500+ appearances for the club.

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Ben Gray

Nov 28, 2025

Arne Slot is determined to put things right at Liverpool. Because it’s all gone very wrong this season, the champions 12th in the Premier League standings after losing five of their past six matches.

There is more than enough time for the Dutch coach to turn things around, but improvements are needed quickly if Slot is to repel rising noises regarding the security of his position in the hot seat.

The curious case of Alexander Isak. Liverpool’s record-breaking striker has flattered to deceive since joining from Newcastle United for £125m this summer, and getting him up to speed is paramount if the Reds are to fire on all cylinders going forward.

And with Mohamed Salah struggling and the Anfield side altogether imbalanced up front, FSG appear to be turning toward the transfer market once again.

Liverpool lining up new forward

Salah, 33, is waning. Then again, Liverpool have malfunctioned this season and the Egyptian superstar will surely rekindle his form after a lifetime of genius on Merseyside.

But, regardless, Liverpool need to draw up a succession plan, and they appear to have done exactly that after earmarking a former Premier League sensation to take his berth on the right wing.

As per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool view Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise as a “future dream target” to replace Salah, who extended his stay on Merseyside until the end of the 2026/27 season in April.

Olise would cost a pretty penny, though, having been priced by Die Roten at a staggering €140m (about £122m).

Still, FSG have shown they will do business for such a fee in recent times.

Why Michael Olise would be perfect for Alexander Isak

Olise was immense throughout his debut season in Germany last season, steering Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and earning acclaim for his dynamic attacking displays.

The 23-year-old has gone up a gear this term, posting nine goals and ten assists from 18 matches in all competitions, and TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves said that he “could be as good as anyone” after one Champions League performance.

Whether Olise winds up at Liverpool remains to be seen, but his remarkable physical traits and natural playmaking qualities make him a tailor-made winger to accommodate Isak and Hugo Ekitike at number nine.

One thing’s for sure: he would provide a huge upgrade on this current version of Salah, whose wastefulness in front of goal is being matched by an inability to influence as he usually does across other areas.

Goals scored

0.63

0.34

Assists

0.63

0.17

Shots taken

4.62

2.43

Shot-creating actions

6.82

3.27

Touches (att pen)

7.55

6.21

Pass completion (%)

81.6

68.1

Progressive passes

6.40

4.19

Progressive carries

5.45

3.94

Successful take-ons

2.31

0.92

Ball recoveries

4.72

2.77

Tackles + interceptions

1.36

0.34

Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, but he needs service. The Sweden international darts upfield and finds space in between the lines. Olise could help activate this area of his skillset at Liverpool, averaging over six progressive passes per Bundesliga game this term.

Olise is also less focused on goalscoring side of the game. That’s not to say he’s not capable of show-stopping strikes, as has been seen numerous times in the Premier League, but serve as evidence that he could be the perfect counterweight in Liverpool’s attacking system to give rise to Isak’s striking ability.

Such an athletic and hungry wide forward with a proven pedigree in the Premier League could prove the key to success at Liverpool, whose forwards are toiling and surely need some fresh inspiration to lift them back into the ascendancy.

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Leeds United made it three defeats in succession in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites had the lead at half-time thanks to a goal from Lukas Nmecha, who bundled the ball in from close range after Anton Stach competed with Emi Martinez for a high ball.

Unfortunately, though, the away side struck twice in the second half, both goals coming from Morgan Rogers, and walked away from West Yorkshire with all three points.

Daniel Farke only made one change to his starting line-up from the side that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest before the break, and it backfired on the Leeds boss.

The Leeds change that backfired on Daniel Farke

The German head coach opted to take Jaka Bijol out of the team, after he won four of his six duels against Forest, and brought Pascal Struijk back into the side, possibly to have a natural left-footer in that position.

Whilst the Dutchman certainly opens up more passing angles as a left-footer on the left side of the defence, his defensive work left far too much to be desired against the Villans, and that is why the change backfired on the manager.

Per Sofascore, Struijk only won three of his eight duels, losing both of his ground duels, and did not complete a single tackle in the game, which shows that he struggled with the physicality of the match.

