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Getting into the Premier League is a challenge in itself, although staying in the division is becoming increasingly more difficult. The gap appears to be growing ever wider.

In both 2023/24 and 2024/25, the three promoted sides swiftly tumbled back down to the Championship, with most having almost been resigned to their fate from the outset of the campaign.

And yet, in years gone by, there are those who have managed to shake off a slow start to eventually stave off the drop by their fingernails, having battled their way to retaining their top-flight status.

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As a few examples below showcase, that ability to cling on can prove to be a turning point, a defining moment in sparking something of a revival for a club.

Here, we rank the best sides to beat the drop against all odds.

10 Wigan Athletic (2006/07) Final day showdown sees Latics send Blades to Championship

Wigan Athletic’s form in early 2007 saw them plummet down the table, and ended up requiring a victory on the final day to secure their safety.

Three wins in five months meant the Latics had inadvertently set up a final day play-off with Sheffield United, who only needed a point to survive the drop.

Wigan led through Paul Scharner before Jon Stead equalised for the hosts, but David Unsworth’s penalty on the stroke of half-time was the eventual winner that saw the visitors survive.

Since this came down to one game, it’s hardly the greatest escape of all time, but pulling a win out of the bag when it mattered most deserves some credit.

9 Leeds United (2021/22) Late Harrison winner gets Leeds out of bottom three

Leeds United spent the entirety of the 2021/22 season in the bottom six, and after losing three on the spin in mid-May, the Whites would need at least another win from their final two matches to stay up.

A late draw against Brighton on matchday 37 ensured that bettering Burnley’s result on the final day would be enough to stay afloat, ensuring a tense clash with Brentford would decide their fate.

Jesse Marsch’s side had led through Raphinha, but Sergi Canos’ equaliser meant the West Yorkshire outfit were one goal from relegation with Burnley trailing to Newcastle.

But a late Jack Harrison strike ensured Leeds would live to fight another day in the Premier League, staying up by the skin of their teeth.

8 Wigan Athletic (2010/11) Rodallega heroics secure another great escape

Wigan had started to make a name for themselves as survival specialists, and one of their finest escapes came in the 2010/11 season, when they stayed up despite starting the final day in the bottom three.

The Latics were once again in peril and had spent most of the campaign in the relegation zone.

And along with Charles N’Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega popped up with some crucial goals to save Roberto Martinez’s side.

Wigan somehow grabbed a last-minute win to relegate West Ham in their penultimate match before visiting Stoke City on the final day.

And Rodallega pounced late on at the Britannia Stadium to secure Wigan’s safety, despite being on the brink of demotion on multiple occasions.

7 Bradford City 1999/00 Bantams beat Liverpool to stay afloat

Bradford City notched three wins in their final four games to stay in the Premier League amid a tense conclusion to the 1999/00 season.

The Bantams were in big trouble with just five games to go, trailing 17th-placed Wimbledon by six points and coming off the back of six successive defeats.

But Paul Jewell’s side earned 10 points from a possible 15 in a run that included a win over Wimbledon at Valley Parade and a dramatic 1-0 victory over Liverpool on the final day to guarantee survival.

6 Everton 1993/94 Goodison drama sees Toffees survive on final day

Everton have been in relegation trouble in more recent times, but their finest escape from the drop is probably their Houdini act in 1994.

The Toffees had recorded just 1 win in 10 going into the final day, and would require another victory to escape the bottom three.

Facing a Wimbledon side in the top six at Goodison Park, the home side made the worst possible start after going 2-0 down inside 20 minutes.

But a barnstorming comeback through Graham Stuart’s double and Barry Horne’s screamer saved Everton from relegation in the most dramatic of turnarounds.

5 Aston Villa 2019/20 Superb run-in keeps Villans alive

The 2019/20 season was a little different for all involved, and having resumed the pandemic-affected campaign with two draws and four defeats, Dean Smith’s Aston Villa were strong favourites for the drop.

Having trailed Watford and West Ham by four points, the final four games saw the Villans grab eight points to sneak out of the bottom three.

A huge turning point was their 1-0 win over Arsenal in their penultimate game, which handed them the most slender of advantages ahead of the final matchday, when they simply had to better Watford’s result.

