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Everton have enjoyed a solid start to the campaign. Negativity has wended its way in over recent weeks – and understandably so – but few expect the 14th-place Premier League side to slump into the drop zone and remain there.

Of course, neither are David Moyes’ team firing on all cylinders, and after a hard-fought draw at high-flying Sunderland on Monday evening, the issues relating to goals and strikers remained at the forefront.

Perhaps more concerning was the way the Toffees tapered off after the interval, almost knocked out of kilter by Granit Xhaka’s deflected howitzer moments into the second half; the Black Cats were on the hunt for much of the affair thereafter.

Moyes needs to fix these problems and ensure Everton push for an elusive place in the top half. But, in order to do this, he must find solutions to the current problems.

How Moyes can solve Everton's problems

Not to be unduly pragmatic, but the data suggests Everton are headed for a mid-table Premier League finish, settled somewhere on the bottom half of the ladder.

How to dissect the glaring conundrum on Moyes’ desk? Between them, Beto and Thierno Barry have scored one goal in the league this season, and the slew of missed chances are piling up.

Barry will be desperate to break his duck after moving to the Hill Dickinson from Villarreal for a £27m fee in July. A smart deal for a promising attacking talent wrapped up nice and early.

Things need to improve in the final third, with Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish keeping things afloat.

However, Moyes’ job would be a whole lot more unstable were the defenders not playing their part. James Tarkowski has not looked his sharpest so far this term, though Jordan Pickford is as important as ever. An issue down the defensive flanks is as noisy a talking point as the one at number nine.

With Jarrad Branthwaite yet to make his seasonal bow as he recovers from a hamstring injury, the Blues’ secure defence could have crumbled over the past few months, but there’s been an unlikely hero who is keeping Everton away from the maw of the relegation zone.

The Everton flop saving Moyes' skin

Toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, it looked nailed on that Michael Keane would close the door on his Everton career, drawing to a close a career on Merseyside with many ups and downs.

Keane, 32, penned a new deal at the start of the summer, and that’s a move which has proved incredibly shrewd, for he has started all ten Premier League fixtures so far as Branthwaite recovers.

Once said to have “failed a succession of managers” at Goodison Park by writer Jim Keoghan, Keane looks as sharp and cultured as he ever has, really making a positive impression as the protective tissue in front of Pickford’s goal. Against Sunderland, for example, Liverpool World handed him a 9/10 match rating for his defensive contribution.

Looking at how Keane has fared alongside Tarkowski, you might argue he has been the superior man. Certainly, he has been less error-strewn in his efforts than the vice-captain.

Matches (starts)

10 (10)

10 (10)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

58.6

51.1

Accurate passes*

35.9 (81%)

31.1 (85%)

Chances created*

0.5

0.1

Recoveries*

2.4

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

2.3

1.7

Clearances*

6.9

7.7

Ground duels*

2.2 (61%)

1.3 (62%)

Aerial duels*

4.3 (70%)

2.9 (62%)

Errors made

4

0

The significance of Keane’s fine form in the rearguard cannot be understated. Branthwaite is indeed sidelined and may yet be uncleared for several months.

Imagine a world in which the Friedkin Group had opted against renewing Keane’s deal, content with the options at hand. It would have been disastrous and to the detriment of Moyes’ first full season back in charge.

Just look at the England international’s display at the Stadium of Light. His fearlessness to make one near-the-line clearance showcased his determination and spirit, and he has been a credit to Moyes’ team this year.

Issues persist at right-back, and while he’s imperfect in the role, Jake O’Brien has proved largely effective in an unnatural berth. Recalling him to central defence alongside Tarkowski might have had an adverse effect on the squad’s fluency, not least because of the lack of options in the position.

Would it be too much to claim Keane has been the signing of the summer for the Toffees? Perhaps not, considering the circumstances. His steely displays in front of Pickford’s goal might even be keeping Moyes in a job as he looks to find a successful formula to stave off any worries of yet another relegation-threatened campaign.