The one tackle that the former Ajax man did attempt was his late lunge on Ross Barkley, which resulted in the free-kick from which Rogers scored the winning goal.

Struijk was far from the only poor performer on the pitch, though, as Brenden Aaronson is another player who should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up.

Why Leeds must drop Brenden Aaronson

The USA international had delivered a goal and an assist in the three Premier League matches prior to the international break, which made his inclusion in the side an understandable call from Farke.

However, the return to fitness of Dan James has thrown his place in the line-up into doubt, and their respective performances against Aston Villa on Sunday suggest that the Wales international deserves a chance from the start.

Aaronson, who was awarded a 4/10 player rating by LeedsUnitedNews, lower than Struijk’s 6/10 rating, failed to create a single chance for his teammates in 80 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, as he came inside and got crowded out all too often.

Vs Aston Villa

Brenden Aaronson

Dan James

Minutes

80

19

Shots

3

3

xG on target

0.15

0.15

Crosses attempted

1

5

Key passes

0

1

Big chances created

0

0

Dribbles completed

1/5

1/1

Possession lost

12x

6x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, James offered more to the team on the right flank in 19 minutes than the American lightweight did in his 80-minute outing against the Villans.

The fact that the Welshman attempted five times as many crosses as Aaronson, in roughly an hour less on the pitch, speaks to the difference Leeds could make to their attack by bringing him into the starting XI.

Aaronson, for all his hard work, is not a natural winger who is going to hug the byline and test teams consistently with runs in behind and crosses into the box.

James, however, is that player and almost made an instant impact when his brilliant run and ball across the box led to Dominic Calvert-Lewin finding the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for a handball by the striker.

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The Welshman deserved an assist for his play. Now, he deserves a place in the starting line-up because Aaronson was even worse than Struijk in the defeat to Villa, as he offered little to the team in or out of possession, whilst Struijk, at the very least, completed 95% of his passes and made five clearances, per Sofascore.

Real Madrid have reportedly abruptly ended their interest in Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate amid his poor form for the club. The France international is in the last year of his contract and so far has shown no signs of extending his stay on Merseyside. However, his hopes of a dream move to Los Blancos appears to be over ahead of the January transfer window.

• Konate issues Liverpool rallying cry amid contract uncertainty

  Last season, Liverpool appeared to be in a huge bind as key trio Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were in the last few months of their Liverpool deals. Fortunately for the Reds, captain Van Dijk and star forward Salah signed new two-year contracts, but Alexander-Arnold chose to leave, before eventually signing for Madrid. Liverpool have reportedly been trying to extend the stay of defender Konate, whose terms run until 2026, but so far, no breakthrough has been struck. The Frenchman was linked with Los Blancos earlier this year, and amid that speculation, he gave a rather coy comment on his future. 

  He said a fortnight ago: "My agents continue to discuss with Liverpool. I hope my decision will be made very soon so I can announce it." He also rubbished claims the Reds had approached him with a new contract.

  It seems, however, that this contract uncertainty has led to Konate taking his eye off the ball, with the ex-RB Leipzig man making a string of mistakes this season – the latest of which was in his side's humbling 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. 

  After that loss, he wrote on social media: "We have to take this moment on the chest. Criticism is part of football, and we’ll fight back every time and come through this storm. In these moments, the fans matter most. The ones who stand with us in the good times and the bad – the ones who sing for us even in the difficult moments! Your voice and your support mean everything to us. We know we need to improve and we’ll keep fighting for you. Always."

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  Real Madrid move on from Konate

  According to The Athletic, Liverpool tried to extend Konate's deal way back in 2023. But fast forward to the present and it is uncertain where he will be playing in 2026. The report states that Madrid have informed Liverpool they now have 'no interest' in signing the 26-year-old. That could strengthen the Reds' hand in the contract negotiation stakes, although Konate will be able to talk to foreign clubs in January in regards to a possible pre-contract agreement for the summer. The former Sochaux man has chalked up 150 appearances for Liverpool, and over the years, he has been a competent ally to team-mate and fellow defender Van Dijk. Although his form has nosedived this season, manager Slot continues to pick the 6ft 4in player, partially because they are short on defensive options. Their inability to land Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is looking more and more costly.