After a tense draw with West Ham, Villa were made to wait for the Hornets’ defeat at Arsenal to be confirmed, which led to wild celebrations in east London.

4 Sunderland 2013/14 Black Cats win four on the spin to surge to safety

Sunderland may have finished in 14th place back in 2014, but that hardly tells the story of their impressive escape.

Not only were the Black Cats bottom at Christmas – often a death knell for teams battling the drop – but Gustavo Poyet’s side were at the foot of the table as late as 27th April, when a victory over Cardiff City saw them surge out of the bottom three.

The Wearsiders’ run-in was mightily impressive, with a run of four straight wins securing survival that included victories away from home over Chelsea and Manchester United.

Having looked doomed for much of the season, Sunderland finished five points above the drop, making their final-day loss to Swansea City academic.

3 Leicester City 2014/15 Insane run of form saves Foxes and sets up historic campaign

Seven wins in their last nine games saved Leicester City from dropping straight back into the Championship – and set the scene for perhaps the greatest campaign we have ever witnessed.

The Foxes looked destined to return to the second tier, having been left seven points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.

Having won just four games all season and been without a victory in almost three months, Nigel Pearson’s inspired team were only beaten by champions Chelsea in the run-in, making the King Power Stadium a fortress as they coasted to safety, finishing six points above the drop zone.

We all know what happened next.

2 West Brom 2004/05 Baggies pull off miraculous escape on final day

West Bromwich Albion were the victors on a historic final day, which remains the only time that all three demoted teams had their relegations confirmed in the last round of matches.

And despite being rooted to the bottom at Christmas and spending most of the year in the drop zone, the Baggies held on to give themselves a fighting chance thanks to key victories over Charlton Athletic and Everton either side of the final mid-season international break, as well as a credible point away at Manchester United.

The final day itself saw Bryan Robson’s side requiring a win over Portsmouth and other results to go their way.

Defeats for Norwich City and Southampton, along with Crystal Palace’s draw at Charlton, meant that goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson were enough to somehow prolong their stay in the top flight.

1 Fulham 2007/08 Roy Hodgson's side complete miracle turnaround

When Roy Hodgson took over as Fulham boss in December 2007, the Whites were in trouble. Just two wins all year and facing the prospect of their seven-season stay in the Premier League coming to an end, they were going to need to turn a corner, and quickly.

Hodgson took just over a month to claim his first win, but it didn’t lead to a transformation of Fulham’s fortunes.

Following a defeat to Sunderland in early April, Fulham were six points from safety and had an inferior goal difference to most of their relegation rivals. But somehow, they did enough in their final five matches to save their Premier League status.

A crucial win over lowly Reading started their revival, before being brought down to earth with a home defeat to Liverpool.

Then, their most miraculous result of the campaign almost single-handedly gave them the inspiration they needed to stay up.

2-0 down at Manchester City, Fulham were all but down, but an incredible comeback in the final 20 minutes – sealed by Diomansy Kamara’s superb double – rejuvenated the Cottagers.

Tense wins over Birmingham and Portsmouth saw Fulham complete their turnaround, as Danny Murphy’s late winner at Fratton Park saw them stay up by three goals at the expense of Reading.

Muddled selection, fading stars, a lack of familiarity with the format – and no easy answers for either the ECB or Brendon McCullum

Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Feb-20252:16

Buttler: Have to work out whether I’m part of the problem or solution

When Brendon McCullum promised entertainment from England’s white-ball sides, he probably did not envisage this: with England on the wrong side of the two best games at the Champions Trophy so far, down and out with a match to spare, as the rest of the cricketing world laughs. Brought in to sprinkle some of his Test magic on the limited-overs set-up, the talismanic head coach has lost nine of his first 10 matches at the helm.The smile McCullum promised to bring back to Jos Buttler’s face, which the England captain had been practising in the mirror, is not just upside down but on the floor. Buttler spoke disconsolately of his future at the Gaddafi Stadium, an acceptance that this must surely be the end of his tenure. Saturday’s final Group B fixture against South Africa may well be his last ODI.It is clear both McCullum and Buttler have their share of blame to take from this third successive failure at a white-ball tournament. Most of it is collective, centering around the composition of the squad and the XI.Two enforced changes through injury highlighted muddled thinking around the initial 15. Tom Banton, a keeper-batter, was brought in for Jacob Bethell, a batter who bowls left-arm spin. Leggie Rehan Ahmed replaced seam-bowling allrounder Brydon Carse. As for the starters, a batting line-up that looked handy on paper did not produce on grass (two 300-plus totals notwithstanding). And a pace-heavy but ultimately one-dimensional bowling attack came unstuck for both a lack of variety against Australia and brittleness against Afghanistan.Related

