With a deal agreed to sign goalkeeper John Victor, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly leading the race to sign another South American star for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nottingham Forest agree Victor deal

Espirito Santo requested a goalkeeper and it looks as though he’s set to get one in the form of Victor this week. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal to sign the Brazilian from Botafogo, who is set to get the Premier League move that he’s been after since West Ham United ditched their attempts to secure his signature.

Espirito Santo also requested full-back cover and has also seen that demand met by those at the City Ground, who have welcomed Nicolo Savona from Juventus.

Speaking for the first time since becoming the latest to arrive in the Midlands, the defender said: “I am very excited to be here. It is a new experience for me as a person and a player. It is such a historic club, and the move is a dream come true. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans at the City Ground, and I will give my all for the shirt.”

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Whether Victor and Savona are enough to satisfy Espirito Santo will be the big question. Talks between the Forest boss and Marinakis are reportedly scheduled this weekend in what should give those at the City Ground a strong indication of where Espirito Santo’s immediate future lies.

With the deadline fast-approaching, meanwhile, reports suggest that the Tricky Trees are targeting yet another South American star.

Nottingham Forest leading Cuiabano race

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are not leading the race to sign Cuiabano from Botafogo. Forest have, of course, already welcomed Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha from the Brazilian club, whilst an agreement has also been reached for Victor. Now, they could sensationally sign a fourth player from the club.

Full of praise for all three potential Forest stars, analyst Ben Mattinson described Cuiabano as “powerful” and “pacy” when links first emerged that the Tricky Trees had him in their sights. Now, in a late move, they could finally get their man.

Like Savona, the Brazilian would also satisfy Espirito Santo’s demand for cover at full-back just as the window is coming to a close. At just 22 years old, there’s still plenty of room for improvement in the Midlands too, and European football should ensure that he receives the game time needed to enjoy that improvement.

Liverpool certainly weren’t at their free-flowing best away at Turf Moor on Sunday, but the Reds still remain at the top of the Premier League pile after a slim 1-0 win against Burnley.

In typical Mohamed Salah fashion, the much-loved Egyptian would end up being the difference-maker with a last-gasp penalty kick, with Scott Parker’s Clarets nearly hanging on for a 0-0 draw, which would have been a very impressive feat, as they played the last few minutes of the tense clash with just ten men.

However, it wasn’t to be for the relegation-threatened hosts, as Liverpool – once again – found a way to win, even as various hurdles tried to stop them in their tracks.

Indeed, there were several worrying underperformers lining up in the distinctive green strip in Lancashire, with the likes of Milos Kerkez now concerned for his starting spot in the Champions League this mid-week.

Liverpool's biggest underperformers against Burnley

It would feel strange not to start with Kerkez’s poor showing when judging the whole host of underperformers on the day, considering the former AFC Bournemouth defender would fall victim to Arne Slot’s wrath after just 38 minutes.

Indeed, after receiving an early yellow card for diving, the 21-year-old full-back found himself on shaky ground, winning zero duels before the Dutchman put him out of his misery.

Away from Kerkez’s early substitution dominating most of the conversation, Hugo Ekitike also struggled against a well-drilled Clarets defence, with the Frenchman frustratingly unable to add to his two-goal Premier League tally when reduced to just two efforts on the Burnley goal.

Moreover, Cody Gakpo also faded in and out of the contest, with the usually tricky winger only managing to register two accurate crosses all match long, away from also failing to test Martin Dubravka, as all five of his efforts weren’t on-target.

But, there is one attacker yet to be mentioned who could already be in grave danger of becoming Liverpool’s next Darwin Nunez, as more millions are potentially wasted.

5/10 Liverpool star could be Slot's next Nunez

While Ekitike might not have scored against the gritty hosts on Sunday, he has at least hit the ground running away from this attritional showdown, with two goals next to his name already from just four league clashes.