• Konate sent Liverpool contract message

  Former Liverpool ace Vladimir Smicer believes that Konate should decide on his Anfield future as soon as possible. If he does that, the Frenchman's form could improve.

  He told BOYLE Sports: "We've seen this last season with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah. Two players stayed, one went. Personally, I don't like this situation (with expiring contracts). I think for the players, it's better when they know their future. At the moment, I can't see if Ibrahim Konate is sure about his next move. Anytime he's not performing at the top level, the fans question his contract situation. It's normal, it will always be like this.

  "If you commit your future, then the fans will say, 'Okay, maybe he was not good today' – but because the situation is like this, anytime he makes a mistake, they will say, 'He will go.' That will be in his head. We experienced this situation last season with three players, but personally, when I was playing, I always wanted a long-term contract. It's better for your confidence, for your life, for your position in the team. I knew my future, and I committed to the team. I’d like Konate to decide as soon as possible what he's going to do in the future."

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  What comes next for Konate?

  With Madrid pulling the plug on a potential Konate move, the France ace will hope to fire Liverpool to victory this weekend away at lowly West Ham. Subsequent games against Sunderland and Leeds United could reportedly determine the fate of Reds boss Slot.

The pitch in Colombo isn’t expected to allow free-flowing batting

Madushka Balasuriya07-Oct-20252:07

Preview – Should Australia play Megan Schutt?

Big picture: Pakistan 0, Australia 16Pakistan have never beaten Australia in any format of women’s international cricket. And if that trend continues on Wednesday, their path forward in the ODI World Cup will become very complicated given they have already lost their opening two matches to Bangladesh and India.What might be even more concerning for Pakistan is that in 16 ODIs against Australia, they’ve not even come close to victory, with the narrowest margins of defeat being 37 runs and four wickets, both way back in 2014.Pakistan’s most recent contest against Australia, a three-match rubber in 2023, had these results: eight-wicket defeat, 10-wicket defeat, 101-run defeat. And while they are also yet to beat India (12 tries) or England (15 tries) in women’s ODIs, their 16 defeats to Australia make them, statistically, the toughest opponent.Related

Ellyse Perry and Sidra Amin highlight the contrasts in Australia and Pakistan

Schutt praised for response to omission as another selection call awaits

All this is to say that Pakistan have a considerable mountain ahead of them. As for Australia, their opening game against New Zealand was an ultimately comfortable win, and their second against Sri Lanka was washed out. They are also a team in near-invincible form. In 32 matches since the last World Cup, they’ve won 27 and lost just four. Pakistan in that same period have played 34 ODIs, won 13 and lost 18.So what exactly are the straws Pakistan might look to clutch here? One, Australia haven’t played since October 1 as a result of their washout against Sri Lanka. They are also yet to play at the R Premadasa stadium, where conditions don’t necessarily seem conducive to free-flowing batting. With Pakistan already having experienced these conditions in their defeat to India, there could be an advantage to be exploited.Finally, Pakistan will be hoping the law of averages catches up and gives them the crucial win and points that they need.2:40

Australia exude an attitude of ‘we know how to win this’

Form guideAustralia WWLWW (last five ODIs most recent first)
Pakistan LLWLLIn the spotlight: Sandhu and MooneySince the 2022 World Cup, no Pakistani bowler has picked up more wickets than spinner Nashra Sandhu – her 42 strikes in this period coming from 28 matches. But more interestingly her 248.1 overs are the sixth-most bowled by any bowler in the last three and a half years. This serves to highlight just how much Pakistan lean on Sandhu. This year has also been her most impactful one – she’s picked up 17 wickets in 10 games, including a six-wicket haul against South Africa. The only thing is, in her past five matches, she’s gone wicketless three times. Pakistan will need her at her best if they are to upset Australia.You’d be hard pressed to find a team Beth Mooney doesn’t like batting against, but even so, her ODI record against Pakistan is better than most. Across eight innings she’s struck 279 runs at an average of 69.75, an average that has been boosted by the fact that she’s only been dismissed four times. Mooney’s recent form too has been ominous, with a century and two fifties across her last five innings.Megan Schutt has a good record against Pakistan: 10 wickets in nine ODIs•Getty Images

