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“But I didn’t expect the couple of words I said to get such a big reaction from him,” says the fast bowler

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Aug-20251:45

Prasidh: I’ve been picked to do a job

“You are looking in great shape.”Prasidh Krishna didn’t know those words would unsettle Joe Root and play a key role in his dismissal for 29 in an eventful middle session on Friday, when England fell off the tracks and handed the controls of the Oval Test to India.Root had walked in with England in command at 129 for 2 after Zak Crawley fell attempting a pull off Prasidh, giving the tall fast bowler the first of his four wickets of the innings. Prasidh, along with Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, had started to stem the run flow as the weather slides shifted from sunny in the morning to cloudy in the afternoon.The very first ball Root faced, a rising delivery from good length, he was rapped on the glove by Prasidh. Two balls later, a wobble-seam delivery straightened to beat Root’s defence. It was then, possibly, that Prasidh said those words to him.Related

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Next ball, Root hit a square-driven four and uncharacteristically sent verbals at Prasidh, forcing umpire Kumar Dharmasena to intervene and talk to Prasidh. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill joined the group as the umpire cautioned Prasidh for undue aggression in a chat that went for more than two minutes. For the next few overs, Dharmasena continued to follow Prasidh’s movements closely as the Indians and Root exchanged a few words.Prasidh conceded he was surprised at Root getting rattled. “I don’t know why Rooty [reacted],” he told the BBC’s . “I just said, ‘you’re looking in great shape’ and then it turned into a lot of abuse and all of that.”The plan to distract Root by engaging him in a verbal duel, Prasidh admitted, was hatched by the visitors ahead of the Oval Test. “That was the plan, but I didn’t expect the couple of words I said to get such a big reaction from him,” he said at the media briefing.Prasidh said he enjoyed being “aggressive” and it was just the “competitive edge” that had caused what he described as “banter” between Root and him.

“He didn’t really say too much. Strange, really. I don’t think you really need to be putting your arm around someone, but nothing was really said, was it? You just don’t really see it”Marcus Trescothick on Akash Deep’s “hug” to Ben Duckett

“That’s just who I am when I’m bowling, when I’m enjoying [my game],” he said. “If it means that I have a bit of a chatter with the batter… and it does help me when I can get under the nerves of the batsman and get a reaction from them. But I love the guy that he is. He is a legend of the game and I think it is great when two people are out there wanting to do the best and be a winner at a given moment.”England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick did not want to read too much into India’s plan to rattle Root, who has been England’s highest run-maker this series.”I think they made a comment, didn’t they?” Trescothick said after the day’s play. “He [Prasidh] obviously tried to get after him [Root] and spark him up a little bit. Maybe they have seen him play so well over the last couple of games that India tried a different approach, and Joe bit back, as sometimes he does. Normally, he is the sort of guy who just laughs and giggles and allows things to happen, but today he just chose a different route. Everyone has their own method of dealing with that sort of approach, and today Joe bit back.”1:44

‘Disappointed, but it is what it is’ – Trescothick on dropped catches

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series has been a neck-and-neck tussle with the teams going at each other and, consequently, there have been a fair few volatile exchanges between the players.While at Lord’s, Gill took notice of England’s openers Crawley and Ben Duckett walking out to the middle 90 seconds late at the start of the hosts’ second innings, England captain Ben Stokes sparked a controversy at Old Trafford by questioning the decision of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to continue batting for their centuries in the final hour of the final session despite the match headed for a draw.On Friday, there was another incident that could have sparked something bigger had Duckett decided to react aggressively after Akash Deep put his arm around the opener after dismissing him. It was a “strange” move, Trescothick said, on Akash Deep’s part.”He didn’t really say too much. Strange, really. I don’t think you really need to be putting your arm around someone, but nothing was really said, was it? You just don’t really see it. We were chatting on the balcony there and I know many good people playing in county cricket would have said something or dug the elbow in, or something like that.”