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Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. On Wednesday, Mark Wood, who was carrying an issue with his left knee into the new year, succumbed to it in worrying fashion. Buttler, who had come into the match seeking 10 overs outside his four frontline bowlers, was forced to pick up the pieces and find a few more. Afghanistan duly blitzed 113 from their final 10 overs.McCullum will have his own sifting to do through the rubble of England’s white-ball dynasty – one which, it should be remembered, won World Cups in both limited-overs formats. There will also be uncertainty over how Wood and Carse (returning home with a toe injury) might be restricted for Test assignments against India and Australia.Rob Key has a part in all this, of course. The managing director of men’s cricket took the blame for the failure at the 2023 ODI World Cup, citing the focus on Test cricket at the white-ball game’s expense. He subsequently promoted the drive to have the same players – and notably quicks – across all formats, which has backfired. As for the decision to give McCullum the keys to all three teams, time will tell how that pans out. McCullum’s newly extended deal will take him through two more ICC events and two Ashes, which already feel like competing interests.And what of Harry Brook? The likeliest successor to the captaincy, as the incumbent vice, happens to be England’s busiest cricketer, with the most appearances (89) across all formats since his Test debut in September 2022. With Brook’s white-ball returns trending the wrong way, and blockbuster Test series on the horizon, captaincy would be a risk at a critical juncture in his career. It might have to be taken anyway.Follow the leader: Rob Key may have a tough decision to make on the captaincy•Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty ImagesCloser alignment across all teams was supposed to bring clarity. But everywhere you turn there is collateral damage.Buttler should be considered an unfortunate part of that collateral, never mind his shortcomings as a captain. That the greatest white-ball cricketer England have ever produced was left wondering if he was “part of the problem” was a jarring moment that demanded everyone take stock. A global star has been dulled into confronting his own mortality. Truth is, the problems extend beyond his tactical shortcomings and run deeper than his lack of a poker face.The fall since the 2019 World Cup success has been sharp. And though large parts of that 2015-2019 machine under Eoin Morgan carried through on fumes to 2022’s T20 World Cup glory, the paint job was chipping and the chains were starting to rust.It is hard to pinpoint a specific reason for the decline, particularly in ODIs, with 18 defeats in 25 since 2023’s dismal title defence. But there are a few, and most pertain to shifts within English cricket beyond the control of those who have failed so spectacularly over the last 18 months.There is no longer a meaningful List A county competition because the Hundred clashes with the One-Day Cup by design. The 50-over fundamentals ingrained in the 2015-19 crop were learned in a class that simply does not exist anymore. It was willfully naive – bordering on arrogant – to assume this would simply be passed down to the next generation without any meaningful exposure to the format.Brook won the first of 24 ODI caps in 2023, four years after his last List A appearance for Yorkshire. Jamie Smith, promoted to No. 3 for the Champions Trophy, had only ever batted there once in 50-over cricket. Banton’s appearance against India earlier this month was his first List A match since he featured against Ireland during the 2020 Covid summer.Phil Salt may well be the clearest example of the “knowledge gap” all are struggling to bridge. He has only faced more than 30 balls in five out of 30 ODI innings, and only once in his 19 against sides at this Champions Trophy. Encouraged to play his natural game, his returns reflect that of an established T20 opener trying (and failing) to make his mark on a bigger canvas.T20 cricket has had more far-reaching consequences than simply the returns of one powerplay thrasher. The format’s proliferation through global franchise tournaments has made it as lucrative for boards as players, whether trying to create their own or ensuring it appears regularly in the itinerary. There is a reason the ECB and BCCI agreed on a schedule that featured five T20Is and just three ODIs ahead of this Champions Trophy.

