Wolves have now been heavily linked with making former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag their next boss, following the recent sacking of Vitor Pereira.

Wanderers are on the lookout for their next manager, with Pereira relieved of his duties after last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat away to Fulham in the Premier League proving to be the final straw.

A host of names have been mentioned, including former Wolves striker Robbie Keane and Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, and the latter hasn’t exactly ruled out the idea of taking charge at Molineux.

“I can understand it with my links to the club but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around for a really big game against Leicester. It’s hard for me to comment on speculation and anything other than Middlesbrough. We’ve done a decent job so far, and all I care about is trying to win tomorrow.”

Now, Ten Hag’s name has also been thrown into the hat, with a new update suggesting that he is among the front-runners to be Pereira’s successor at Wolves.

Wolves make contact with Ten Hag's agent

According to Algemeen Daglblad [via Sport Witness], Wolves made contact with Ten Hag’s agent on Monday over potentially taking charge of the Premier League club.

It is claimed that the Dutchman is “seeking revenge”, seemingly in terms of rebuilding his reputation, following doomed spells at both United and Bayer Leverkusen but he has several other options at unnamed clubs.

Ten Hag is certainly a manager whose stock has fallen significantly since he guided Ajax into the semi-finals of the Champions League back in 2019, due to struggling in his last two jobs.

For that reason, there is a risk in Wolves appointing him, with some supporters understandably worried that he is on the wane as a manager, rather than on the way up like Edwards.

Bayer Leverkusen

3

1.33

Man Utd

128

1.84

Ajax

215

2.34

Utrecht

111

1.74

FC Bayern II

72

2.14

Go Ahead Eagles

39

1.72

Then again, the 4-3-2-1-playing and Eredivisie-winning former Ajax boss is a talented manager, with Steve McClaren even likening him to Sir Alex Ferguson, in terms of his attention to detail.

“The only other one I would have seen do that? That would have been the gaffer [Ferguson]. His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation. He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football; the environment he wants to create. The player progression programme was a key part of Twente. He has done that at Ajax too, for each player from the academy to the first team.”

Robbie Keane in talks with Wolves as Steven Gerrard gives clarity on future

The Old Gold are looking for a new successor and one of their former players has put their hat in the ring.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 4, 2025

Ultimately, the decision lies with the Wolves board, but Ten Hag does feel like a risky choice at this point in his career, despite the praise and success that have come his way in the past.

Better than O'Neil: Wolves looking to hire "insanely talented" English boss

Veteran manager Sam Allardyce has voiced his willingness to fill the current vacancy at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Hired in late 2024, Vitor Pereira guided Wolves away from the relegation zone in the second half of the 2024/25 Premier League season. Across the summer, though, the club sold star players Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha, replacing them with options that, seemingly, are not of the same quality. After 10 league matches without a win, Pereira was sacked by Wolves in early November, despite having signed a new contract earlier in the year.

Since the Portuguese was dismissed, Wolves have been linked with a number of potential replacements. Gary O’Neil, who himself was replaced by Pereira at Molineux, was seemingly in the frame for what would have been a shock return. O’Neil has since taken himself out of the running to be the manager that will try and ensure Wolves’ Premier League safety.

O’Neil, who had a generally solid tenure at Molineux, would have been a bold appointment from the Midlands club, whose search for a new manager is ongoing. As per David Ornstein of The Athletic, Erik ten Hag is “among the other candidates”. The former Man United manager was hired by Bayer Leverkusen to replace Xabi Alonso in the summer but was sacked after just three matches with the German side.

Now, it would appear that an English football icon is open to trying to save Wolves from dropping to the Championship.

Allardyce would be open to Wolves job

As per talkSPORT, Sam Allardyce would be open to taking the current vacancy at Molineux. Having been out of work since his brief stint in charge of Leeds United came to an end in 2023, the veteran said:

Since taking up management in the early 1990s, Allardyce has worked extensively in the past three decades. The Englishman found a lot of success with Bolton between 1999 and 2007, going onto manage sides including Blackburn Rovers, West Ham and the England national team amongst many others.