Unfortunately, when Darwin Nunez arrived in Merseyside back in 2022 for a whopping £64m, he couldn’t get to that tally in the same swift manner, with a goal on his Premier League debut against Fulham then being followed up by a barren run of form, leading to the Uruguayan bowing out from his first season at the club with a disappointing nine league strikes next to his name.

Thankfully, Nunez is no longer a concern for Liverpool fans to wrestle with, after he secured a summer move to the Middle East with Al-Hilal.

But, Slot could depressingly have his second iteration of the South American now in Florian Wirtz, with the £116m purchase letting his weighty price-tag get the better of him already so early into his playing days at Anfield.

Wirtz’s PL numbers for Liverpool

Stat

Wirtz

Minutes played

338 mins

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

60.5

Accurate passes

32.5 (79%)

Key passes

2.0

Big chances created

0

Stats by Sofascore

From 338 minutes of Premier League action to date, Wirtz is yet to break his duck for the Reds in terms of goals or assists, which is an unusual predicament for the German to find himself in.

After all, last season in Bundesliga action alone, the vibrant 22-year-old managed to collect an astounding 22 goals and assists from just 31 matches. His blistering form at the BayArena would even see him branded as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy.

Yet, against the Clarets, Wirtz also looked a shadow of his Leverkusen self, with zero shots on target registered and zero successful dribbles mustered up, away from also giving up the ball 21 times.

This will be really concerning to see for all those associated with Liverpool, as Nunez stung them in the same manner, having entered the English game off the back of a ridiculous 34-goal season at Benfica, to only then flounder under the weight of all his expectations.

His shoddy showing at Turf Moor would see Liverpool World’s Will Rooney hand out a sub-par 5/10 rating to him post-match, having stated that he just couldn’t impact proceedings in the manner he would’ve liked.

Not all hope will be lost so early on, but Wirtz will need to buck up his ideas fast, so as not to be considered as another expensive misfire down the line.

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Manchester City had the unenviable task this summer of replacing Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian left as a legend of the club and of the Premier League, having won the top flight six times, as well as the Champions League in City’s famous treble win of 2022/23.

Of course, when the Belgian was at the peak of his powers, he had the baton passed to him from David Silva. Another legend at the Etihad Stadium, Silva played 144 times with De Bruyne, before departing the club for his native Spain to return to La Liga.

Well, now City could be back in the market for a playmaking genius, who could certainly be seen as their new Silva.

The state of play at Manchester City

With days left of the summer transfer window, City could still plot a late move following their humbling 2-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Real Madrid star Rodrygo is one name constantly linked with a move to East Manchester.

Transfer Focus

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

However, he is not the only Los Blancos star who could move to City.

Remarkably, according to Caught Offside, Pep Guardiola’s side are said to be ‘keeping a close eye’ on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s situation at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The former Liverpool star only moved to the Spanish capital this summer, but after being dropped in favour of Dani Carvajal, questions about his future have already been raised.

That has led reports to suggest that the Citizens could launch a ‘sensational bid’ as early as January for a player valued at £65m, via Transfermarkt.

Why Alexnader-Arnold would be a good signing

It is fair to say that Alexander-Arnold would return to the Premier League with an incredible reputation. Manchester United legend Gary Neville once said he has the potential to become “the best right-back the world has ever produced”, and he certainly shone for Liverpool.

In 354 appearances for his boyhood club, the England international scored 23 goals and amassed an incredible tally of 92 assists, with passes such as this one back in 2023, a regular occurrence. He helped the Reds to two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

For a right-back to so regularly create chances to the level Alexander-Arnold did, you have to be a “maestro”, as Statman Dave once described him.

There were seven Premier League seasons where he played more than 20 games, and in four of them, he hit double figures for assists.

2018/19

29

12

2019/20

38

13

2020/21

36

7

2021/22

32

12

2022/23

37

10

2023/24

28

5

2024/25

33

7

City’s creative genius before De Bruyne was, of course, Silva. The Spaniard is City’s “greatest ever player” according to Jamie Carragher, and even has a statue outside of the Etihad Stadium paying homage to his genius.