“The last two ICC one-day tournaments have highlighted contrasts between ODI cricket and T20 that are far greater than popular wisdom within the ECB had assumed”

The pull of T20 has pushed ODIs to the bottom of the list as far as broadcasters are concerned. Much of that is to do with the fact teams like England regard them as a nuisance set against their main interests, which in this case is Test cricket.Only five members of the Champions Trophy squad featured on England’s November tour to the Caribbean, what with it being sandwiched between Tests in Pakistan and New Zealand. It followed a broader pattern of second-string squads for bilateral ODI series.The warning signs were there even in the afterglow of the 2022 T20 World Cup success. A ludicrously scheduled three-match one-day series against Australia began four days after the final, leading into a rearranged tour after Christmas against Bangladesh.The vibe of the 2022 Australia tour was off – not helped by a 3-0 pasting – and many of those without central contracts went on to make themselves unavailable for Bangladesh. Given the clash with a two-Test tour of New Zealand, the ECB needed to make up the numbers and several more-senior players who previously waited patiently for their opportunities took a stand. The underlying sentiment was they would be doing the board a favour without furthering their international cases in any meaningful way. Limited-overs caps were quickly being devalued. As one player put it recently, the pride in the ODI shirt disappeared when it became a box-ticking exercise. If the ECB shows the format no love, why should the players?That sentiment won’t sit well with fans, particularly when so many cricketers chase the franchise coin. Many of the players who spurned that Bangladesh tour, such as Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Liam Dawson, took up lucrative gigs at the PSL instead. Now, what depth there is in white-ball cricket is used to prop up an array of different leagues – particularly the ILT20 and Abu Dhabi T10 – rather than the national team.It will be tempting to cry “mercenary” at this point, but these are different times. What undoubted loyalty and commitment to the cause there was between 2015 and 2019 was helped by fewer franchise distractions.The IPL regularly shunned English talent, partly due to the ECB’s reticence to make their players available for the entire season given the clash with the home summer. It was only in 2018 that a significant number of the 2015-19 core were picked up. Even that came with strict caveats when it came to international duty, and prevented them from being mainstays at those franchises.English talent features regularly in T20 leagues around the world•PCBIt is worth remembering the upshot from the Bangladesh tour was discussions at the ECB about upping match fees to make playing for your country more lucrative. That never came to pass, with more money pumped into the central contracts instead.The IPL is now the only competition which overlaps with the summer where players are granted an automatic No-Objection Certificate to participate, regardless of their red-ball commitments. Even those further down the chain are permitted to take up deals in the winter at the expense of developmental tours. The recent Lions trip to Australia at the start of the year, led by Andrew Flintoff, was noticeably less-experienced than previous squads because of the clash with the ILT20 and SA20.That brings us to another important factor. Because the knock-on effect of the huge financial shifts has been an intriguing societal phenomenon – a missing generation of players between the ages of 27 to 32. English cricket’s own “yuppie” class, seemingly removed from the pyramid like a Jenga block.England’s 2019 World Cup winning group had 12 in this bracket. This Champions Trophy group has seven, of which only Ben Duckett and Jofra Archer had any worthwhile 50-over experience.Even beyond the squad, the gap is noticeable. Can you, reader, name another top-six batter capable of pacing an ODI innings, a seamer who has the craft to operate in three phases of the innings, or a balancing allrounder who would have guaranteed England a better chance? The most popular answers – Sam Hain, Luke Wood (both 29), Sam Curran (26) – carry their own uncertainties.The only clear answer as an improvement to the squad is Dawson, though his patience with the current management group has long gone. The Hampshire allrounder recently revealed he had been told by England men’s selector Luke Wright that he was going to be picked in the 2023 World Cup squad. The next day, he received a call informing him he had not made the cut.So, what now? The good news is England will be fine in T20Is, as they have been. But the last two ICC one-day tournaments have highlighted contrasts between the formats that are far greater than popular wisdom within the ECB had assumed. Making up those differences requires actual change – none straightforward, some improbable.The One-Day Cup will only fade further into the background as the newly monied Hundred flexes further – unless counties take the initiative to rejig the schedule and move it to the beginning of the season to prevent a clash from 2026 onwards. New Hundred owners would be amenable to clearer real estate in the calendar, and counties get something more to offer their members. Longer term, everybody wins.Of course, franchise competitions will continue to offer players lucrative alternatives to international cricket. And the 50-over format will not suddenly enjoy a resurgence in context, certainly not while McCullum’s focus is primarily on the Test side. Just as red ball performances suffered during the 2015-19 cycle, the white will continue to be an afterthought with priorities flipped.At least until the next 50-over tournament rolls around. By then, if English cricket is lucky, the 2027 ODI World Cup will be part of a redemption arc that will start with next year’s T20 World Cup.For now, the first steps towards that rest with a coach who may have bitten off more than he can chew, and a captain who has had enough.