Games

10

Wins

7

Draws

3

Losses

0

Points per Match

2.40

Across a period of over 20 years, Allardyce is unbeaten in 10 games against Wolves, with games coming during his time at Bolton, Blackburn and West Bromwich Albion.

Though he no longer has a perfect record of avoiding relegation, Allardyce’s reputation could be a leading contributor to what would be a truly sensational return to Premier League management. As he noted, though, it may be that Wolves look for a younger candidate.

Wolves manager target could be their 'new Nuno'

Aston Villa’s first Premier League win of the season didn’t fall until late September, but heading into Liverpool’s clash with Unai Emery’s side later today, the two sides are somehow tied on 15 points in the early league standings.

Of course, the West Midlands outfit has turned around its slow start, but it speaks more to how alarmingly quick the wheels have fallen off for Arne Slot’s machine in recent matches, with his side deep in a four-game losing streak in league action, alongside also tasting defeat in the Champions League and the EFL Cup along the way.

The under-fire Dutchman will surely be considering changes aplenty heading into this late-night clash against the Villans, with Alexis Mac Allister in danger of being dropped, as his own personal season shows no signs of improvement.

Mac Allister's drop-off at Liverpool

It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that Mac Allister was crucial to Slot and Co. last season as they romped home to the Premier League title.

Of course, Mohamed Salah stole most of the plaudits as everything he touched turned to gold, but the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder was also a sensational spectacle to take in all campaign long, with five goals and five assists heading his way, strengthening his presence as a constant livewire from the centre of the park.

Unfortunately for Slot, though, it looks as if the Argentinian’s days of hammering home strikes like this sweetly struck one against Fulham are long behind him, with Mac Allister now looking “like Fabinho in his final season”.

It’s been lethargic showing after lethargic showing all season long, in truth, with the number ten doing little to tighten his grip on a first-team spot against Villa when struggling, again, against Crystal Palace mid-week as a much-changed Reds XI crashed out of the EFL Cup as abject 3-0 losers.

Mac Allister would fail to hit a single shot at stand-in Palace keeper Walter Benítez, while also only managing to win a weak two duels centrally, as per Sofascore.

With news emerging that Ryan Gravenberch could be fit for the clash later today, it might be a case of swapping out the South American “disappointment” – as one analyst also branded him recently – for the returning Dutchman.

Mac Allister isn’t the only worrying drop-off Slot has had to contend with, though, as this high-profile summer signing is already in danger of being seen as a flop, based on his early days at Anfield, despite joining with such fanfare.

Liverpool star is looking "painfully out of his depth"

Liverpool demanded everyone’s attention in the hectic summer transfer window.

£415m was wildly spent, after all, with £40m of that huge amount being forked out to land blistering AFC Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, following a breakout campaign on the south coast.

His unbounded energy for Andoni Iraola’s men, which resulted in five league assists coming his way last season, must have made Kerkez a priority target for Liverpool, as they went about refreshing their defence in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold gallivanting off to Real Madrid.

Yet, while his extremely dangerous pace is clear for all to see in the above clip, Kerkez has yet to really find his Bournemouth groove again at Anfield, with two games on the trot against Chelsea and Manchester in October, seeing him attempt just one dribble.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

76

Accurate passes

40/53 (75%)

Possession lost

19x

Tackles won

0

Total duels won

3/9

Much like Mac Allister, too, he struggled again when selected against the Eagles mid-week, with Ismaila Sarr having a field day up against the out-of-sorts Hungarian, leading to his two goals rubbing more salt into the gaping Liverpool wound.

Away from that one-on-one battle, Kerkez also only won three out of his nine duels on the night, on top of losing possession a high 19 times, with journalist Tim Spier’s comments that the number six is “painfully out of his depth” lining up for the red half of Merseyside very much ringing true.

Andrew Robertson might be a sensible replacement moving forward, as Slot attempts to put together a strong enough XI that can clinch a desperately needed win against Villa, with the “naive” full-back – as Gary Neville has labelled him – likely to drop out subsequently, alongside Mac Allister.