The former Valencia midfielder pulled on that famous Blue shirt 436 times, scoring 77 goals and assisting 136 times on top of that. He was capable of operating all over the pitch in attacking areas, but did his best work as a number 10.

It is easy to see how Alexander-Arnold, who earned £180k per week at Anfield, could become City’s new Silva.

Firstly, this would be a signing from La Liga, and whilst he is more of a known quantity to Citizens fans than Silva may have been, creative signings from the Spanish top flight have tended to work well for them.

Both players have excellent creative numbers behind them, too. Alexander-Arnold’s record at Liverpool was sensational, and he already has two assists for Madrid. As for Silva, he had 39 assists to his name for Valencia before moving to City in 2010.

Of course, the key difference is the position, with the Los Blancos man playing at right-back rather than in midfield. Yet, there has been talk that he should move centrally, and he even began to invert into midfield under Jurgen Klopp, a role Carragher said was “almost perfect for him” back in 2023.

Whatever plans Guardiola hatches for Alexander-Arnold if he moves to City, he will look to get the best out of him creatively.

With the sort of influence he can have in the final third, his potential role in midfield and the fact he’d be moving from Spain, this really could be the second coming of Silva.

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Ruben Amorim said he could feel that his Manchester United players do not want him to get sacked after they beat Sunderland 2-0 to ease the pressure on the coach. Goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko gave United a third win of the season and soothed the pain of last week's defeat at Brentford, which led to high profile figures such as Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney fiercely criticising Amorim.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mount backs Amorim after win

  Amorim went into the match with a dismal record of 34 points from 33 matches but the victory over Sunderland took his side up to eighth in the Premier League table and level with Manchester City, albeit having played one game more than their local rivals.

  Mount put United in front in the eighth minute at Old Trafford and after the game he gave his boss a show of support when he told reporters: "We're 100% behind the gaffer. We've had some results that hurt us – the team, the staff and the fans – but that was important today."

  The midfielder hopes the victory can be the start of a strong run of results. He added: "It needs to be – we thought after Chelsea it would be the start of something and then we go to Brentford and have a disappointing result. It starts today and we'll be working hard over the break. We want to get back-to-back wins, then three in a row and push on for the top four."

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Amorim felt players backing on the pitch

  Amorim said that the players' resilient performance proved that they supported him and he was pleased with how the team stuck together even when their intensity levels dropped in the second half. "We didn’t play well during all the game but we had our moments but if you look at our performance, it was a team performance," he said. "There was focus, defending well, we were trying to kill the game in the second half. So I'm pleased with that and now we move forward to the next one."

  The coach was asked about Mount's backing and he said he knows that the players do not want to keep changing coaches. Amorim is the sixth permanent coach United have employed since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The United boss also explained what he wants to see from his players every week.
  "I saw today and I know they want to do the best and I know they don’t want to change the coach all the time," he said. "But like I said during this week, to be with the manager is: 'I will kill myself to go in every transition'. We need to show with actions and sometimes when we look at our team I know for sure that when we see the games in the end they know that sometimes we can do better. So I feel that during the week but we need to show that on the pitch, not just at home but also away."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Lammens 'looked confident' in impressive United debut

  Amorim praised debutant goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who made his first appearance since switching to the Red Devils from Royal Antwerp on transfer deadline day. "He looks confident in the first game but the important thing is the team-mates helped Senne to have a good game because everyone is focused, there were not a lot of mistakes against a team that was really comfortable playing football, so we did well as a group effort."

  He also explained why he had waited so long before giving the Belgian his first match while Altay Bayindir struggled. "When Senne arrived here, first of all Altay was playing and then he arrives and you can feel that he needs to adapt, new country, new training," he said.
  "The pressure you guys put on the goalkeeper is massive, so it was a little preparation for him to be ready to start his first game. But it is just one game and he needs to work, he needs to be prepared that in our club things are really hard, but he did well and again he was comfortable during the game. That's a really good sign."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Sesko scores again

  Amorim was also impressed with his £74m striker Benjamin Sesko, who scored his first goal at Old Trafford and for the second game running after also finding the net against Brentford.