Moyes can drop Barry & Beto by unleashing "magic" Everton star in new role

Everton have got some major problems in the final third this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2025

In Sri Lanka, Shamim Hossain is doing things rarely expected from Bangladesh’s cricketers. He finds boundaries early in his innings and clears the rope regularly. He is taking excellent catches, both inside the 30-yard circle and in the deep. Even his bowling – his weakest suit – has been accurate. On Sunday, he executed one of the rarest dismissals by a Bangladesh fielder: a direct-hit run out from a tight angle.Shamim swooped in from point and struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with Kusal Mendis well short of his crease. Kusal, surprisingly, slowed down despite seeing Shamim charging in. Given Bangladesh’s poor history with direct hits, Kusal may be forgiven for underestimating Shamim, who ended his innings with sharp fielding.Bangladesh’s last direct-hit run-out came more than two years ago, when Mehidy Hasan Miraz removed Jos Buttler. Since then, and even long before, fielding has been a major problem for Bangladesh. Their drop-to-catch percentage remains high. Their approach to run-out opportunities receives less scrutiny, but is equally concerning, with frequent misses at the stumps – especially when only one stump is visible.Related

• Bangladesh look to end on a high in climactic tour finale

• Hungry Shamim shows he is a quick learner

• Litton Das hopeful of coming out of batting slump

• Litton, Shamim lead Bangladesh's rout of Sri Lanka

Earlier that day, Shamim had given Bangladesh a major lifeline with his 27-ball 48. He added 77 runs for the fifth wicket with Litton Das, who also returned to form in white-ball cricket. Bangladesh scored 76 runs in the final six overs, with Shamim’s big-hitting at the death taking them to 177 for 7 in 20 overs. It was 22 runs above Dambulla’s average first-innings total in the last five night T20Is at the venue. Bangladesh eventually won by 83 runs, their second-highest margin of victory in T20Is.Litton was named the Player of the Match, but Shamim was the toast of Dambulla, and one of the few bright sparks for Bangladesh on this tough tour of Sri Lanka. “Whenever I go out to bat, my plan is to stay positive,” Shamim said after the match. “Someone has to take risks, and I want to take that responsibility for the team. This was an important win for us.”The series is now level 1-1 heading into the third and final T20I on Wednesday.Shamim also took a fine catch in the second innings to complement his runs in the first innings, as Bangladesh dominated Sri Lanka in the powerplay. As much as he might want to be a trailblazer for his team, Shamim knows it starts with getting the basics right.”I think fielding is very important,” he said. “I can’t say I’m overly happy [with the run-out] because it’s my job, something I have to do every day.”Bangladesh’s 83-run win was built on two fifty-plus partnerships. Litton and Towhid Hridoy steadied the innings after the openers fell in the first two overs. Then Shamim and Litton got them to a strong position with their rapid fifth-wicket stand.”Sometimes, you have to slow things down a little,” Shamim said. “At that point (when Litton and Hridoy got together), we needed a good partnership because we had strong batters to come later in the innings, and we can always catch up if we have wickets in hand. So, that partnership between Litton and Hridoy was crucial.”Litton batted really well. It was a turning point because you need a good start early on, and because of that innings, we were able to finish strongly later.”Bangladesh have a chance to sign off the T20I series with a win in Colombo on Wednesday. Once again, they will expect their players to string together vital contributions. Shamim’s will be especially crucial because of his ability to mix the basics in with his mercurial acts: common for other teams, but rare for a Bangladeshi.

Ousmane Dembele, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal are all prominently featured among the 11 nominees for The Best FIFA Men's Player 2025. The nomination sets up another potential battle between Dembele and Yamal, who recently went head-to-head for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, an award Dembele ultimately won. And there's a showdown between England Lionesses hero Alessia Russo and Aitana Bonmati for the women’s gong.