Every Liverpool game that Jeremie Frimpong will now miss after latest injury

More bad news for the Reds

ByTom Cunningham Oct 31, 2025

Arsenal have now been approached over a January move for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, following a new update on the forward’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Despite strengthening the squad considerably in the summer, Mikel Arteta currently finds himself light on options in attacking areas, with Viktor Gyokeres recently joining fellow strikers Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the treatment table.

Arteta has admitted he is worried about the extent of Gyokeres’ injury, which was sustained in the 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor, saying: “I am concerned because he hasn’t had many muscular issues, and he had to leave the pitch as he was feeling something. That is a concern for a player who is very explosive.”

Gabriel Martinelli is another player who has been struggling on the injury front, missing the victory against the Clarets, with Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke also not expected to return until later this month.

It is almost unbelievable just how many of the Gunners’ forwards are currently sidelined, but the crisis is yet to have a negative impact on results, with Arteta’s side sitting pretty, six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

However, given the scale of the injury problems, the north Londoners may want to improve their strength in depth in January, and they have now been offered the opportunity to sign a new forward.

Arsenal approached over January move for Rodrygo

According to a report from The Boot Room, Arsenal have now been approached over a January move for Rodrygo, with intermediaries informing them the forward could be available, having struggled to receive consistent game time at Real Madrid.

Tottenham Hotspur have also been contacted over a potential deal for the Brazilian, who is now starting to accept that he may have to leave the Spanish club for the good of his career.

Journalist Graeme Bailey adds: “I am told that Rodrygo is again considering his options, and one possibility is a switch to the Premier League, which could become a real option in January. He is certainly one to watch as we approach the New Year.”

Lauded as a “world-class finisher” by journalist Kyle Bonn, the Madrid attacker, who can play on both wings and through the middle, has a wealth of top-level experience, having amassed 25 goals and 16 assists in 66 Champions League appearances.

Consequently, it is no surprise that Arteta is said to hold a positive opinion of the 24-year-old, who scored 14 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions last season.

That said, there are some doubts over whether the 35-time Brazil international would be a necessary signing, given that both Madueke and Odegaard are expected to return later this month.

If Arteta is still light on options in January, it could make sense to bring in Rodrygo, but on paper, Arsenal are very well-stocked in attacking areas, and the current situation should pass.

Arsenal also looking to sign Levante striker Karl Etta Eyong Related Arsenal looking to get ahead in Etta Eyong race as low price tag revealed

The Gunners are vying to sign a new striker.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

Unlike in years past, Arsenal are very well represented when it comes to England squads these days.

The likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are guaranteed starters, while a couple of other players tend to make it into the squad, like Eberechi Eze.

The former Crystal Palace star featured in both games this international break and certainly made his case for a place at the World Cup.

However, his form on the domestic front has been somewhat middling, and if he’s not careful, he could eventually be replaced by one of the brightest talents in the country.

Eze's start to life at Arsenal

Now, to make things clear, Eze is an extraordinarily gifted footballer and has not been bad for Arsenal this season.

However, it would be fair to say that, aside from a goal against his old side and a few moments of magic, he has not exactly hit the ground running just yet.

For example, in 15 appearances for the Gunners, he has scored two goals, one of which was against Port Vale, and provided three assists.

Those are not really the numbers of a marquee summer signing, no less one who managed to produce a sensational tally of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for a significantly worse team last year.

However, there might not be too much to worry about, as according to FBref, he still ranks in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for shot-creating actions coming from his own shots and the top 5% for goal-creating actions stemming from live passes, per 90.

In other words, while the output has been underwhelming, the 27-year-old still has some promising underlying metrics, which suggest that as he becomes more familiar with the team, the goals and assists should come.

After all, while his performance against Albania was nothing to write home about, fans were reminded just how technically magnificent a player he is with the goal he scored against Serbia.

In all, Eze will more than likely come good for Arteta and Co, but if he doesn’t, Arsenal might already have his perfect long-term replacement.