  "He is here to score the goals, to give us a different type of profile inside the box, to use more crosses, he is going to improve the connection with this teammates," Amorim said of the Slovenian. "How many times did Senne kick the ball and he was there with the first touch? That is more important, especially in this league that we are thinking when there is a throw-in we have an extra guy who is big at the first post. 

  "All the characteristics of Ben, not just the goals, can help us to win games. We are happy with him, he puts a lot of pressure on himself that is not a bad thing but he has potential to do so much more."

It wasn’t just incomings that Liverpool were focused on this summer and one Reds star has now revealed he had the chance to leave the club.

Liverpool's transformative summer defined by clever selling

Liverpool have been accused of standing still when crowned Premier League champions in the past, almost settling for what they had earned. This time, such accusations would be incredibly far-fetched. Sat atop their throne after becoming champions last season, the Reds have enjoyed a transformative summer — spending over £400m and ruthlessly selling a number of stars to fund it.

In came Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz , Giovanni Leoni and Jeremie Frimpong, and out went Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez , plus more. It was about as ruthless as it gets from Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, who have created a side capable of enjoying an era of dominance at Anfield, keeping Liverpool second in the net spend pile despite breaking the British transfer record twice.

A lot has been made of Liverpool’s spending and why they’ve suddenly spent more than ever, but one look at their summer sales will provide an emphatic answer. They’re one of the smartest clubs in European football and that was on show for all to see in the summer window.

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The Reds didn’t just sell for any offer that came in, either. They were tactical. The likes of Nunez and Diaz were seen as players that should be moved on, but only for the right price, with the club even happy to let Diaz run his contract down rather than sell too soon for too little. Hughes and Edwards simply waited for that price to come before cashing in.

What Diaz’s move allowed them to do was also keep hold of another star, who has now spoken about interest from Bayern Munich.

Gakpo admits Bayern interest was "difficult"

Whilst it was Diaz that moved on in the end, the story could have been very different. Cody Gakpo has admitted that Bayern Munich “did come” in for his signature, but he chose to stay put at Liverpool in a “difficult” saga.

It’s a decision that would have been a relief to Arne Slot too, given just how emphatically the Dutchman has started the current campaign.

For all of Liverpool’s standout business, keeping hold of Gakpo will prove to be of underrated importance, with the Netherlands star signing a new contract that will keep him in red until 2030.

The winger has scored once and assisted twice in just four Premier League games this season and will be looking to keep hold of his place following the arrival of Isak on deadline day.

Everton have approached the 2025/26 season with a clear strategy, blending summer acquisitions with tactical continuity.

The Toffees began the campaign with a narrow 1-0 defeat at Elland Road but bounced back strongly with a 2-0 home win against Brighton, followed by a 3-2 victory at Molineux.

This start has provided early optimism for supporters, especially given the major changes in the squad over the summer.

David Moyes oversaw the departure of several key figures, including Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which opened opportunities for new arrivals.

The club welcomed a mixture of youth and experience, signing Thierno Barry from Villareal, Jack Grealish from Manchester City, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea, and Tyler Dibling from Southampton.

Grealish, in particular, has made an immediate impact, registering four assists so far, demonstrating that Everton’s summer business could already be paying dividends.

Amid these high-profile arrivals, one player quietly making waves is Senegalese winger Iliman Ndiaye, whose early-season form has been vital for the Toffees’ attacking strategy.

Ndiaye’s start to the season

Ndiaye, 25, joined Everton in 2024 from Marseille and has quickly emerged as a versatile attacking threat.

Primarily deployed as a left-winger, Ndiaye is also capable of playing as a centre-forward or attacking midfielder.