• Massive awards for football's elite

  The Best FIFA Football Awards are presented annually to honour the sport's most outstanding performers, including players and coaches. Relaunched in 2017, the winners are determined by a combined vote from four equally weighted groups. These groups include national team captains and coaches, selected media representatives, and the general public. The awards are seen as a modern way to celebrate excellence within the sport, covering a specific performance period rather than a calendar year. Recent notable winners include Bonmati, who won Best Women's Player in both 2023 and 2024, and Vinicius Junior and Lionel Messi, who were named Best Men's Player in 2024 and 2023 respectively. These accolades reflect the highest achievements within the world of football.

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  Race for the men's title

  Yamal, the brilliant teenage sensation, won the Kopa Trophy in 2024 and 2025 and finished second in the 2025 Ballon d'Or. He was instrumental in Barcelona's domestic Treble and won Euro 2024 with Spain, showcasing incredible skill. Dembele had a career-defining season, winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or and the Champions League with Paris St-Germain as part of another stunning Treble. He was also named the Champions League Player of the Season. And Kane finally ended his long wait for a major trophy by winning the 2024/25 Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. His brilliant goalscoring form saw him finish as the league's top scorer for the second consecutive season – and he’s already bagged 22 in all competitions for club and country this season. The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, and Cole Palmer will also hope to have some sort of say in the destiny of the prize. 

  The full list of nominees: Dembele (Paris St-Germain) Achraf Hakimi (Paris St-Germain) Kane (Bayern Munich) Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) Nuno Mendes (Paris St-Germain) Cole Palmer (Chelsea) Pedri (Barcelona) Raphinha (Barcelona) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Vitinha (Paris St-Germain) Yamal (Barcelona).

• Race for the women's title

  And there’s a huge battle in store to land the women’s crown. Russo had a brilliant 2024-2025 season, winning the WSL Golden Boot with 12 goals for Arsenal. She also helped the Gunners to a historic Champions League victory with eight goals in the competition and was named the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year. For Barcelona, Bonmati enjoyed another exceptional year, winning her third successive Ballon d'Or. She was also instrumental in Barcelona's domestic treble and earned the UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season award for the third time running. 

  The full list of nominees: Sandy Baltimore (Paris St-Germain) Nathalie Bjorn (Chelsea) Bonmati (Barcelona) Lucy Bronze (Chelsea) Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal) Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current) Kadidiatou Diani (Olympique Lyonnais) Melchie Dumornay (Olympique Lyonnais) Patri Guijarro (Barcelona) Lauren James (Chelsea) Chloe Kelly (Arsenal) Ewa Pajor (Barcelona) Claudia Pina (Barcelona) Alexia Putellas (Barcelona) Russo (Arsenal) Leah Williamson (Arsenal).

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  Wait for awards to be announced

  The exact date and location for the next ceremony have not yet been announced by FIFA. The ceremony typically takes place early in the new year, often in January, to honour performances from the previous full calendar year. The 2024 awards were held in Doha, Qatar, in December 2024, and the 2023 awards were in London in January 2024. An announcement regarding the host city and specific date is expected in the coming months. The Best awards are often seen as a potential bellweather ahead of the Ballon d'Or too, so the player who ends up lifting the trophy may well also have designs on the most prestigious individual award a footballer can receive. 

Manchester United have now reportedly received an early response in the battle to sign a Premier League rival for Ruben Amorim in 2026.

Amorim: "It's more excitement than fear" at Man Utd

There’s still plenty of work for Amorim to do at Man United. The Red Devils invested well in the summer, but were brought back down to earth in the opening weeks of the season.

Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town followed by a 3-0 thrashing in the Manchester derby even led to uncomfortable questions about the manager’s future, but he’s claimed that there is an “excitement” within United this season.

Just how long that excitement lasts is the big question. What is clear is that INEOS will back their man away from the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. spent around £200m in the summer transfer window and recent reports suggest that more spending is on the way.

The likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Adam Wharton have both been linked with moves to Old Trafford in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that they’d make significant impacts under Amorim.

Vlahovic is far from a bad option, either. The Juventus striker is fighting for his place in Turin and arguably winning what was once a losing battle, scoring four goals in his first five games this season.

Wharton is particularly one to watch, however. The Crystal Palace star is the latest Eagle to rise at Selhurst Park and interest from the very top always seemed inevitable. If United are looking to upgrade on Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte then he is their man alongside another England international.

Man Utd receive early response in race for Anderson

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Nottingham Forest have issued a hands-off warning to Man United about Elliot Anderson. The Midlands club are keen to keep hold of the impressive Englishman, with both Liverpool and the Red Devils plotting 2026 moves to secure his signature.

Bailey told TBR: “Anderson has been top class for Forest, and they are aware of the interest is emerging. But I am told that Forest have no intention of entertaining any interest in him, and with Ange Postecoglou arriving – they want him to be a cornerstone to his team going forward.”

Ahead of Mainoo: Man Utd ace was heir to #18 shirt, then he left for £857k

Man Utd may wish they’d kept hold of this midfield star.

By
Joe Nuttall

Sep 26, 2025

The 22-year-old has been a standout at the City Ground all season and that was no different in midweek when Forest travelled to face Real Betis. Anderson was at the centre of everything positive that Ange Postecoglou’s side did and has done no harm to his hopes of securing a World Cup place next summer in recent weeks.

Dubbed “phenomenal” by England teammate and Chelsea star Reece James in the September international break, Anderson is the type of player that Man United should do everything to sign next summer.

Honors even in Derby as four visiting batters register half-centuries in follow-on innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay28-Apr-2025

Ryan Higgins found his form at just the right time to save Middlesex from defeat on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby.Higgins scored 56, his first fifty of the season, sharing a seventh wicket stand of 75 from 155 balls with Zafar Gohar who was unbeaten on 52 off 108 balls to take Middlesex to 307 for 7, 150 ahead, when the teams shook hands on a draw.Max Holden with 94 and Stephen Eskinazi, 61, had added 169 for the second wicket only to throw their wickets away in the last over before lunch.Derbyshire’s hopes lifted when the visitors slipped to 220 for 6 but Higgins and Gohar stood firm to deny them although the draw takes them to second place, 13 points behind leaders Leicestershire.Middlesex started the morning 97 runs behind needing to bat deep into the day to deny Derbyshire victory.Their first objective was to deny the hosts early wickets on a pitch that was offering turn and Eskinazi and Holden started well although both had moments of good fortune.Eskinaz edged Blair Tickner between first and second slip to the third man boundary before Holden was given a reprieve on 46. He swept Jack Morley hard to short mid-wicket where Tickner could only parry the ball in front of his face.It was a tough chance withTickner doing well to get his hands up to protect himself and the rest of the session was largely uneventful until Middlesex inexplicably pressed the self-destruct button in the last over before lunch.Holden had passed 500 runs for the season and was closing on a third century in seven innings when he went for a big slog sweep at Morley and was bowled.Perhaps he was trying to get to three figures before the interval but given the game situation it was an irresponsible dismissal.What followed bordered on farce as Leus du Plooy, batting with a runner, drove the ball towards the cover boundary where Harry Came’s return to the bowler’s end ran out Eskinazi who had raced down the pitch looking for a third run.Those two dismissals had opened the door for Derbyshire who gave it another firm shove after the interval.Du Plooy injured his right foot batting in the first innings and a Tickner yorker struck his left foot in line to send him hobbling back to the pavilion.Four runs later, Ben Geddes got an inside edge off Alex Thomson onto pad and Caleb Jewell dived at leg slip to take the catch.Chappell then produced a beauty to have Jack Davies caught behind but Gohar and Higgins got to tea with Middlesex 86 ahead.Derbyshire took the second new ball but the pair continued to steer their side towards safety until Higgins swept Thomson to deep square leg with the visitors 138 ahead.But Gohar completed his 50 with his second six and Derbyshire called off the chase with 15 overs remaining.