The Arsenal gem who could replace Eze

In this situation, many fans might instantly think of Ethan Nwaneri, as the 18-year-old already has plenty of first-team experience and is surely set for an England call-up at some point in the next year or so.

Chalkboard

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

However, while he might one day become a regular starter in the first team, he has already been somewhat usurped as the most exciting prospect at Arsenal, if not in the country, by Max Dowman.

Yes, it is certainly still early days for the 15-year-old dynamo, but he has been considered one of the next big things for some time now.

For example, in September of last year, talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

Then, just two months later, Hale End expert Will Balsam described him as “one of the greatest footballing brains that’s ever come through Hale End” and “the biggest talent in England.”

That might sound like a lot to say about someone who was just 14 at the time, but it probably wasn’t as thoroughly the season he proved time and time again that he is a special talent.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

For example, in 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he racked up a tally of 19 goals and five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Then, on the pre-season tour, he made it clear that, be it junior or senior football, he was more than capable of, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, “humiliating” opposition players with his incredible close control.

It was this technical brilliance that saw him win a penalty against Leeds United on his Premier League debut, and then again, why he started and shone against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

If that wasn’t enough, the Chelmsford-born teen then became the youngest player in Champions League history against Slavia Prague, and was called a “miracle player” by defender David Zima.

Finally, if fans needed any more convincing that the Hale End gem is truly special, then recent news about him already being considered for England’s U21S should do just that.

Ultimately, Eze is safe from losing his place for now, but if he doesn’t start scoring and assisting more, then he could be usurped by Dowman within a season or two.

The new Rice: Arsenal chasing "generational" midfielder in £100m move

The international star could be as good a signing for Arsenal as Declan Rice has been.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 17, 2025

Are Newcastle United finally clicking into gear this season?

It appears that way, with Eddie Howe’s Magpies now three wins from their last three matches in all competitions, which included an excellent 2-0 EFL Cup win being picked up over Thomas Frank’s challenging Tottenham Hotspur last time out at St James’ Park.

Still, the Toon only have three wins next to their name in the Premier League from their opening nine clashes, meaning more positive results need to be picked up in the bread and butter of the top-flight soon, with away trips to West Ham United and Brentford now on their agenda.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men will, no doubt, be fearful of Newcastle’s attack as they loiter near the bottom of the tough division, with Nick Woltemade helping himself to yet another goal against Spurs to add to his ever-increasing Magpies back catalogue.

Woltemade's unbelievable Newcastle start

Woltemade would ensure his new side would progress through to the quarter finals of the EFL Cup when he headed this effort past a hapless Antonín Kinský.

He hasn’t just reserved his goals this season for when he comes up against stand-in goalkeepers, however, with Woltemade also boasting a mightily impressive four strikes back in league action, which has even led to opposition managers such as the Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler hailing him as “special” in what he can uniquely offer the Tyneside giants.

Indeed, it isn’t just a lethal edge that the 6-foot-6 marksman can provide, whether that be when he’s racing through on goal, or being positioned intelligently to head home a cross, with Woltemade also often in the correct spaces to progress his side’s efforts going forward with a killer pass.

He was at the heart of Harvey Barnes’ goal against Benfica in the Champions League, for example, as his ingenious flick then led to the number 11 firing home, after Anthony Gordon had played it into his path.

To put it simply, acquiring the ex-Stuttgart striker for £69m – although looking rather steep at the time – has now gone down as a “first class” signing, as his manager has recently stated.

Howe and Co. could well look to this coming January in trying to win more attacking firepower in a similar vein to their new star-man, as one move is reportedly eyed up…

Newcastle's search for another striker

After all, although William Osula has looked dangerous off the bench for Newcastle in recent matches, there is a lack of depth in the striker spot at St James’ Park – with Yoane Wissa still sidelined.

This might spark the Magpies into attempting to seal Alexander Sorloth’s signature in January, as Ross Wilson plots what his first bit of business at his new club will be as the fresh sporting director.