Last season, he contributed nine goals in 33 Premier League appearances, demonstrating an impressive mix of goal-scoring and creative play.

This season, Ndiaye has continued that trend, scoring against Brighton at home and Wolves away.

In the match against Wolves, he recorded 51 touches, completed 22 of 33 passes (70% accuracy), and registered two key passes, as per Sofascore, contributing significantly to Everton’s attacking rhythm.

His 2024/25 metrics underline his all-round impact: nine goal involvements, 3.19 progressive carries per 90, 3.07 progressive passes per 90, and a pass completion rate of 81.8%, as per FBref.

Ndiaye also averaged 0.56 shots on target per 90 with a 42.9% shot-on-target accuracy, generated 2.41 shot-creating actions per 90, and completed 47.6% of take-ons successfully.

These statistics highlight Ndiaye’s dual role as both a goal-scoring outlet and a creative link in the midfield, a player capable of influencing matches in multiple ways.

His versatility is particularly valuable given the club’s summer signings, which have intensified competition for attacking positions.

Ndiaye’s ability to adapt to multiple roles will be critical as Everton seek to maintain consistency and compete effectively in the Premier League.

How Dwight McNeil's value compares to Ndiaye

While Ndiaye has made an encouraging start, the arrivals of Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, and Dibling inevitably impact other squad members, particularly Dwight McNeil.

McNeil, also 25, joined Everton from Burnley in 2022, while last season, he made 21 league appearances, scoring four goals and registering eight assists, highlighting his ability to contribute both offensively and creatively.

However, McNeil’s game time is likely to be restricted this season due to the new signings.

In the first three league fixtures, he has made only a single appearance, a significant reduction compared to his prior role under Sean Dyche, where he was pivotal in helping Everton maintain their Premier League status.

Despite this, journalist Joe Thomas described him as “magic,” reflecting his vision, creativity, and ability to influence the game in key moments.

Statistically, McNeil’s 2024/25 season showcased his overall contribution.

Matches Played

21

Goals

4

Assists

6

Progressive Carries

38

Progressive Passes

69

Shot-Creating Actions

72

According to FBref, he registered 2.50 progressive carries per 90, 4.53 progressive passes per 90, a 74.5% pass completion rate, 0.66 shots on target per 90, a 40% shot-on-target accuracy, and a 53.3% successful take-on rate.

These figures illustrate his ability to link play, drive forward from wide areas, and create scoring opportunities for teammates.

While his minutes may be limited in the short term, McNeil remains a valuable asset who can impact matches off the bench or step into the starting lineup when rotation is required. That said, he is no longer a guaranteed starter.

Ndiaye’s early-season form, meanwhile, demonstrates his growing importance to the team, contributing goals, assists, and creative influence. Interestingly, however, it is actually McNeil who is deemed to be the more valuable asset (£22m vs £19m), as per Transfermarkt.

With Moyes’ new-look side taking shape though, it may well be McNeil who falls victim of this wave of exciting incomings.

Everton sold "world-class" talent who's now playing like Grealish & Gordon

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MatériaMais Notícias

Na última terça-feira (4), a Ilha do Retiro, casa do Sport e palco de capítulos importantes na história do futebol nacional, chegou a marca de 86 anos de existência. Diante do momento de celebração, o clube aproveitou para ressaltar os próximos planos e reforçar a estratégia de reformulação estrutural sob a direção do presidente Yuri Romão, eleito no final de 2022.

– Estamos certos de que o projeto da Ilha do Retiro saia do papel para que consigamos alcançar os nossos próximos objetivos com excelência”, afirma o mandatário do Leão.

Além disso, o Sport finalizou a reforma das cadeiras do setor de numerada, chegando a R$ 5,5 milhões em obras, bem como melhorias na estrutura que dá acesso ao estádio.