Team news: Will Schutt get a look in?With a week’s break since their last game, Australia will be itching to get out on the field. Their biggest dilemma is down to healthy competition, as it remains to be seen if Darcie Brown continues to keep Megan Schutt out of the XI.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Darcie BrownOmaima Sohail was replaced at the top of the order by Sadaf Shamas last time out, but with both openers struggling Sohail might find herself back in the side.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Sadaf Shamas, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalPitch and conditions: Tricky batting conditionsRain has been pestering Colombo and its surrounding suburbs over the past week, but Wednesday should arrive with clear, if cloudy, tidings. The pitch at the Khettarama has stayed true to form in the first two games its hosted at this World Cup, making life tricky for batters – expect that to stay the same.Stats and trivia: Australia’s return to Colombo This will be Australia’s first women’s ODI in Colombo since 2016 Only against Ireland (17-0) do Australia hold a more dominant ODI record than the one they have against Pakistan Australia have won their last 10 completed Women’s World Cup matches Annabel Sutherland is four away from 50 WODI wicketsQuotes”We do have an edge but it all depends on what the team does with this advantage. We were unlucky to have our warmup game against Sri Lanka washed out but we’ve also played two games here and know the conditions very well.”

Former allrounder credits friend and ex-team-mate for bringing him back to the sport he loves

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2025Andrew Flintoff has credited his friend and former team-mate Rob Key for creating the conditions that have allowed the England men’s set-up to flourish under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and says that the team’s positive outlook is a key reason why he wanted to come on board as England Lions head coach.Speaking to the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Flintoff reiterated that Key’s friendship had been a crucial factor in his return to public life, following the horrific car-crash on the set of Top Gear in December 2022.However, it was Key’s vision for English cricket that persuaded Flintoff to make a full return to the sport in a coaching capacity, initially as a consultant for the men’s white-ball squad, and latterly as Lions coach, including for this winter’s tour of Australia, which will run parallel to the main Ashes campaign.The pair have been close friends since their days in the England Under-19 set-up, and Flintoff declared that Key was “England’s best captain never to a captain the side”.”His cricket brain works in a different way to a lot of other people,” he said. “He’s similar to Shane Warne and people like that, they see the game differently.”You’re always going to have your critics. You can go into Wetherspoons down the road, and there’ll be 15 people who know better than Pep Guardiola. Everyone’s got an opinion, but I think he enjoys being the one making the decisions. He loved playing, but by doing this job, he can make an impact, and he wants to do it his way.”I think what they’ve done – himself [Key], Brendon, Stokes, now Harry [Brook]’s taken over in one-day cricket – as a fan, it’s been amazing. The way they play and the players they pick, they seem really good lads from the outside. I suppose that’s one of the reasons I wanted to be involved in this.”English cricket’s going forward. We’re leading the way in a lot of respects, and I want to be a part of that. By doing the Lions, I’m getting a chance to get involved and hopefully bring the next lads through. I’m very much on the same page of what they’re trying to do with England, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.”England head into this winter’s Ashes with Ben Stokes looking to cement his legacy as captain with a first series win in the country since 2010-11. Flintoff himself captained England to a 5-0 loss in the 2006-07 campaign, and while he recognised there were similarities between the two men as players, he insisted Stokes was on a different level as a leader.”I do see similarities, but as a leader, he’s incredible,” Flintoff said. “I captained England, and I was terrible. I really was. It wasn’t for me, but you see him … he’s got that atmosphere. He’s got that aura.Three lions: Steve Harmison, Rob Key and Andrew Flintoff celebrate England’s 2004 series win against West Indies•Getty Images