Newcastle could do far worse than landing Sorloth if rumours are to be believed, with Spanish outlet Marca – via Sport Witness – that eyes are very firmly on the Norwegian’s exploits at Atletico Madrid between now and the transfer window swinging open, with scouts from Newcastle previously watching the 29-year-old in action back in September.

The similarities between Woltemade and the Scandinavian are immediately obvious, with Sorloth coming in at a gigantic 6-foot-4 frame himself.

On top of that, despite some wobbles this season under Diego Simeone, he has been a reliable source of goals for most of his stay in Spain to date, leading to the fiery Simeone lauding him as a “phenomenal” finisher.

Sorloth’s recent record
Season	Games (starts)	Goals + Assists
25/26	9 (3)	2 + 0
24/25	35 (15)	20 + 2
23/24	34 (30)	28 + 6
22/23	34 (28)	12 + 3
21/22	33 (20)	4 + 0
Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Sorloth possesses the same split-second instinct Woltemade possesses when finishing off chances, with this season seeing him bag three goals, despite only averaging 40 minutes of action in La Liga per game.

In total, the 66-time Norway international now has 61 Spanish top-flight strikes next to his name, which far outweighs his German counterpart’s Bundesliga tally of 14 goals.

Away from clearly being potent, Simeone has also noted that Sorloth is “important in every moment and context of the game you can imagine”, with an eye for an assist and carving out an opening also clear, with Howe very much ready to use him as a focal point like Woltemade, knowing he’s a similar team player.

It’s unlikely that he would usurp Woltemade from the get-go, but as another second-in-command option for a potential £27m fee, it feels like a no-brainer to chase after.

Saved by Woltemade: Newcastle star is looking like 2023 Gordon under Howe

This Newcastle recruit has not hit the ground running in Eddie Howe’s team.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 30, 2025

Beau Webster, Australia’s incumbent Test allrounder, has four fifties in seven Tests, but knows the No. 6 spot might not be his forever

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-20252:25

Webster’s 63 steadies Australia

Beau Webster is ready to have to prove himself all over again in a bid to secure a spot in Australia’s side for the Ashes, despite having produced a collection of vital innings early in his Test career.Webster has scored four half-centuries in seven Tests, starting with a critical one on debut against India at the SCG, where Australia clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He followed that by being the team’s top-scorer in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, and by making fifties in Barbados and Grenada in very tough conditions against West Indies. Alongside the runs, Webster has claimed eight wickets with the ball, and added strength to Australia’s slip cordon.However, despite those strong returns, there is a world where he sees himself squeezed out of the Test XI by the time England arrive for the Ashes. That could happen if Cameron Green’s return to bowling remains on track, and the selectors decide to move Green back down the order rather than keep him at No. 3, where he finished strongly in the West Indies.Related

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“When you’re at the top level, you’re fighting to hang on to your spot,” Webster told reporters in Hobart, having returned from a county stint with Warwickshire, for whom he played two more matches in this season’s County Championship after the West Indies tour.”With all the wonderful cricketers around the country, and especially a guy like Cameron Green, he batted at the top of the order [in the West Indies], and didn’t bowl. He’s obviously going to be back bowling this summer, which is going to put a bit more pressure on my spot at No. 6 as the allrounder. But I welcome it.”I feel like I’ve been in this position before a lot in my career, where I’ve got to score runs to either go to the next level or stay on the team. It’s certainly not unfamiliar. I’m looking forward to once again showing what I can do at [Sheffield] Shield level, and hopefully, be lining up in that first Ashes Test in Perth. It’s going to be a massive summer. I’m sure the team’s going to change a little bit throughout those five Tests. I’m just going to do everything I can to make sure I’m there for all five.”There is plenty to play out before the Test squad is selected, and then a final XI determined for the opening Ashes game on November 21. Moving Green back down the order would need two top-order players to make a compelling case for selection, given there is a likely vacancy as an opener alongside Usman Khawaja after Sam Konstas’ struggles against West Indies.Webster could play four Sheffield Shield matches before the opening Test – Australia’s squad is expected to be named after round three – and if he picks up the form that propelled him into the Australia set-up in the first place, it will leave the selectors with some tough decisions about whether they can fit two allrounders in the XI.”There’s no hundred next to my name, which I would have loved to go on with one of those [half-centuries]”•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”It’s going to be an intriguing first couple of rounds with potentially all the big boys playing a few of the Shield games, too,” Webster said. “There’s going to be some really strong Shield teams out there, which only promotes better cricket. So it’s going to be exciting for our boys to line up against a number of Test cricketers in the first couple of rounds as well.”It’s always exciting when the team’s not quite settled, and there’s a few opportunities for people to put their hand up and try and get a spot in that first squad.”Webster’s only regret from his Test career so far is that none of his half-centuries have been converted into three figures, even though the runs he has scored have often been worth more given the conditions.”I feel like I’ve scored some tough runs,” he said. “At the same time, there’s no hundred next to my name, which I would have loved to go on with one of those [half-centuries]. I felt like I was batting as good as I have done in a number of those innings. I feel like I’ve got all the tools to succeed this summer in the Ashes with what England are going to potentially bring.”