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Como parte deste planejamento, o clube tem apostado fortemente em novos processos tecnológicos. Após fechar com a empresa Imply, considerada uma das principais empresas em acesso, ticketing e autoatendimento em arenas, o Leão obteve a implementação do sistema de biometria para as partidas em casa, assim como ajustes em check-in gratuito para todos os jogos da temporada por R$ 55 reais, considerado um dos melhores custo-benefícios em programa de sócio no país.

– Mais uma vez, estamos mostrando o nosso crescimento, que não para por aqui. Além da prioridade com a nossa campanha dentro de campo, temos a preocupação com o que a nossa torcida merece e que caminha junto conosco. Também iniciamos um ano de modernização e a chegada da Imply reforça esse cuidado tecnológico para as nossas campanhas – agregou o presidente rubro-negro.

O processo de acordo com a mudança no modelo de gestão para a Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) também é uma realidade para a organização. Segundo Romão, o delicado momento financeiro do clube precisa de uma atenção especial que seria obtido por meio de um investidor. Algo que contribui, sobretudo, para um grande salto de gestão.

>Olho no Brasileirão! Assine o Prime Video e acompanhe todos os jogos do seu time do coração!

– Ainda neste meio de ano, focaremos nas tratativas e alinhamentos junto ao Conselho sobre a SAF de modo que o desenvolvimento deste acordo esteja avançado para os próximos meses. Queremos ver o Sport cada vez mais em ascensão e estamos no caminho certo – entende Yuri Romão.

Outro ponto crucial para o Leão da Ilha é a proximidade do time, neste momento, em busca do retorno à Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Sport ocupa a liderança da Série B, com 31 pontos, três a mais do que o quinto colocado, Vitória. Nesta quarta, a equipe entra em campo fora de casa, contra o CRB, em jogo adiado da 1ª rodada.

– Com planejamento e a nossa previsibilidade de receita, seguimos confiantes de que conseguiremos evoluir rumo à elite do futebol brasileiro novamente -sacramenta o presidente rubro-negro.

Referee Jarred Gillett broke PGMOL protocol in the process of denying Arsenal a penalty at Newcastle last weekend. While Arsenal went on to win 2-1 at St. James' Park courtesy of late goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes, fans were incensed as Gillett overturned his decision to award a penalty in the 14th minute when it looked as though Nick Pope had fouled Viktor Gyokeres.

Getty Images SportGillett overturned penalty call following VAR intervention

Arsenal striker Gyokeres sought to capitalise upon a short Jacob Murphy backpass early on and looked to have been fouled by Newcastle goalkeeper Pope. Gillett initially pointed to the spot but was instructed by the VAR to review replays on the pitchside monitor that suggested the Magpies shotstopper got to the ball first despite subsequently wiping out the Swedish forward.

And after reviewing the footage, Gillett overturned his penalty decision, much to the dismay of Arsenal supporters.

AdvertisementPremier League official broke PGMOL protocol

Gillett then announced his decision at St. James' Park, telling the home crowd: "After review, the Newcastle goalkeeper plays the ball and there is no foul. The final decision is a drop ball."

While Arsenal fans were incensed, Gillett could then be heard telling Gunners star Bukayo Saka about the reasoning to avoid a drop ball rather than a penalty, saying: "Before there is any contact, the goalkeeper gets a toe on the ball, that’s why."

Arteta was fuming, adding: “Well, I watched it back and watched it live as well. And if it’s not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene. We’ve been told this for a few years, this style of decision again, and for me, it’s very clear that it doesn’t have to intervene because it’s a penalty.”

He added: “We fully deserved the win. The way we played, the way we competed. We fully deserved the win.

“The chances we generated. I think we fully deserved to win the game. We did it in a dramatic manner, but so happy and so proud of the team.”

AFP'VAR should not intervene'

Despite coming away with a huge three points, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wasn't pleased about VAR intervening on the penalty incident, saying after the full time whistle: "If it is not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene. We have been told this for a few years and at the start of this season again."