Former Bayern Munich and Manchester City winger Leroy Sane found himself at the centre of an ugly Oktoberfest bust-up after being “provoked and personally humiliated” inside a crowded beer tent. The Galatasaray star became involved in a brief fight with a fan after being taunted by a group of Bayern supporters late on Sunday night.

Festival mayhem: Sane’s night out ends in fury

According to the incident occurred inside the famous Weinzelt tent around 11 p.m. local time. According to multiple eyewitnesses, Sane was passing through the tent when a group of fans began shouting abuse from a nearby table. The crowd allegedly included several Bayern supporters, who hurled taunts such as “Scheiß Gala!”, roughly translating to “Shi**y Galatasaray!”, mocking the club he joined in the summer transfer window.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFrom laughs to loudmouths: How the chaos unfolded

Some witnesses even claimed that a handful of remarks crossed into racist territory, which seemed to push Sane’s patience to the limit. Initially, the winger tried to walk away, ignoring the jeers and laughter echoing through the tent. But as the insults continued, the former Bayern favourite turned back to confront the group, sparking a heated verbal exchange. Within moments, the confrontation escalated. One fan reportedly shoved Sane, who reacted instinctively, resulting in a brief scuffle before security staff rushed in to separate the pair.

'Provoked and humiliated' – Sane tells his side

Speaking to , Sane admitted that emotions ran high in the crowded venue but insisted he had been pushed into the situation.

"I was provoked and personally humiliated for a long time in the festival tent," he said. "Galatasaray was also insulted. In the tense atmosphere, I was pushed, and then a brief fight broke out. Of course, I should have been calmer at the time and ignored the situation. I learned from it."

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GettyFestival tradition turns sour

Oktoberfest, Munich’s world-famous celebration of beer and Bavarian culture, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, from locals in lederhosen to international celebrities. It’s also long been a favourite outing for Bayern Munich players, both past and present. Just a day before Sane’s scuffle, Harry Kane and his wife Kate were all smiles at the same event, sharing photos online of what he called a “perfect weekend”. But for Sane, the weekend was anything but perfect; a return to the city he once called home ended in embarrassment and unwanted headlines.

As Gill promises to maximise the powerplay, will Titans come out of their 2024 funk?

Hemant Brar24-Mar-20253:04

Cricinformed: Can Gill up his intent in IPL 2025?

Big pictureNew season, fresh start. That seems to be Punjab Kings’ motto before every IPL season, and it’s no different this time. After IPL 2024, they retained only Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh, two uncapped Indians, and brought back Arshdeep Singh and Harpreet Brar at the mega auction in November. The rest of the squad is new, as is their head coach Ricky Ponting.Ponting wants to make this “the greatest Punjab Kings team”. To be fair, the ingredients are there. Their new captain Shreyas Iyer had had a successful captain-coach relationship with Ponting at Delhi Capitals and led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title last year. Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will lend muscle to the middle order, and Lockie Ferguson and Yuzvendra Chahal experience to the bowling unit. This is not the first time PBKS have looked this good, however, and their trophy cabinet remains empty.Related

Haddin backs Ponting's goal to build 'the greatest Punjab Kings team of all time'

Can Iyer and Ponting work their magic on chronic underperformers PBKS?