Pakistan have cancelled another scheduled pre-match press conference, this one ahead of their Super Fours game against India on Sunday. According to the schedule the Asian Cricket Council released, a Pakistan player or member of the coaching staff was scheduled to do a press conference at 6pm local time on Saturday. The team was also slated to train from 6pm onwards for three hours at the ICC Academy in Dubai. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that training is set to go ahead as scheduled.The reason for cancelling the press conference is not yet clear. It is the second time in as many games Pakistan have scrapped their customary pre-match media duties. They had declined to hold a press conference ahead of their must-win game against UAE, while the handshake saga with match referee Andy Pycroft raged on.Meanwhile, Pycroft has been confirmed as the match referee for the India vs Pakistan game on Sunday too.Related

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In the days since, that feud has largely been put to rest after the ICC organised a meeting between Pycroft and Pakistan’s coach, captain, media and team managers where Pycroft offered his regrets for the way events at the toss against India had unfolded. He had told Salman Ali Agha there would not be a handshake with the India captain Suryakumar Yadav, which Pakistan had interpreted as Pycroft’s failure to uphold the ICC’s code of conduct and demanded his “immediate removal” from the tournament.The meeting before the UAE game appeared to have placated the PCB somewhat; they put out a short video of it, with no audio, and said in a statement that Pycroft had apologised. That, in turn, appeared to have angered the ICC, who took exception to the recording of that video, writing a strongly-worded e-mail to the PCB, saying the board had breached protocol by filming without consent in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA). There is no official confirmation that the PCB ever responded to that email.India will not hold a press conference on Saturday either. As is customary for sides who play their next game after only a day’s gap, they held an embargoed press conference looking ahead to the Pakistan clash, following the conclusion of their game against Oman on Friday night.Sunday will be both sides’ first game in the Super Fours stage.

Hosts pay price for underwhelming batting effort as Superchargers cruise home with 18 balls to spare