The former Australia wicketkeeper was admired as a gloveman, and feared on golf courses

Ian Chappell23-Jul-2023Hedley Brian Taber – Herbert or plain Herbie to his mates – finally lost his battle with ill health on Friday.He had suffered breathing problems from serious asthma ever since I got to know him on our first tour, in 1966-67. Despite his health struggles, he seemed to have nine lives like a cat; this turned out to be his final one.A couple of years ago his wife, Fran, sent me a text saying, “Herbie’s going into hospital and he won’t be coming out.” Lo and behold, he was soon back at the retirement village and we were having our regular Saturday-morning snooker game, followed by a couple of glasses of red wine. At a younger age, when people asked how he was, I’d say, “If Tabsy gets past 45 he’ll make 90.”Sadly he fell just short, but he displayed staunch fighting qualities to reach 83. He was resilient; he never complained – just got on with life and did his job. The cat was not well at times but he was alive until Friday.In his prime he was a fine Australian wicketkeeper and probably the most popular cricketer I ever met. Wherever you went, people would ask, “How’s Tabsy?” You’d tell them nothing had changed, Brian was still battling. The reply was always the same: “Isn’t he a good bloke?”His first Test was in South Africa in 1966-67 and he claimed a very creditable eight dismissals – it would have been nine but one local umpire was extremely patriotic.In December 1968 as New South Wales captain Herbie equalled a then world record of 12 dismissals in a game against South Australia. We used to joke: “How did you get a stumping off [legspinner] Dick Guy? He never spun a ball.”Despite Tabsy’s prowess as a smooth keeper with good footwork, I worried about him after he was struck in the eye by a bail in a charity game. But then in 1982 we took an old-timers’ team to play in Fiji. Tabsy was our keeper and we had three wrist-spinners in the side. When David Sincock, the biggest spinner of them all, hit the edge of the matting with his first delivery, it flew past the right-hand batter’s left shoulder. Tabsy collected the ball easily and casually tossed it to me at slip. The next ball hit the same spot on the matting and shot straight along the ground, just missing off stump. Herbie again easily collected the ball and casually tossed it to me at slip.I stopped worrying about his damaged eyesight then.Taber at work behind the stumps in a tour match in the 1968 Ashes•Getty ImagesWe admired Taber as a keeper but were wary of him on the golf course. He was a regular miracle worker and would often produce unbelievable shots. During a game in India in 1969, he produced his piece de resistance. The first two holes were halved, so the match rested on a par three of 155 yards. Tabsy caught a bit of the sandy tee and then flubbed his iron. He exclaimed: “Might be time for the Texas Wedge.”He proceeded to give the ball a good tap with the putter and it gained much needed impetus from a strategically placed rock about six inches from the pin. Its last roll was into the hole. Quite unperturbed, he marched to the hole and collected his ball, noting as he replaced the pin: “We’ve got our par.”Tabsy retained his incredibly quick sense of humour to the end. He also helped other keepers, including Rod Marsh, the man who took his place in the Australia side.He was an extremely good manager and one of his great contributions to Australian cricket came when, in 1991, he managed an underage side to the Caribbean. At departure he was told by a naïve official: “If [Shane] Warne puts a foot out of place, send him home.” Tabsy quite rightly ignored the advice, made Warne the social secretary, and after his playing success on the tour, told me: “By the way the young bloke is a really good legspinner.”Tabsy was a good cricketer, he understood the game and knew how to handle people. Importantly he was a good bloke. We all miss the gentleman wicketkeeper.