“One of the things which I prided myself on as a player was, when the game’s on the line, that’s when the best of me came out. And I see that with Ben. Playing against Zimbabwe in Harare, I’m probably not going to at be my best, you know, but in the big moments, that’s when I came alive, and that’s when Ben does.”Both players have been prone to bowling long, punishing spells as captain – with Flintoff once bowling more than 50 overs in a drawn Test against Sri Lanka in 2006.”I just ran myself into the ground,” he said. “I’ve seen him do that a little bit as well, but Ben’s got Baz and good people around him, just to save him from himself. I never had that.”Elsewhere in the interview, Flintoff recalled how Key had helped to coax him back into the public domain, first by inviting to attend the 2023 Ashes series in a private capacity, and then by offering him a chance to work behind the scenes with England’s squads.He admitted that he had been “bricking it” prior to his first involvement with the men’s squad, for their white-ball series against New Zealand in September 2023, at which stage he had still not been seen in public since his crash.However, the welcome he received from the squad reminded Flintoff that “actually, this is this is where I want to be, this is where I feel comfortable”.”Cricket did save me,” he added. “It got me out of the house, and it got me focused on something, but more importantly, surrounded by people who have got something in common. I genuinely love it. I love the culture. It’s so much fun.”

Newcastle United meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend. Always a fun one.

The November international break has curtailed and now it’s domestic action right through until March. By that stage, so much could have happened: the Magpies may have defended their Carabao Cup title and made headway in the Premier League to press for Champions League qualification, for example.

But the upswing in form needs to start now. United have been out of sorts this season, and languish in 14th place. Still strong at St. James’ Park, this stands as a fantastic chance to underpin Eddie Howe’s fifth chapter on Tyneside with a statement victory that tells of durability and a will to win which is as fervent as ever.

24/25

Premier League (A)

4-0 loss

24/25

Premier League (H)

1-1 draw

23/24

FA Cup

2-0 loss

23/24

Premier League (H)

3-2 loss

23/24

Carabao Cup (H)

1-0 win

23/24

Premier League (A)

1-0 loss

And Newcastle will need all their strength against a Man City side who have foiled them many times in recent years, losing just one match to the Northern outfit across 15 matches in all competitions. In fact, Newcastle have only recorded one top-flight victory over City since 2005/06.

SJP will be a cauldron of deafening noise, for sure, and it will need to be, especially with Howe contending with a glut of injuries.

Newcastle team news vs Man City

Rodri and Mateo Kovacic are both out for the visitors, and so Howe will know the importance of a fiery central display to overwhelm and negate much of the away side’s creative threat.

However, the Toon may be forced to put their plan into action without the power and physicality of Joelinton, who may be sidelined after being forced off during the defeat at Brentford before the break.

The Brazilian’s nasty leg injury isn’t thought to have eliminated him from contention here, but Howe will be wary of unleashing his midfield monster if it’s clear he lacks full fitness and ferocity.

Sandro Tonali is fit to play, while Nick Pope has been given the green light following concussion protocols. However, Anthony Gordon is “touch and go”, and wide duo Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento may not be risked from the opening after bouncing back from respective setbacks.

City are going to try and overwhelm the Magpies, but with Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes on form, there’s little question that the hosts have the tools to get the job done. Albeit, Yoane Wissa is still not quite ready to make his debut, months after completing a big-money transfer from Brentford, as he completes the final laps of his recovery process after a knee injury sustained on international duty with DR Congo.

And if Joelinton is kept out of action, or even benched, Howe has the perfect alternative to unleash in the middle of the park.

Howe could unleash Joelinton replacement

Newcastle need an emphatic performance against City, who have taken the spoils so often in this meeting. What Newcastle could do with is some uplifting flair to complement the grit of Howe’s wider system.

Well, while Jacob Ramsey will be gunning for a starting berth, it’s Lewis Miley who should be given the nod, with his deep-lying playmaking qualities allowing the senior midfielders beside him to play with freedom and dynamism.

Miley came under flak across the early weeks of the campaign, some segments of the fanbase questioning his levels, but he has grown in confidence over the past few months, particularly impressing in starts over Benfica and Fulham, both wins for United.

After that mature showing against Benfica, journalist Liam Kennedy hailed his “coming-of-age performance in the number six role”, proving that he’s now “ready for serious minutes”.

The 19-year-old is a silky ball-playing midfielder with convincing signs of defensive play. He is raw, yes, and lacks the polish of a midfielder grown into their skin. And yet he’s also got something special about him, a game-changing quality that has led one Magpies Podcaster to hail him as being Howe’s “own Phil Foden”, given his English talent and growing reputation as his side’s starboy.