ECB Media20-Aug-2025

Zak Crawley guided Superchargers’ chase with an unbeaten 55•Getty Images

Northern Superchargers returned to winning ways under the lights at Lord’s to romp home past hosts London Spirit and climb to third in the table in The Hundred men’s competition.Zak Crawley took most of the plaudits for 38-ball 55, but it was a batting effort that owed a debt of gratitude to his colleagues with the ball – the Superchargers attack impressing as they limited Spirit to just 135 for 3 batting first.The win takes Superchargers to 16 points, level on points with defending champions Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets, with a gap threatening to open up underneath fourth-placed Southern Brave on 12 as the race for qualification hots up.The Lord’s faithful might have hoped to see a performance from Aussie superstar David Warner but it wasn’t his night, departing for a four-ball duck. Jamie Smith and Ollie Pope scored 41 and 52 respectively but no Spirit batter was able to get away and really open their arms, and at the interval the visitors would have fancied their chances of chasing down the total.Crawley lay a marker down immediately, demonstrating his class against Dan Worrall’s opening salvo with a couple of stand-and-deliver boundaries through the off-side and that was much the story of the reply, with Spirit never able to build sufficient pressure with the ball.It was left to Crawley’s captain Harry Brook to slap the winning runs over mid-on, with 18 balls still remaining, to signal a comfortable win and keep Superchargers right in the hunt for qualification.Meerkat Match Hero Crawley said: “It was an important game for us to get a win tonight, so the boys are very pleased with that win and it was a good all-round performance.”I try and keep the fundamentals the same whether playing red-ball or white-ball cricket and then maybe premeditate a little bit more in white-ball cricket than I would in a red-ball game, but I try and play similar shots. I think that’s what I’ve done a bit better this year than I have done in previous years.”When you’ve got great players coming behind you, you can just be a bit free at the top and today it wasn’t as easy after the powerplay. It felt good in the powerplay – really good – and then definitely got harder. So it was nice to have that cushion behind with those boys coming in.”I’m surprised to be standing here, to be honest, I thought Rash [Adil Rashid] would be the Meerkat Match Hero. He bowled unbelievably tonight and so did all the other lads to keep them to 140. We felt like we could chase that and it definitely got easier under lights.”

Marcus Rashford stole the spotlight once again as Barcelona defeated Celta Vigo 4-2 on Sunday, with the Manchester United loanee registering two assists to move joint-top of La Liga’s assist charts. The England international received yet another standing ovation at the Balaido from Barca fans as he continues to cement his place as one of Hansi Flick’s most influential players this season.

Rashford goes joint-top of La Liga assist chart

Barcelona’s thrilling 4-2 win over Celta Vigo saw Rashford play a starring role from the left wing, supplying Robert Lewandowski with two pinpoint deliveries, helping the Pole complete his hat-trick. The victory moves Barca within three points of Real Madrid at the top of the table as they continue their strong run of form. Rashford now leads La Liga with six assists, more than both Kylian Mbappe (two) and team-mate Lamine Yamal (four). The Englishman is only matched by Getafe's Luis Milla on the list, and fans are in awe of the United loanee's performance.

AdvertisementFans praise Rashford's classic performance

Manchester United fan @Utddoja wrote: "Rashford standing ovation in back to back games from match going Barca fans, but I have to listen to SOME E-culers tell me he’s terrible."

Barcelona fan @frdrjpi added: "Rashford has bounced back so well from the Brugge game, elite playmaking, doing the dirty work (!) & at the heart of 3/4 goals. The most exciting part is that he’s nowhere near his A-game yet."

@mannnyyutd joked: "No need to respond to Rashford haters when you know what he’s gonna do the very next game, 2 assists and 3rd corner assist."

@BarcaChaos joked: "Hello, Rashford speaking. How can I assist you today?"

X user @EllisPrivv concluded: "3 points secured. Lewandowski hattrick. Rashford brace of assists. Yamal goal + Madrid dropped points against Rayo Vallecano. Perfect ending to the weekend."

Getty Images SportRashford's resurgence at Barcelona after Man Utd fiasco

Rashford’s resurgence in Catalonia has been one of the stories of the season, with the loanee rediscovering his confidence and creativity under Flick. After a slow start to life in Spain, the 28-year-old has become a key outlet for Barcelona’s attack, combining pace, precision, and selflessness. His playmaking ability has drawn comparisons to his early United form, where he once thrived as both a scorer and provider.

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GettyRashford now heads to Three Lions squad

Rashford will look to maintain his hot streak with England when the Three Lions take on Serbia and Albania in their final two World Cup qualifiers. As for Barcelona, his chemistry with Lewandowski and Yamal has given Flick’s side renewed attacking balance, easing the absence of Raphinha. With confidence sky-high and the fans firmly behind him, Rashford will be a starter again for the Catalan side when they take on Athletic Club later this month, in a match that could potentially debut the new Spotify Camp Nou.