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has defended Florian Wirtz following his underwhelming start to life at Liverpool after signing for the Reds in a deal worth £116 million. Wirtz came in for fresh criticism following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, but Nagelsmann feels the team's strikers could help out by finishing some of the chances the German star creates.

Wirtz continues to struggle

Wirtz failed to shine again on Sunday as Liverpool slumped to a seventh defeat in their last 10 games in all competitions. Liverpool's big-money buy has failed to manage a single goal or assist in the Premier League side since arriving at Anfield in the summer and has only show a few glimmers of the talent that persuaded the Reds to invest so heavily in his services. His performances have already drawn plenty of criticism, with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger even claiming his arrival has "destroyed" Liverpool's midfield.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNagelsmann takes aim at Liverpool

Nagelsmann has been quick to defend Wirtz and feels he simply needs time to prove himself. He told reporters: "Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. They somehow don't like to shoot the ball in. To be honest, the overall situation doesn't make it easy for Flo either. The whole club isn't as stable this year as it was last year. It's much harder to slip into the team now. If you look at the game against [Manchester] City, they were actually the worse team over the 90 minutes. So it's also difficult for Flo to make a big impact. Ultimately, the overall situation is such that he just needs a little more time, which is normal; you see that with other players who move to the Premier League too.

"We all know what he's capable of, and it's perfectly normal for a player of his age to go through a bit of a dip in form. We can't expect him to perform at the same level for three years straight. Instead, we all need to support him a little bit so that he can clear his head here, and then maybe Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. That would be one idea, because he does not create few chances, it's just that… they somehow don't like to shoot the ball in, that's also part of the truth."

Wirtz branded a 'little boy' after City loss

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville didn't hold back in his criticism of Wirtz after watching Liverpool comfortably beaten by City. He told : "Wirtz is a problem. Let's just call it as it is. It's an issue. He's £100m+, and to be fair, I said a few weeks ago [Milos] Kerkez looked like a little boy out there. Today, I thought Wirtz looked like a little boy. That can't be the case.

"We've been tiptoeing around him for a few months, around the fact that he's young, he's coming to a new country, but he's £100m+, you're going to have to stand up soon. He's obviously got something, he's a really good player, he's technically fantastic, but he's been mauled out there today by Matheus Nunes and by others. He's been chucked around the pitch, and didn't deliver on the quality side of things as well, so his performance was a real worry."

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Getty Images SportCan Wirtz regain form with Germany?

Wirtz is now with the Germany squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers against against Luxembourg and Slovakia and will hope he can try and regain some kind of form before returning to Liverpool. Germany can secure top spot in Group A, and with it automatic qualification to next year's tournament, with two wins from their final fixtures. Wirtz will then head back to Liverpool with Nottingham Forest first up for Slot's side after the international break.

The Guardians could only have made the 2025 postseason one way—the painful way.

Cleveland rookie first baseman C.J. Kayfus was hit by a pitch in a tie game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth Saturday, earning the Guardians a 3–2 win over the Rangers and locking up the team's seventh postseason berth in the last decade.

The ending was emblematic of Cleveland's stunning, skillful, lucky in-season resurrection after a 10-game losing streak in July that left the team 40-48.

As late as July 8, the Guardians trailed the Tigers by 15.5 games in the American League Central division race. Cleveland enters the final day of the season tied with Detroit, needing only a win or a Tigers loss to clinch the division by virtue of its head-to-head tiebreaker.

At 87-74, the Guardians are defying a .494 Pythagorean winning percentage roughly on par with the 75-85 Braves. Only three players on the team—superstar third baseman José Ramírez, left fielder Steven Kwan and pitcher Gavin Williams—have accumulated more than two bWAR.

Somehow, Cleveland has endured. It will meet Texas again Sunday in a bid to finish off baseball's greatest comeback.