Miley emerged before he had even reached adulthood, and he confirmed that he has potential in Howe’s Newcastle system.

If Howe does engineer his first-ever Premier League victory over Manchester City (for Newcastle and Bournemouth), this could be a sensational turning point for a club whose residual issues from the summer transfer window are continuing to plague the team’s fluency and confidence.

Many eyes will be on Nick Woltemade, on Tonali and Bruno in the centre. The big hitters. But this is a game for a breakthrough, and Miley could finally announce himself, properly, as a star in the making on Tyneside.

He’s hardly unknown. The academy graduate has already racked up 58 senior appearances for Newcastle, and he has scored three goals and provided five assists.

He might not have Foden’s gusto and world-renowned reputation, but Miley is an exciting and creative player, strong in the duel and bringing a unique flavour that perhaps no one else in the squad can quite match.

Foden, for sure, will be a threat, and perhaps someone Pep Guardiola will look to use as a focal point. After all, Erling Haaland might have scored on his first appearance against Howe’s Newcastle, but he has blanked across five outings since.

Miley has the opportunity to stand his countryman up and take control on a big evening for Newcastle. They cannot afford to slip to a defeat on home turf ahead of successive away trips to Marseille and then Everton.

This might just be his moment.

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England have been able to score a lot of runs there, but it isn’t necessarily because of bad balls

Sidharth Monga30-Jul-20251:31

What should India’s pace attack look like for The Oval?

Tempers are fraying, bodies are tiring (and falling apart in some cases), it is getting dark well before 10pm. It is still only the end of July, but we are already at The Oval with its end-of-series, end-of-summer vibes. It has been more than a month of attritional back and forth between two imperfect sides, who by now are hard to separate. India are averaging 45.55, England 42.52, a sign of a tough-to-call series.India have still dominated more sessions and days, but when they have messed up, they have done so spectacularly and before getting themselves into impregnable positions. Spinners have mostly cancelled each other out with 14 and 13 wickets. India’s spin wickets have come less dearly, but England have had Ben Stokes as the fourth fast bowler to counter that.Surrey are used to playing without a spinner at The Oval, which should suggest it is going to come down to one last push from the fast bowlers from both sides. India’s fast bowlers will feel they have bowled better overall, creating more chances and averaging slightly less, but they need to work out why they haven’t been decisively more effective than England, whose fast bowlers barring Stokes and Jofra Archer have largely looked innocuous.Related

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India have bowled better lengths for longer than England, who haven’t had that accuracy. They have swung the ball more and extracted as much seam movement as England, but still India’s fast bowlers have conceded 51% of their runs on the leg side as against England’s 47%, who have actually looked to bowl straighter on purpose with a leg slip in place. That is something the team has taken a note of as well.Again, it’s not as though India have necessarily bowled poorer lines. India have strayed down leg less often, and have been at the stumps or in the channel roughly as frequently. India have swung the ball into the right-hand batter twice as often as England but that is not at the expense of the outswinger. That is because India have bowled much fewer balls that haven’t swung. Against left-hand batters, India have swung the ball more often than England, and swung it back in less often.The difference perhaps is that the England batters have taken more risks and turned the ball to leg more often. It is borne out slightly by the control numbers: England right-hand batters are in control of 85.6% of their shots into the leg side, India 90.61%. The numbers are similar for left-hand batters. It tells you India are working only bad balls into the leg side, but England are more enterprising. It helps that the pitches have been so flat that the batters have not been punished enough for their errors.2:08

How do India’s five regulars cope with the quick turnaround?