The tournament begins on July 31 at seven venues across the USA

Peter Della Penna30-Jul-2021After initial launch plans were disrupted by the pandemic last summer, the 27-team Minor League Cricket (MiLC) T20 franchise tournament is set to kick off on July 31 at seven different venues across the United States of America. The tournament is meant to act as a feeder into the higher-profile six-team Major League Cricket (MLC) T20 franchise league which is designated for launch in 2023. That is the tournament USA Cricket wants to be on par with Full-Member-run T20 leagues around the world. Here is a rundown of how the MiLC will play out.Who’s playing?
American Cricket Enterprise (ACE), USA Cricket’s commercial partner, has already signed more than a dozen overseas players to three-year contracts with an eye on having them as anchor players for the six-team MLC, as well as putting them on the ICC residency qualification pathway to potential USA selection.These players are also available to feature for MiLC franchises and include Sami Aslam (ex-Pakistan, Golden State Grizzlies), Corey Anderson (ex-New Zealand, Irving Mustangs), Smit Patel (ex-India U-19, Manhattan Yorkers), Shehan Jayasuriya (ex-Sri Lanka, Silicon Valley Strikers), Dane Piedt (ex-South Africa, DC Hawks), Justin Dill (ex-South Africa U-19, New Jersey Stallions) and Corne Dry (ex-South Africa U-19, Atlanta Fire). Aside from these names, numerous West Indian players have also been signed as Wildcard overseas players, including Rahkeem Cornwall (Atlanta Fire).Related

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The teams were put together at a draft that took place earlier this year with squads of 16 to 18 players. According to league rules, there is a mandatory policy to include at least one U-19 and one U-21 player in each starting XI to promote development. There is also a shift to play as many matches as possible on natural turf wickets, which in the past has been one of the biggest hurdles for players attempting to transition from club cricket to international tournaments. MiLC’s first season will feature at least 11 venues using turf wickets with more planned for 2022.What are they playing for?
MiLC will feature an USD 250,000 prize pool, the largest for any tournament organised in the USA. The tournament champions will receive half of that and the runners-up USD 30,000 while the Division Champions who do not reach the final will receive USD 15,000.More than 100 matches will be livestreamed on YouTube throughout the tournament, offering more visibility to players both locally and internationally.ESPNcricinfo LtdSplit across four divisions on a regional basis
The 27 teams have been split into two conferences (Atlantic and Pacific) with two divisions (Eastern and Southern; Central and Western) in each conference. Because of the odd number of teams the schedule is slightly unbalanced. Both Pacific Conference divisions have seven teams and each will play a 15-match league slate of home and away fixtures against the other six teams within their division plus three matches against teams in the other division within their conference.The Southern Division holds six teams and will play a 14-match schedule consisting of home and away fixtures within the division plus four crossover matches with the Eastern Division. Meanwhile, the seven Eastern Division teams will play a 16-match schedule featuring home and away fixtures within the division plus four matches against teams in the Southern Division. The league phase runs from July 31 to September 19 with matches played on weekends to ensure player availability in a competition featuring both professionals and amateurs. In some instances, teams will be playing a morning-and-afternoon double-header on the same day.Eight-team playoffs
Playoffs qualification will be determined on a divisional basis. The top two in each division advance to the playoffs where the division winner will play the second-place team from the opposite division in their conference (i.e. Western Division champion vs Southern Division runners-up) on September 25 and 26 in a best-of-three round. The winner of each quarter-final will advance to the championship weekend on October 2 and 3 at Church Street Park in Morrisville, North Carolina.That weekend will be a straight knockout. The two teams advancing from the conference semi-finals (i.e. Western Division champion vs Southern Division champion) will play each other in a national semi-final on October 2 before the conference champions square off in the tournament final on October 3.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for “one of the best coaches ever” to replace Daniel Farke at Elland Road.