Counterattacking 77 suggests middle order is his natural berth – even if he doesn’t want to give up first-drop

Vithushan Ehantharajah29-Nov-2024Despite playing 19 Tests together, day two at Hagley Oval was just the eighth time Ollie Pope and Harry Brook have batted together.You’d think a pair who have been locked at No. 3 and No. 5 for the last two years would be finishing each other’s sentences by now, even if the bloke sandwiched between them has been hogging one end. A four-ball duck going into lunch meant partnership-blocker Joe Root was no longer a problem.It was only at the fall of the next wicket – Ben Duckett – that Brook and Pope found themselves together at 71 for 4, New Zealand still ahead by 277 on first innings runs. Over the next 31 overs, they made up for lost time, with an engaging 151-stand that probably made them think “we should do this more often”.Related

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There’s a reason they have not, and it’s because Pope has not been able to stick around for long enough. In fact, eight out of the 32 times Brook has walked to the middle, Pope has been walking the other way.With Pope shifted down to six as the designated wicketkeeper, a union had better odds. Nevertheless, success was not guaranteed.This was only the fourth time they have combined for more than 50 runs, and only the second for a hundred. The first of those was a remarkable 176 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, the pair going at 7.08 an over as England blitzed 506 for 4 on the opening day.Pope was the far more convincing of the two here, more dominant (77 runs to 64) and much less streaky. Glenn Phillips pulled off a stunner of a one-handed catch at backward point, plucking a full-blooded cut out of the air while horizontal to see Pope off. The same Phillips who was responsible for the first of four drops off Brook, who had 18 at the time. Brook finished the day unbeaten with 132 and a pang of guilt.”Brooky, as I was walking off, came and apologised to me,” Pope revealed at stumps. “I was wondering why he made a beeline for me.”A three through the covers off his 62nd ball brought up the century stand with Brook, and also took Pope past 55 – the total number of runs he had managed in the previous series, against Pakistan.Upon returning home from averaging 11 across five innings, he put in the work and consulted England legend Alec Stewart, a long-time confidant at Surrey. It was an open discussion rather than an array of sessions in the nets – “I didn’t get him on the dog stick, he’s too high up for that, I think.” Pope wanted familiar eyes to establish what was going wrong.”It was more about ‘what does it look like when I’m at my best’ because that was a frustrating thing, I wasn’t getting to 20 or 30, to allow myself to go on to that big score.

“I want to be number three, I want to keep trying to make it mine. I’ve had too many low scores there but I’ve also managed to put together some good knocks this year batting at three. It’s a job I want to do going forward”

“We talked about having that calmness at the crease. When I’m playing well there’s that clarity in how I want to play, not trying to rush my way to 20 or 30.”There were cuts over the slips – most of them deliberate – including one from a front-foot square driving position that forced him to readjust after the ball bounced more than expected. He pounced on any width, a sound gameplay given how diligent New Zealand’s seamers had been with their straight lines. On a Friday littered with rogue pull shots, his were immaculate.Did he seem calmer? A bit. Though perhaps even that is all about perception. What might seem skittish and chaotic at No. 3 is brave and proactive at No. 6, especially given the situation that greeted him at the crease. Pope, however, declared he would have done little different had he walked out in the fourth over – when Zak Crawley was dismissed – instead of the 22nd.”If I was batting at three, I’d have tried to play exactly the same way as today. The biggest difference at three is you set the tone a lot more, if you play well you can put your team in a really strong position.”The fun thing at six, you might come in a 350 for 4 and it might be your job to push the game forward. [Or] you can get your team out a tricky situation. Both roles are good fun, just slightly different.”Different roles, different requirements. But it does seem Pope’s natural disposition is for either progressing a good situation or – as he did here – counterattacking out of a bad one. A thoroughbred greyhound has not won Best In Show at Crufts in 67 years, but let it loose into a final bend and watch it rinse a retriever.While that is a tad reductive, it is worth noting Pope was reared as a six. It was from that position he flourished for Surrey at the start of his career, with 885 runs, four centuries and an average of 68.07.Pope cuts the ball away behind square•Phil Walter/Getty ImagesA Test debut against India at Lord’s arrived in the 2018 summer – at No. 4. His maiden innings ended up being the first time he had batted in the opening 20 overs of a first-class match. He will empathise with Jacob Bethell walking out at No. 3 in Christchurch for the first time in his professional career.As tedious as it may be to repeat, an England side with Root batting at three makes the most sense. It would allow Pope to move to No. 5 when Jamie Smith returns to take the gloves back at seven.The one barrier to such a move? Well, Pope.”I want to be number three, I want to keep trying to make it mine. I’ve had too many low scores there but I’ve also managed to put together some good knocks this year batting at three.”It’s a job I want to do going forward and I think my skillset is still developing. It’s definitely a job I want to keep doing.”Given he began out of position and rarely settled thereafter, you can understand why he wants to continue at three. And on paper, he’s doing well enough; despite the Pakistan aberration, the average at first drop is 40.28 from 47 innings, since he pitched for the gig when Ben Stokes became Test captain. Half of the six centuries he has there have come this year, while this half-century took him past 3000 career runs.Ironically, Pope building on this opening knock may scupper his hopes of fully locking down that No. 3 as his own. Though Ollie Robinson arrives into the country on Saturday afternoon to replace the injured Jordan Cox, England may decide to leave Pope as their wicketkeeper to give them a longer look at Bethell.Stokes and Brendon McCullum have shown they are not afraid to get funky with their selections. And shifting Pope to a place where his natural energy flows unencumbered falls right in that bracket.