As the series has progressed, India have taken a more pragmatic approach to batting, which is to grind the bowling down, which shows in their dropping scoring rates. It has worked for them: Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and Archer have failed to take a single wicket in overs 30 to 80. It might not be wise to ask their batters to become more enterprising.It remains to be seen if India look to address the leg-side runs at all. It was a source of frustration at Old Trafford, where the bowling coach Morne Morkel even said he had rarely seen a wagon wheel with equal runs on the off side and the leg side. There are two ways to exert better control: either move a little wider outside off or move straighter with an extra fielder on the leg side.However, if The Oval pitch is spicier as the teams seem to expect it to be, they will need to keep repeating good lengths and looking for top of off. It is only if England get into a partnership that India need ways to slow them down. Be it the chase at Headingley, the partnership between Jamie Smith and Harry Brook at Edgbaston, or the whole innings at Old Trafford, it is when things are not happening for them that India are looking for control.When England bat well, India just want to avoid being batted out of the game. They will hope they don’t encounter such a situation at The Oval, but perhaps they need to remember that it is more a combination of selection (one strike bowler too few every time plus rushing an undercooked Anshul Kamboj), pitches, and England batters’ enterprise than what the bowlers have actually bowled.

The forecast for the Test is for it to get hotter, closer to 30 degrees, but it is not likely to break up the surface

Sidharth Monga17-Jun-202514:58

Sai Sudharsan or Abhimanyu? Shardul or Nitish? What combination do India go with?

It’s not often that Headingley gets the first Test of the series in England. Headingley usually hosts a Test much later in the summer, usually the third of the series. Add to it that there has hardly been any rain in Leeds since February. So Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of grounds, has had to carry out a “different kind” of preparation for the Test.Don’t be alarmed by the green look – indistinguishable from the square really – the pitch wears three days out. It will get a nice trim and a roll. Right now, though, as through the whole preparation, retaining enough moisture is the goal for Robinson and his team, which includes Jasmine Nicholls, former England race-walker and the first woman to make an international pitch when she led the team for the England vs Pakistan women’s T20I.Robinson has a deep connect with Headingley. The first Test he came here for as a boy was during Botham’s Ashes. He went on to play as a contemporary of Michael Vaughan and umpire Richard Kettleborough. Now he gets to prepare the canvas for more epics. He is satisfied with the hardness of the surface, which should make for good true bounce. That is also what England have wanted under Brendon McCullum as the coach. “They just want to have a good surface so it’s true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball,” Robinson said. “That’s really what they’re looking for.”Related

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The grass will come down to 8mm by the morning of the Test, which is fairly standard for a Test at Headingley. Robinson feels a final assessment of the pitch should only be made on that morning. He expects it to “do a little bit” on the first day and to flatten out quite quickly because of the heat expected.The pitch remained covered during the afternoon on Tuesday to not let it dry too much even as Ben Stokes and England trained on the practice pitches. Stokes ended the session by bowling at a single stump. It seemed a perfect day for cricket with the sun out and the temperature around 22 degrees celsius. It was quite breezy too, which can dry the surface out quickly.Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of grounds, has had to carry out a “different kind” of preparation for the Test•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe forecast for the Test is for it to get hotter, closer to 30 degrees, but it is not likely to break up the surface. So if the pitch is going to flatten out quickly and not break up deep into the Test, it might pay to bowl first and exploit the conditions on day one. This has certainly been the trend in England when McCullum has been the coach: teams have chosen to field in 16 out of 22 Tests, winning nine of those and losing six. When teams have chosen to bat first on the six occasions, they have lost each of those Tests.England have won both the Headingley Tests in this period, chasing down 296 against New Zealand and 251 against Australia. That Ashes Test was also Robinson’s debut as Headingley’s head groundsperson. The eight innings in these Tests ranged from a highest of 360 to a lowest of 224. Neither diabolical nor high-scoring. Robinson hopes for more of the same, but there might be a few more runs in it this weekend.India, on the other hand, have not played a lot at Headingley in recent years. Before their innings defeat in 2021, they had last played at the ground in 2002, famously winning by an innings and 46 runs.

The final chunk of international action is winding down for the year, and that means Liverpool fans can get ready to see Arne Slot’s side back in action.

There is an air of uncertainty about the Reds at the moment. After all, they were thrashed out of the Etihad Stadium nearly two weeks ago, having put Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League days before.

But we must look at the wider trend, and we must accept that Slot’s squad have lost five of their past six matches in the Premier League, and that has eliminated any hopes of retaining that hard-won title for the time being.

The season is still young, but whatever happens over the coming months, FSG will have accepted that a few deeper problems need to be solved.