Titans bank heavily on new Gill-Buttler opening act

Gill wants Gujarat Titans to 'maximise the powerplay'

Gujarat Titans did not make so many changes. Shubman Gill remains their captain, Rashid Khan their magician and Rahul Tewatia their miracle man. But they’ve added Jos Buttler to their batting and revamped their fast-bowling attack, which now features Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Their middle order looks brittle, but this is not the first time Titans have looked less than ideal. We all know how they surprised everyone in their inaugural season in 2022.Just like Ponting, Gill has also made his goal public: “maximise the powerplay”. Last season, Titans were by far the slowest side in that phase, stuttering at 7.41 runs per over. Gill himself will have to play an active role if Titans are to improve that number. Among the 22 batters who faced at least 100 balls in the powerplay in IPL 2024, Gill had the fourth-lowest strike rate, 131.08. An improved performance will not only help Gill the Titans captain but also Gill the India player, who has lost his place in the T20I side.Shreyas Iyer will captain Punjab Kings for the first time•Punjab Kings

Team news and likely XIIsTitans depend a lot on their top four, with their batting looking a lot less convincing thereafter, on paper at least. In the age of 250-plus totals, they might be the last remaining in the IPL.Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 (wk), 3 Sai Sudharsan, 4 , 5 Shahrukh Khan, 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 , 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 , 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh Krishna.Maxwell, Stoinis and Marco Jansen are likely to be the first-choice overseas picks for PBKS, with Josh Inglis and Azmatullah Omarzai competing for the fourth slot. If they go with Omarzai, Priyansh Arya could open the innings with Prabhsimran.Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Prabhsimran Singh, 2 (wk), 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 , 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 , 7 Shashank Singh, 8 , 9 Harpreet Brar, 10 Vijaykumar Vyshak, 11 Arshdeep Singh, 12 Yuzvendra Chahal.The big questionWho should be PBKS’ fourth overseas player? Picking Omarzai means opening with two uncapped Indian batters against a strong bowling attack. Picking Inglis leaves them with one fewer bowling option.In the spotlight: Jos Buttler and Glenn MaxwellJos Buttler did not have much success as England’s white-ball captain, especially in the last couple of years of his stint, but his T20 stocks are as strong as ever. Since the start of 2024, he averages nearly 40 at a strike rate of almost 150 in the format. He was the only batter in IPL 2024 to score two hundreds. Given Titans need quick and sustained starts in the absence of big names in the middle order, Buttler could be their ideal opener.Glenn Maxwell is back at PBKS for the third time. In his first season for them, in 2014, he was the third-highest run-getter in the league with 552 runs at a strike rate of 187.75. In 2020, his last season with PBKS, he could manage only 108 runs in 11 innings and could not hit even one six. This time, he is coming off a successful BBL with Melbourne Stars: 325 runs at an average of 54.16 and a strike rate of 186.78. PBKS will hope he continues in the same vein.Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia are among the familiar faces at Titans•Arjun Singh/BCCI

Key stats Gill has 1079 runs in T20s at the Narendra Modi Stadium, at an average of 71.93 and a strike rate of 163.23. Earlier this year, Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan were the joint-highest wicket-takers for MI Cape Town in their successful run to the SA20 title. Inglis strikes at 149.09 against fast bowlers and 145.74 against spin. Only Jasprit Bumrah (6.06) and Matheesha Pathirana (8.12) had better death-overs economy rates than Rashid (8.94) and Chahal (9.00) in the last two IPL seasons (minimum ten overs in that phase).Pitch and conditionsIt’s difficult to predict how the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium will play. Last season, Titans were bowled out for 89 against Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad managed only 159 and 162 in their two outings. But the venue also saw Titans posting three totals of 199 or more, two of which were chased down, once by PBKS. In all, chasing teams won six of the eight games played in Ahmedabad in IPL 2024.Next three fixturesTitans’ next game is also at home, against Mumbai Indians on Saturday. After that, they will play two away games, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad.PBKS’ schedule is the other way round. They will first play Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow before hosting Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur.

Tottenham remain in pursuit of an attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline in just five days time, after missing out on high-profile deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.

The situation is reaching a critical stage, and despite Thomas Frank’s excellent start to life at Spurs, the Dane is very unlikely to make a success of his first season in charge if he doesn’t bring in much-needed reinforcements – especially for his attack.