England captain Harry Kane has paid his respects on Remembrance Sunday with a heartfelt tribute as ceremonies take place across the United Kingdom. The Bayern Munich striker took to social media to post a classy message in honour of those who have died in wars around the world, with a minute's silence to be observed across Premier League and Women's Super League fixtures.

People gather across the UK to pay respects on Remembrance Sunday

Each year people across the UK come together to remember those who have fallen in conflicts across the world. Ceremonies take place on the second Sunday of November, which is known as Remembrance Sunday.

On their website, The Royal British Legion says: "Remembrance Sunday is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism."

King Charles III and other senior royals and political leaders are gathering for the national memorial service at the Cenotaph in central London on Sunday. Some 10,000 armed forces veterans will take part in the Royal British Legion's march past Whitehall, alongside around 20 World War Two veterans.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEngland captain Kane posts classy message to those who have died

And ahead of the Cenotaph Parade, England skipper Kane has issued a heartfelt message on social media. 

In a post on Instagram, the Three Lions forward wrote: "Today we honour and respect those who sacrificed themselves for our country and future. I’m proud today and always to be an ambassador for the Tommy Club, supporting our veterans in so many amazing ways. Lest we forget. We will remember them."

On their website, The Tommy Club describes itself as: "The Tommy Club is an annual charity subscription to support some of the nation’s most vulnerable veterans. There has never been a more important time for us to commit our support to ex-military personnel. Ex-service men and women will receive support from funds raised by members. The Tommy Club raises funds for the various divisions of Royal British Legion Industries whilst offering its Champions exclusive opportunities, content and more."

AFPMinute's silence will be held across Premier League and WSL fixtures

To honour those who have died, a minute’s silence will also be held across Premier League and Women’s Super League fixtures on Sunday.

Ahead of their game against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City have confirmed their plans to honour Remembrance Sunday, saying: "Prior to the match, a service will take place in the Club’s Memorial Garden, where Mike Summerbee will lay a wreath alongside members of the Former Players Association and the Club’s Chaplain.

"Then, ahead of kick-off, Manager Pep Guardiola will lay a wreath pitch side followed by a performance of the Last Post and a minute’s silence, observed by all in attendance.

"All our Men’s First Team will wear a poppy on their shirts, and those worn by City players during the game will be donated and auctioned via Match Worn Shirt, with proceeds going to the Royal British Legion to raise money for the charity; as will the shirts worn by City players during last weekend’s home fixture against Bournemouth."

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Kane to return home after being named in England squad for November games

Bayern forward Kane will return home next week after being included in England’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania on Thursday, 13 November and Sunday, 16 November respectively.