Pressure mounting on Farke at Leeds

After a promising start back in the Premier League which began with a 1-0 win over Everton, the pressure is starting to build on Farke in Yorkshire.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to rivals Burnley means it is now one win in the Whites’ last eight games in all competitions, with Leeds sitting two places and three points clear of the relegation zone.

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November 1

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November 9

Leeds vs Aston Villa

November 23

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November 29

Taking chances, injuries in the final third and a lack of clinical edge are already proving to be a real problem for Leeds, with Brenden Aaronson guilty of missing a big chance last time out.

Talking after the defeat at Turf Moor, former Leeds United left-back Aidy White played down claims that the 49ers Enterprises should be looking to replace the German.

“I don’t think changing manager, in this period over the next three or four games, is wise. This is an important period. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. If he doesn’t do well in this period, then huge decisions will need to be made.”

The 49ers have already pulled the plug on Russell Martin’s tenure as Rangers boss, and if things don’t improve for Farke in Yorkshire, the American owners could have another managerial search on their hands.

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ByCharlie Smith Sep 23, 2025

Next up for Farke and Leeds is a crucial fixture at Elland Road against West Ham United on Friday evening, with the Hammers currently sitting second bottom and four points adrift of Leeds.

Liam Rosenior linked with Leeds move

As shared by TEAMtalk, Liam Rosenior is one manager who has been linked with a move to Leeds after impressing in France with Strasbourg.

Rosenior’s side currently sit 3rd in Ligue 1 and drew 3-3 against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain last time out.

The 41-year-old, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, has experience of managing in England with Hull and appears to be going from strength abroad.

Former striker and now pundit Clinton Morrison is also a fan of Rosenior’s, going as far as calling him “one of the best coaches ever”.

“I actually think he’s a top manager. I spoke to a few people at Derby. He was unlucky to lose his job, the players respected him. He’s one of the best coaches ever.”

Rosenior also shares the same agency as Leeds attacker Aaronson, and if things don’t get better on the pitch, the 49ers may look to firm up their reported interest in the English coach.

The two bowlers picked up four wickets apiece and Taijul also completed 250 Test wickets

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2025

Hasan Murad broke through Ireland’s resistance on the fifth day in an improbable chase of 509 to complete Bangladesh’s 217-run win in the second Test in Dhaka. Curtis Campher remained unbeaten on 71 from 259 balls for an effort that lasted more than six hours. Gavin Hoey and Campher survived for more than 31 overs, before Murad removed both Hoey and No. 11 Matthew Humphreys in consecutive balls to complete Bangladesh’s 2-0 win.Murad and Taijul Islam finished with four wickets each, but Mushfiqur Rahim’s century in his 100th Test was the highlight of the match. Taijul also completed 250 Test wickets, becoming the sixth left-arm spinner to reach the mark. He had earlier gone past Shakib Al Hasan’s 246 wickets to become Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker.Campher and Hoey batted with remarkable composure on the fifth morning, as Bangladesh’s frustration grew after lunch with only two wickets left for victory. The pair ensured that Ireland batted 59.3 overs on the last day, despite there being a few close calls.Ireland started the day on 176 for 6 and Campher offered the full face of the bat while his overnight batting partner Andy McBrine survived for almost an hour before he was trapped lbw by Taijul for 21 to become his 250th Test wicket. Jordan Neill started off with a string of boundaries off Taijul, using the square cut and cover drives, before launching him down the ground. Neill’s only six came off Murad, though he also survived a dropped chance by Litton, on 23. It was Mehidy Hasan Miraz who got one to spin past Neill’s forward prod, which snuck through to hit the stumps soon after the second new ball was taken. Campher got to his fifty with a straight six that sailed over the long-on boundary.Campher and Hoey then took Ireland to lunch on 263 for 8 with a stand that crossed 50 in the second session, barely scoring at two runs an over. Even as Campher continued to resist, it took Murad just two balls in the end to seal the game.

The fast bowler and his Canterbury team-mate Mitch Hay could make their Test debuts in the second Test against West Indies

Deivarayan Muthu06-Dec-20251:57

Latham: Can’t fault the effort when we were a couple of bowlers down

Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related

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At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images

New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.