Dejan Kulusevski will remain out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury, and James Maddison is expected to miss a large portion of the 2025/2026 campaign after rupturing his ACL in pre-season.

This has left Frank with gaping holes in quality going forward, with Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge, among other reliable sources, reporting that Spurs ideally want to sign a winger, number 10 and a centre-back before the deadline next Monday.

Right now, Tottenham are believed to have made calls over the likes of Lucas Paqueta of West Ham and have even internally discussed Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo as late options.

As well as these names, there are suggestions that Tottenham are registering an interest in Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

Tottenham make Adrien Rabiot approach after Marseille bust-up

According to ESPN, the 30-year-old former PSG and Juventus star was involved in a Marseille bust-up with teammate Jonathan Rowe last week during their 1-0 defeat to Rennes.

In the aftermath of this, his future under Roberto De Zerbi is now uncertain, and ESPN state that Tottenham have made an enquiry over signing Rabiot.

The France international played the majority of his matches as a number 10 last season, bagging 10 goals and six assists as he really picked up form in that role during the second half of 2024/2025.

He even captained Marseille against PSG, with reports claiming that Rabiot is available for hire at around £13 million.

Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze has both Arsenal and Tottenham hot on his heels during the final three weeks of this summer window, with the England international holding a preferred destination between the pair.

Eze was, by some distance, Oliver Glasner’s standout attacking force last campaign, racking up 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, and Palace still face the very real threat of losing their talismanic number 10 before the transfer deadline on September 1.

The 27-year-old’s £68 million release clause (including bonuses) was thought to expire on August 1, but new information from the last few days has now revealed that the clause actually remains active until this Friday.

Arsenal were also once the main contenders to sign Eze, with some reports even suggesting they’ve reached an agreement on financial terms, but it appears sporting director Andrea Berta won’t have a free run after all.

The Gunners have been in constant dialogue with Eze’s representatives since early July, but they’ve stalled on making a formal bid for him thus far – allowing north London rivals Tottenham a chance to swoop in and open talks with Palace (Fabrizio Romano).

Spurs were after Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as their top attacking target, but despite booking a medical for the 25-year-old and being ready to trigger his £60m release clause this time last month, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side blocked the move, threatened legal action and convinced him to sign a new deal.

This has prompted them to turn to Eze, with Arsenal and Spurs now poised to battle for the former QPR star’s services.

Eze averaged more shots at goal, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any other Palace player last season, and given Liverpool are now closing in on a deal for Marc Guehi, the Eagles would be severely weakened if they lose their star creator too.

The presence of his active release clause theoretically means one of Arsenal or Tottenham could swoop in to trigger it at any moment, and this remains a possibility over the next three days until it expires.

Eberechi Eze's "first preference" between Arsenal and Tottenham

If both clubs are prepared to pay £68 million, the result of this transfer race could come down to who Eze would rather join.

According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Eze does have a “first preference” between Arsenal and Tottenham.

The reliable journalist has revealed that the club he’d rather join is Arsenal, but that isn’t to completely discount Thomas Frank’s side, as Eze remains open to potentially signing for them as well.

Given Mikel Arteta currently has captain Martin Odegaard and newly tied-down youngster Ethan Nwaneri at his disposal for the number 10 role, Spurs are arguably in more desperate need of Eze.

Frank missed out on Gibbs-White and James Maddison has just succumbed to an ACL rupture which will rule him out for most of the season, so Arsenal could compound real misery on their rivals by beating them to Eze’s signature.