They are the Three Lions’ final two competitive games before the 2026 World Cup, with Thomas Tuchel’s men having already secured their place at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

England are currently top of Group K after winning all six of their qualifiers so far, booking their place at the World Cup after defeating Latvia 5-0 on 14 October. Kane netted a brace while Anthony Gordon and Eberechi Eze scored either side of an own goal from Latvia’s Maksims Tonisevs at the Daugava Stadium in Riga.

“Aligning the domestic and international schedules by format was well received by the playing and coaching groups last year,” NZC chief cricket operations officer Catherine Campbell said

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Aug-2025The men’s Ford Trophy (one-day competition) will kick-off New Zealand’s domestic summer for the second year in a row. The Ford Trophy will start on October 25, followed by the women’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HBJ) taking off on November 15.NZC had changed the order of the men’s domestic competitions last year after two decades to offer different pitch conditions across formats, as well as to better align with the international schedule.”Aligning the domestic and international schedules by format was well received by the playing and coaching groups last year, so we’re continuing that this season,” NZC chief cricket operations officer Catherine Campbell said in an NZC release. “It helped our domestic bowlers build-up their bowling loads initially through one-day cricket, which better prepared them for the physical demands of four-day cricket later in the season.”It’s not always possible to line the fixtures up like that, but this season we’ve been able to again with the Ford Trophy being played over the top of England’s white-ball tour of New Zealand, and the Plunket Shield providing a good run-up into the West Indies Test series.”At the start of the season perhaps the pitches are a bit less batter friendly, which presents opportunities for the bowlers to make a big impact on the game. By the second half of the season in February, conditions generally are more batter friendly.”With the Women’s ODI World Cup in India ending a few weeks before the start of the HBJ Shield, Campbell expects a lot of the New Zealand international players to return to domestic cricket after the global event.”The WHITE FERNS will come back from the 50-over world cup and we’d expect many of those players to be available for HBJ,” Campbell said. “We are also playing another North v South series in the week leading up to Christmas, which adds a little extra context on performances.”All that should allow players to go into Super Smash in some good domestic form.”The Basin Reserve in Wellington will host the one-day finals weekend, with the men’s eliminator on February 20, the women’s grand final on February 21 and the men’s grand final on February 22. Fourteen venues across New Zealand will host the domestic one-day fixtures this season, ranging from Queens Park in Invercargill in the south to Cobham Oval in Whangārei.The women’s team of Otago and Canterbury men will be chasing their third consecutive one-day titles this season.Like last season, the one-day competitions will be split by the first half of the Plunket Shield and the full Super Smash.The Plunket Shield schedule is set to be released on August 13, with the Super Smash fixtures to follow on August 18.

This weekend, after Manchester United have completed their trip to Tottenham Hotspur, Ruben Amorim will know exactly where his side stand after the mini-revival of recent weeks.

But for the Red Devils to have gone four matches without a defeat in the Premier League is a significant step forward, and, at the least, an illustration of improvements being made at the Theatre of Dreams.

Too often, Man United have seen false dawns, upswings in form that fizzle out at the first sight of adversity. But Amorim’s system has been long in the making, and the readings from recent weeks speak of a team knitting together, developing physically and mentally. There is, however, much still to improve on.

We are not looking at a mayfly of a resurgence but a potential for sustainability, competing for Europe and competing for silverware. INEOS’ transfer dealings this year look to be paying off, but so too are the pre-existing players rising up and making progress.

And who better to epitomise that than Bruno Fernandes?

Bruno Fernandes is still Utd's main man

This summer, Fernandes rejected a lucrative offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The temptation was there, especially after such an abject 2024/25 campaign, but the 31-year-old decided he had unfinished business in Manchester.

Despite tactical imbalances in his deeper midfield role, Fernandes remains the glue holding Amorim’s system together. As per Sofascore, he has made 6.1 recoveries, 1.8 tackles and won 5.8 duels on average in the Premier League this term, fighting tooth and nail to charge his team.