Daniel Farke will is set to be sacked by 49ers Enterprises if Leeds lose their next two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Liverpool.

Farke frustrated by Man City tactics at the Etihad

The Whites were left heartbroken by a late Phil Foden winner at Manchester City on Saturday, as a crucial point slipped through Farke’s fingers.

The German bemoaned City’s dark arts after the match, believing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down with a “fake injury” that allowed Pep Guardiola to give his players a team talk.

“It is within the rules,” Farke said. “It is smart. If I like it, if it is in the sense of fair play, if it should be like this, I keep it to myself and I leave it to the authorities to find solutions for it. It is within the rules.

“I asked the fourth official at this point if you want to do something and he said: ‘No, our hands are tied, we can’t do anything’.

“If we don’t educate our players in football, what to do in terms of fair play, sportsmanship, if you just try to bend the rules to your advantage and you can do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is nothing I personally like but if it is within the rules I can’t complain about it.”

49ers keen on hiring Farke upgrade at Leeds who's a "bit like Bielsa"

Leeds fans can expect high-octane football with this manager

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 30, 2025

Leeds want new manager in before January transfer window

The Leeds manager is feeling the pressure with his side now sat in the bottom three heading into two huge fixtures, as they take on Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday before welcoming Liverpool to Yorkshire on Saturday evening.

And according to a report from The Guardian, ‘multiple sources at Leeds have privately conceded that Farke’s fate is in the balance’.

He is likely to be relieved of his duties if they lose both games, despite some within the club feeling the performances have deserved better results.

More intriguingly, the report states the 49ers want to a new boss in before the January transfer window if they do indeed make a change, as they would like to make signings in January to mould the team to the new manager’s needs.

And while just who that is remains to be seen, a report shared by Give Me Sport claims Gary O’Neil is now the frontrunner to take over.

The former Wolves manager has been out of work for nearly a year after he was sacked in December 2024, but was looked on favourably during his time at Molineux.

“It’s unbelievable and you think the summer they had as well,” Shay Given said on BBC Match of the Day last year.

“I’ve just wrote some names down Nunes, Neves, Collins, Coady, Jimenez, he had to sell all them to balance the books up.

“So the job he’s done under such restraints and Financial Fair Play is just phenomenal.”

Taylor Rogers reportedly will no longer share a bullpen with his twin brother Tyler.

's Robert Murray reported Wednesday that the San Francisco Giants traded Rogers to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Braxton Roxby.

Rogers was due $12 million in 2025, the last season of his three-year deal he signed with the Giants in 2023.

Over nine seasons in the big leagues, Rogers has logged a 28–34 record, 3.34 ERA and 83 saves as one of the game's better left-handed relievers. He made the 2021 All-Star Game in his last season with the Minnesota Twins, who selected him in the 11th round of the 2012 MLB draft.

After one year split between the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers in 2022, Rogers joined his twin brother, Tyler Rogers, in the Giants' bullpen. In 64 games last year, Rogers logged a 2.40 ERA and 9.6 K/9.

Rogers now joins the Reds' bullpen as another late-game option alongside Alexis Diaz and Emilio Pagan for manager Terry Francona to utilize.

Roxby, 25, has yet to make his MLB debut. The right-hander registered a 5.21 ERA and struck out 65 batters in 48 1/3 innings at Double-A last year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions once again, and they won this one in style, rallying back from a 5-0 deficit in Game 5 on Wednesday night to beat the New York Yankees, 7-6. This is the franchise's eighth championship overall and its first since 2020.

The Dodgers got back in the game with a five-run fifth inning that was helped out by three brutal fielding mistakes by the Yankees, which included a horrible drop by Aaron Judge in center field.

They then took the lead in the eighth inning by scoring two runs, with Mookie Betts knocking in the winning run with a sacrifice fly to center.

Walker Buehler, who started Game 3 for the Dodgers, came in for the ninth inning and shut down the Yankees in order. He clinched it with a strike out of Alex Verdugo.

During the celebration Dodgers catcher Will Smith was approached by MLB to authenticate the ball that got the final out.

"I gotta give it to Walker," he said to the MLB official.

That moment is near the end of this video:

MLB fans loved that:

What a teammate.