Take, for example, Virgil van Dijk’s announcement that the 2026 World Cup will be his last for Oranje. That underlines the 34-year-old’s ageing legs, and his acceptance that soon – not yet, but soon – he will wind down.

And the same could be said of Mohamed Salah, who has not been himself this season. FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes are aware that Salah, 33, might be nearing the end at Anfield.

Liverpool begin search for Salah successor

Liverpool’s search for a Salah successor is tentative and new at this stage. The Egyptian star earns £400k per week on Merseyside after renewing his soon-to-expire contract in April, keeping him at the club until the end of next season.

After such staggering success last year, Salah’s drop-off in form has been painful to see, though circumstances have played a part, and the prolific winger is sure to rediscover his shooting boots at some point.

Goals scored

0.77

0.37

Assists

0.48

0.18

Shots taken

3.23

2.29

Shot-creating actions

4.51

3.11

Touches (att pen)

9.50

5.68

Pass completion (%)

70.6

68.7

Progressive passes

3.84

3.66

Progressive carries

4.14

3.66

Successful take-ons

1.55

0.64

Ball recoveries

2.70

2.84

Tackles won

0.29

0.18

But Liverpool do need to start drawing up plans, and Spanish sources suggest this is already in the running, with Hughes preparing a

€100m (equating to £88m) offer for Barcelona superstar Raphinha.

The Brazil international is a wanted man after his sensational 2024/25 campaign, with Atletico Madrid also keen.

However, Liverpool have more financial might and La Blaugrana’s interminable money worries could see a deal completed in 2026.

Why Liverpool want Raphinha

Raphinha, 28, is not a young, up-and-coming talent who can be shaped into a superstar over the next several years.

That’s because he’s already among football’s top brass, hailed as “the best player in the world” by Statman Dave for his herculean efforts in last year’s Champions League.

Last year, the former Leeds United ace produced Salah-esque numbers for Hansi Flick’s La Liga champions. He scored 34 goals and provided 26 assists across all competitions, and that haul saw him eclipse everyone else across Europe’s top five leagues in all competitions. No small feat that, especially when considering the season Liverpool’s talisman had.

Raphinha

57

34 + 26

Mohamed Salah

72

34 + 23

Harry Kane

46

38 + 13

Ousmane Dembele

49

33 + 15

Kylian Mbappe

55

42 + 4

He hasn’t quite hit the same awe-inspiring heights so far this season, but Raphinha has still made a commendable start to the campaign, notching five direct involvements from six league games.

A ready-made talent, Raphinha could prove the perfect replacement to Luis Diaz in Slot’s Liverpool, who was, of course, sold to Bayern Munich this summer for £66.5m.

Diaz, also 28, has been riding the crest of a gigantic wave in Germany this season, with six goals and four assists to his name in the Bundesliga, just nine games played, as well as three strikes from four in the Champions League. His all-round play has been spectacular, his impact sending tremors across Germany.

Away from the more emphatic side of his game, Diaz’s combative side has been sorely missed this term at Liverpool. Last season in the Premier League, he averaged more than one tackle per fixture. Moreover, journalist Neil Docking hailed him as “strong and a fighter” upon the announcement of his departure.

There is also the small matter of Raphinha’s Premier League experience. The Brazilian’s years at Elland Road fashioned in him a physicality and determination that are necessary for success in England. The struggle of Florian Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt underlines the difficulties of integration from overseas.

But, most crucially of all, Raphinha is a player whose skillset aligns with Liverpool’s former wideman. FBref’s data reveals that the Barca man ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe over the past year for goals and assists combined, and then the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 too.

This has seen Diaz recorded as one of his most comparable players. Diaz is incredibly prolific in front of goal, and like Raphinha, he observed his fleet-footed quality, not running about with the same intensity and frequency as someone like Jeremy Doku, but instead being economical in his advancements.

Liverpool need something different in attack, and with Salah winding down, Wirtz struggling to make his mark at this stage, and Diaz now plying his craft elsewhere, the dynamic and versatile Raphinha would be a stunning addition. If Liverpool can capitalise on Barcelona’s financial plight, they must do so.

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