But the Red Devils captain is at his rip-roaring best when creating and orchestrating the attack. Already he has peeled away from the rest of the division’s finest playmakers in chance creation metrics this term.

Bruno Fernandes

10

28

Jack Grealish

9

21

Cody Gakpo

10

21

Jeremy Doku

10

20

Phil Foden

8

20

Fernandes has been joined by Casemiro in upholding the midfield, and one of the principal reasons that they are starting to play with more fluency and a deeper understanding is that the forwards are working harder, dropping deep

Matheus Cunha has been a revelation in this regard, but he hasn’t been the cream of the attacking crop.

The Man Utd star outperforming Bruno

Fernandes might be the linchpin in the middle for this Manchester United side, but Bryan Mbeumo has enjoyed a sensational start to life at Old Trafford, dovetailing into the system and elevating it.

With three goals and an assist across his past four matches in the Premier League, the Cameroon international is kindling the prolific ability that saw him exceed expectations with Brentford last term, leading to the initial £65m capture of the wide forward, who said upon arrival that United is “the club of my dreams”.

Commitment and desire. Too often have United’s signings in this post-Fergie world seemingly arrived for bumper fees and fallen by the wayside after not putting in the hard graft.

But players like Mbeumo and Cunha are hungry for success at the highest level, and the former in particular has been a revelation in the final third, not just providing a clinical output but dazzling with his all-round play.

Mbeumo hasn’t quite hit the same level that he was enjoying at the Gtech last season, but given his performances in Manchester have led analyst Umir Irfan to declare he’s “one of the best in the world”, given “how complete he is”, things are only going to improve as Amorim’s set-up strengthens.

Given that he is setting the pace in front of goal for United, it feels like Mbeumo is shaping up for a talismanic role, one that could even see him eclipse Bruno down the line.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

10 (10)

Goals

20

4

Assists

7

1

Shots (on target)*

2.2 (1.1)

2.4 (1.3)

Big chances missed

9

3

Pass completion

74%

80%

Big chances created

17

3

Key passes*

1.8

1.9

Dribbles*

1.4

0.9

Ball recoveries*

4.1

3.0

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

0.4

Duels won*

4.7

2.7

Mbeumo’s strength and athleticism have made him a tough adversary for even the finest defenders in the Premier League, and, along with Cunha, his signing tells of a new strategy at Old Trafford that focuses on adding Prem-proven players to the ranks.

A “sorcerer” with the ball, as has been said by content creator Adam Joseph, Mbeumo has added strings to the Man United attacking bow, and he’s only just getting started.

Regarded as a rare type of wide forward whose prowess lies across a range of different attacking qualities, Mbeumo has demonstrated this in recent months, showing already that United have received bang for their buck.

As per data-driven platform FBref, the 26-year-old ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season for goals scored, but also among the top 11% for through balls and the top 2% for crosses into the penalty area per 90.

Whether his service his provided as the chief goal-getter or through bouncing against centre-forward Benjamin Sesko, Mbeumo has what it takes to lead from the front at Old Trafford, and that’s something (Fernandes notwithstanding) that has been decidedly lacking in recent years for the outfit.

After a recent upswing in form and performances, Amorim will have sensed that he might be able to make something of his tenure at Man United.

With forwards like Mbeumo integrating seamlessly and proving they have an unquenchable desire for success, he might just find his time at the club is only getting started.

A new Rashford: Man Utd flop is becoming a "worry long-term" for Amorim

Man United are improving but still have plenty of problems.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 4, 2025

After his public spat with Atalanta manager Ivan Juric, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly ready to accelerate their move to sign Ademola Lookman in 2026.

It comes as no surprise that those in North London have identified an attacking target. Thomas Frank’s side have lacked conviction at times this season, with their striker problem recently made worse by Randal Kolo Muani’s injury. Despite initial news indicating that his injury is not serious, reports are now claiming that the Frenchman has suffered a fractured jaw.