Three controversial decisions go against hosts after CSA chooses not to pay for review technology

Firdose Moonda17-Dec-2024Heather Knight, England’s captain, says that the decision not to use the Decision Review System (DRS) during their historic women’s Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein was a “sign of the status of the game”, after England wrapped up a 286-run victory on the third afternoon to seal their first win in the format for a decade.The absence of DRS was not the deciding factor in England’s comprehensive victory, as South Africa collapsed to 64 all out in less than 20 overs in their fourth innings. However, the host board’s decision not to spend a minimum of US$48,500 (R880,000) on the technology arguably contributed to the final margin between the teams, with least three contentious umpiring calls all going against South Africa.The most interesting of those came in South Africa’s second innings, when Lauren Bell appealed for a catch off Annerie Dercksen that was taken by Tammy Beaumont at short leg.Dercksen was given not out on-field by umpire Kerrin Klaaste but, after consulting with her colleague, Klaaste called for an umpire review, a procedure that is typically used to determine whether a catch has carried. The ball, however, had carried to Beaumont at chest-height – and while it is possible Klaaste was unsighted and needed to double check – TV umpire Bongale Jele duly gave the decision as out, despite clear doubts that Dercksen had inside-edged the ball onto her pad.”We all thought she hit it and obviously the umpire delayed the decision,” Knight said. “I think the review was around whether it was a bump ball, but it was pretty clear it wasn’t, so I’m not really sure what happened there.”Mandla Mashimbyi, South Africa’s newly installed head coach, was similarly confused at the process that had led to the decision.”There was no communication and I didn’t understand why,” he said. “It was quite bizarre. But the umpires feel they made the right decision and we can’t go against that.”Related

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“We make do with what we have. Our job is to make sure we play good cricket. Those are things we can’t control. Obviously we will be disappointed with certain decisions but we can’t change what has happened. There are people that will be dealing with that, who are outside this room at the moment. If I leave it to myself, it might not be nice.”Klaaste was the umpire for two other contentious decisions, on days one and two. In the first instance, Marizanne Kapp appealed for an lbw against Beaumont , who was on 2 at the time, with the second ball of the match and it was given not out. It looked like a close call but Kapp could not review.Asked on day two if she felt hard done by, Kapp said: “We’re probably disappointed we were on the wrong side of it, but it goes both ways. That’s just the game. It’s never easy for the umpires out there. Even though you get upset when it doesn’t go your way, it’s still a hard job for them to be correct every single time.”The second incident took place on day two when Laura Wolvaardt, on 65, was given out lbw to Sophie Ecclestone. Her reaction, which included throwing her hands up in the air and walking off shaking her head, suggested she thought she’d hit the ball and earned her demerit point for dissent.According to Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s director of national teams and high performance, the absence of DRS for the Test had been agreed upon by the two boards at the planning stage of the tour. However, Knight claimed the first she had known of it was on the eve of the contest, after the system had been in use throughout the six white-ball matches at the start of the tour.”I was pretty shocked when I found out in the umpire’s meeting the day before, that we weren’t going to have it,” she said. “I think it’s a real shame. You come to expect it as a player now, and I guess the reason is always money. But, particularly in Test cricket, where wickets are such a premium, it’s a really important thing to have. It’s probably a sign of the status of this game, maybe, that we didn’t have it, which is a bit frustrating.”In his pre-match explanation, Nkwe added that the white-ball contests had been prioritised because the matches had a bearing on the team’s rankings in T20I cricket and the ICC Women’s Championship (IWC), as well as “the overall CSA strategy for the senior women’s national team”.”It is worth noting that resources are currently being directed at the white-ball formats due to the significance of ODI and T20I cricket in the current women’s international cricket landscape,” he said.Speaking on the second evening, Kapp agreed that she preferred DRS in the shorter formats. “It’s a new thing that we have DRS available,” she said. “I don’t believe we’ve had it available for T20s and ODI cricket. So it’s really helped in the ODI and T20 series. And if I have to be completely honest, I’d probably prefer having it in those two formats.”But whether CSA needed to be penny wise could be debated after they recorded a profit of R815 million (US$45.6 million) for the 2023-24 financial year. The cost of DRS for this Test match amounts to just over 0.1% of that money.