And Saka, despite being informed of the reasoning, added: "The fact that it took the ref that long to decide shows it is not a clear and obvious error."

On Match of the Day, Joe Hart backed the decision, saying: “Pope, with those size 13 feet of his, gets a toe on it. Not only does he get a toe on it, he manages to divert the ball away from goal. But that’s not the most important point. As Pope plants his foot, he’s deemed not to be using a forward motion towards Gyokeres.

“Therefore, as Gyokeres’ knee clashes into Pope’s knee, it is just seen as a clash of bodies. It’s not Pope taking him out. It’s not a foul. Not a penalty.”

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Arsenal back at home this weekend

Arsenal return to league duties at home on Saturday afternoon as they welcome West Ham to the Emirates. The Gunners, who boast a 100% start to their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over Olympiacos on Wednesday night, are unbeaten at home in the league this season having claimed seven points from three matches.

Big picture – KL Rahul set to make DC debut

Travishek fear no one. Except, maybe, Mitchell Starc. Travis Head does not like facing Starc, and after taking strike and being bowled by the big left-arm quick for a two-ball duck in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2024, he let Abhishek Sharma take first strike in the final, and you know what happened next.Starc now takes the new ball for a different team, and he’ll be up against Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) gun opening pair again on Sunday afternoon. If Starc can have the same sort of impact, it would be a major relief for a Delhi Capitals (DC) bowling unit that also includes Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar. Last season, these three were on the receiving end of an onslaught from Head and Abhishek that blasted SRH to a record IPL powerplay score of 125 for 0. That was in Delhi. This time, the battle shifts to Visakhapatnam, where DC staged a stunning comeback win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their most recent game. SRH, meanwhile, are coming off a defeat to the same opponents.Related

• LSG mute SRH with death bowling before the death overs

• Awe-inspiring Ashutosh brings DC back from the brink

• The two Starora overs that defined the IPL final

DC’s opening victory was built on resilience. With the ball, they clawed back to restrict LSG to 209 despite letting them get to an ominous 161 for 2 in 13 overs. With the bat, they resurrected themselves from 66 for 5 to scrape past their target with three balls to spare. Even when they crumbled in both powerplays and both post-powerplay phases, they refused to tap out.That resilience will be key as they seek a second win, armed with fresh insights on containing SRH. LSG’s strategy of treating the full 20 overs like the death proved effective, and DC have the personnel to replicate it. Mohit Sharma and Mukesh have the skillsets, and Axar and Kuldeep bring another year of wisdom.But DC are not without problems of their own. Their top order misfired against LSG, and they can’t keep relying on their lower order to keep bailing them out. New father KL Rahul is set to make his franchise debut, and DC will have to figure out the best way to fit him into their line-up. And they’ll be wary of an SRH unit that will be desperate to prove that Thursday’s loss was a mere aberration.Away game for SRH, home game for Nitish Kumar Reddy•Associated Press

Team news and likely XIIs

With Rahul set to play, he is expected to slot in at No. 4, likely replacing Sameer Rizvi. Mukesh’s availability remains uncertain after he sustained an ankle sprain against LSG, while T Natarajan, who is recovering from a shoulder issue, is unlikely to feature against his former team. If Mukesh is ruled out, Darshan Nalkande could step in. Another possibility is retaining Rizvi, dropping Fraser-McGurk, and bringing in fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera.Delhi Capitals: 1 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Abishek Porel (wk), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Vipraj Nigam, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohit Sharma, 12 Mukesh Kumar/Darshan Nalkande.There are no injury concerns in the SRH camp and they could field an unchanged team.Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Travis Head, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Simarjeet Singh, 12 Adam Zampa.