The injury comes at a frustrating time for the forward, who is yet to score a goal for Tottenham in a difficult run of form. Even in the middle of that form, however, Frank could do with having Kolo Muani available.

With Dominic Solanke still sidelined, the Dane has just Richarlison and academy graduate Dane Scarlett to call on against Arsenal in his first official North London derby in charge of Tottenham.

It’s an attacking problem that Spurs know they must address and club chiefs have already reportedly set their sights on Rodrygo to do exactly that. The Real Madrid star has an uncertain future in Spain after falling out of favour under Xabi Alonso and Spurs are reportedly willing to spend as much as £70m to secure his signature as a result.

There’s no doubt that the Brazilian would be a statement signing as one of the best wingers in the world, but he may not be the only one that the Lilywhites pursue in 2026.

In an attacking overhaul, those in North London have also set their sights on Lookman and are reportedly ready to step things up in the race for his arrival.

Tottenham ready to accelerate Lookman move

As reported by TuttoJuve, Tottenham are now ready to accelerate their move to sign Lookman in 2026 with the talented forward desperate to move on from the Italian club.

Spurs must sell £22m dud who's one of "the worst players at a big six club"

Tottenham need to make some changes in 2026.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

The former Fulham ace was denied a move away in the summer, despite handing in a transfer request, and has since fallen out with manager Juric and removed Atalanta from his Twitter bio. Ever since he was denied a summer switch, an exit has simply looked inevitable.

As the saga continues, it’s Spurs who are attempting to take full advantage to welcome the Nigerian back to the Premier League. Although the Lilywhites won’t be the only club in the race, the fact that Lookman is represented by the same agency as Mohammed Kudus could provide them with an unexpected advantage in any negotiations.

It’s certainly a transfer race that would be worth winning, too. Before their recent disagreement, Juric went as far as to describe Lookman as “spectacular” and there’s little doubt that he’s still Atalanta’s most important player.

Forget Spence: Frank has a future superstar who can end Porro's Spurs career

Middlesex stutter to 189 for 8 on truncated day at Emirates Old Trafford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay16-Sep-2025Middlesex 189 for 8 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Bailey 4-60) vs Lancashire Tom Bailey took four wickets to ensure Lancashire reduced Middlesex’s already slim promotion hopes still further on a rain-affected second day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.After the first day of the game had been wiped out by rain, only 44 overs’ play was possible between the heavy showers on the second but the visitors ended a long and mostly sunlit evening session on 189 for 8 after Ben Geddes had been dismissed for 52 four overs before the close and Seb Morgan had fallen lbw to Bailey’s last ball of a truncated day.Having been asked to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions, the visitors were also indebted to opener Josh De Caires, who made 52 runs, many of them against the new ball at a time when the players were regularly forced off the field by rain.The match began at noon but barely 20 minutes’ play was possible before a heavy shower forced the players off again. In that time, however, Middlesex lost two wickets in five overs, Sam Robson being caught at second slip by Keaton Jennings off Bailey for 9, and the left-handed Luke Hollman being taken at first slip by Michael Jones for a four-ball nought when James Anderson slanted a ball across him and induced the edge.Two balls later – and probably to Hollman’s intense irritation – more showers blew in on the westerly wind and prevented play resuming for over two hours. An early lunch was taken and Middlesex resumed their innings on 13 for 2.On the bright side, the visitors then added 48 runs in six overs, De Caires hitting three successive fours off Tom Aspinwall and the visitors bringing up their fifty in the tenth over. However, only seven more balls were possible, though, before yet more heavy rain arrived from the direction of the Party Stand with Middlesex on 61 for 2.Play resumed at four o’clock and Middlesex immediately lost two wickets to successive deliveries from Aspinwall. Having put on 54 with de Caires, Leus du Plooy was caught behind for 22 when attempting to drive and Ryan Higgins departed first ball when he appeared surprised by Aspinwall’s pace and edged a catch to Jones at first slip.Geddes joined de Caires and the pair put on another 54 runs during the course of which the Middlesex opener was dropped by Bailey off his own bowling when on 46. De Caires reached his fifty off 65 balls when he nicked Bailey past third slip and to the boundary but the opener was caught behind for 52 three balls later when driving ambitiously at the same bowler.Josh Bohannon was introduced into the attack from the Statham End and struck with his first ball when he bowled Joe Cracknell for 6. By the close, however, Middlesex had recovered to near parity in the conditions with Geddes having reached his 50 off 80 balls with five fours and three sixes, all of the latter having been whacked over the short boundary on the Party Stand side of the ground.Nine balls after reaching that personal landmark, Geddes nicked Bailey high to Jennings’ left at second slip and the former Lancashire skipper took a fine two-handed catch. At the close, Zafar Gohar was 16 not out. Bailey finished the day with figures of 4 for 60 and Aspinwall with 2 for 48.

Thomas Tuchel has warned his England players to avoid a Cristiano Ronaldo situation and receive their marching orders against Albania on Sunday. Ronaldo was sent off in Portugal's 2-0 loss to Ireland earlier this week and will miss their final World Cup qualifying meeting with Armenia. The Al-Nassr forward will also sit out Portugal's World Cup opener should they make the 2026 showpiece.

Getty Images SportTuchel warns plays not to do anything silly

Portugal still top Group F despite defeat to Ireland last week, but are now just two points clear of Hungary in second ahead of the final group games. The Selecao take on Armenia in Porto today and need to win to guarantee top spot, a match that Ronaldo won't be in attendance for having been sent home from the national team.

England don't face the same problem having already guaranteed first in Group K ahead of their game against Albania this evening. The Three Lions have won all seven matches in World Cup qualifying and will fancy their chances of rounding off their own campaign with a 100% record.

However, Tuchel has revealed that he will warn his players not to do anything silly when they travel to Albania, who are guaranteed a play-off spot, for their final group game.

Advertisement'No red cards please'

Ahead of the game against Albania, Tuchel said: "It is important, I'm aware of it and we will talk about it. No red cards please. If we have a doubt then, because we are through and we are in a position with last man then the player holds the shirt he gets the red card. If there's a doubt then it would be smarter not to do it.

"If he goes in the last man example and if we can avoid it no red card of course but I don't want to make it too big a subject because then you have a cloud above you. But if you have the choice: don't do it."

Tuchel will be forced into at least one change for the game against Albania, with Ezri Konsa absent after suffering a calf strain against Serbia. The Aston Villa man may have played the full 90, but has since returned to his club side.

"Ezri is not with us, he has a tight calf and got assessed in the afternoon and didn’t take the risk so we didn't take him," Tuchel added. "Everyone else is ready to go. He has had a lot of matches for Aston Villa so was a candidate to have a rest."

Getty Images SportTuchel 'didn't like' Frank snub by Spence

Tuchel also revealed that he has scolded defender Djed Spence for his Tottenham behaviour. The full-back snubbed Thomas Frank after Spurs' recent 1-0 loss to rivals Chelsea, storming down the tunnel alongside Micky van de Ven as the north London side put in a poor showing against the Blues.

And while Tuchel didn't consider leaving Spence out of the England squad as a result, the German has made it clear that he did not like that the 25-year-old ignored his manager.

"Yeah, I didn't like it," the Three Lions boss said of the incident. "Because the players know they are not only national players when they are the 10 days in camp, they are always national players and the standard of behaviour is always important."

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Bellingham, Foden & Eze all pushing to start

With qualification wrapped up and just a 100% record to play for, Tuchel may make some changes to the side that started against Serbia. Spence is among those who could start at full-back, while Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah are competing to deputise for Konsa at the back.

Adam Wharton, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze are also hoping to feature from the outset in Tirana, the latter trio all replacing Morgan Rogers, Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, respectively, on the hour mark against Serbia on Thursday.

And it was Bellingham, Foden and Eze who linked up well for the latter's late strike to wrap up the three points after Bukayo Saka had put England ahead in the first half.