Big question

Where is Rahul best used? No. 4 seems to be the likely slot, and why not: that’s his best position (min. five innings) in terms of both average (49.08) and strike rate (139.90).It’s as opener that Rahul made his mark in the format, however, and a position from where he once smashed a 14-ball fifty, at the time the quickest in the IPL. With Fraser-McGurk out of form, is there a case for Rahul to partner Faf du Plessis at the top?In the spotlight – Kuldeep Yadav and Nitish Kumar ReddyAgainst SRH in Delhi last season, Kuldeep Yadav endured a brutal start, getting hit for four sixes in his first seven balls by Abhishek. But he responsed by dismissing Abhishek, Head, Aiden Markram and Nitish Kumar Reddy, three of whom will feature on Saturday. He conceded 55 in four overs, but his breakthroughs prevented SRH from soaring beyond their final total of 266. Head, in particular, has shown signs of struggling against left-arm wristspin, being dismissed twice in nine balls against that style of bowling in the IPL, which makes Kuldeep a option to bring on early if the South Australian starts ominously against the new ball. As LSG proved against SRH, wickets are the only way to contain their explosive line-up.Though SRH play this as an “away” game in Visakhapatnam, Nitish Kumar Reddy will be right at home in the city of his birth. SRH have earmarked him as a long-term player and he has started the season with scores of 32 and 30. Sandwiched between them at No. 4, Reddy is the perfect foil for Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, and he’s a major threat against spin, as his IPL strike rate of 170.19 since the start of 2024 suggests.Last year in Delhi, Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental in DC ‘restricting’ SRH to 266 after they flew to 125 for 0 in the powerplay•Associated Press

Pitch and conditions

It’s an afternoon game on a batting-friendly surface, so a 200-plus first-innings score should be the expectation. In the IPL, the team batting first has won 50% of all matches in Visakhapatnam. The last three first-innings totals in the IPL here have been 191, 272 and 209.

Key stats

• Head vs Starc in all recognized cricket: seven innings, eight runs, 29 balls, five dismissals, 0 boundaries. Of the five dismissals, four have been bowled and one caught behind.
• Faf du Plessis has a favourable match-up against Mohammed Shami in the IPL, scoring 106 runs in 61 balls for only two dismissals. However Shami has been brilliant against KL Rahul, allowing only 28 runs to be scored in 31 balls while dismissing him twice.
• In the IPL, Axar Patel has an economy rate of just 6.51 against right-hand batters, but has gone at 9.07 against left-hand batters.

Next three fixtures

DC are on the road next to play against Chennai Super Kings (Apr 5) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Apr 10) before returning to Delhi for a home match against Mumbai Indians on April 13.SRH fly to Kolkata for a match against Kolkata Knight Riders (Apr 3) before playing Gujarat Titans (Apr 6) and Punjab Kings (Apr 12) at home.

Quotes

“KL Rahul is back in our team and that will help us a lot with our balance. But you can’t judge any team from one game. All our players are really good, they are experienced, and hopefully we’ll do well in this match.”
“The press has made 300 a target [for us], but we have [almost] achieved it, [with totals of] 286, 287. You never know if it will happen. Two batters have to score big and get it there. Nothing is impossible in cricket.”

RR have left out left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the toss and chose to bowl on a Jaipur pitch that both captains thought would get better for batting later on in the day. In a sign of the faith that RCB have in their current squad, Rajat Patidar did not feel the need to make any changes to the XI even though they lost their last game to Delhi Capitals a few days ago.Sanju Samson though was able to welcome back one of Rajasthan Royals’ key players, Wanindu Hasaranga. The Sri Lankan legspinner has picked up six wickets in three matches, all of them in the middle-overs (7-16), in IPL 2025 and his return, at the cost of left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, might be crucial to a side looking to bounce back from a defeat of their own, to Gujarat Titans.Rajasthan Royals: 1 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag, 5 Dhruv Jurel, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Sandeep SharmaRR Subs: Kumar Kartikeya, Yudhvir Singh, Shubham Dubey, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kunal RathoreRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rajat Patidar (capt), 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Tim David, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Josh Hazlewood, 10 Yash Dayal, 11 Suyash SharmaRCB Subs: Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh