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Steven Smith will enter the Ashes averaging more than 100 for the summer, after his half-century couldn’t save New South Wales from a 300-run Sheffield Shield defeat to Victoria who made it four wins from four.On a dramatic third day at the SCG where both Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott left the ground for hamstring scans, NSW were all out for 125 chasing 425 for victory.Related

• Starc fires up after search for rhythm but Handscomb hits 'special' hundred

• Hazlewood cleared of injury, Abbott out of first Test after hamstring scans

• Webster bags eight for the match but Tasmania lose to South Australia

Hazlewood has since been cleared for the first Test but Abbott is out of contention, with their issues just nine days out from Ashes opener in Perth overshadowing NSW’s woes.But by the end of Wednesday, NSW had still been convincingly beaten inside three days, after being bowled out twice in a combined 89.3 overs for the match.Sam Elliott picked up three wickets for Victoria to go with his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings, while Fergus O’Neill bowled well for his 2 for 22.But what can’t be denied is the form Smith will enter next week’s first Test in, as he prepares to captain Australia in the absence of the injured Pat Cummins.Smith’s unbeaten 56 on Wednesday means he now has scores of 118, 57 and 56 not out to start the summer for NSW after returning from an extended holiday in America.While he flourished with the drive in the first innings on Tuesday, the bulk of his runs came square of the wicket and behind it as he played a lone hand on Wednesday.There was still one big six down the ground off Todd Murphy, when he lifted the fingerspinner over long off.But while Smith again looked in good shape, Sam Konstas’s 27 in the fourth innings made him the only other NSW batter to pass 20 in the match. On a pitch with plenty of variable bounce, six batters were either bowled or trapped lbwEarlier, Abbott took three wickets in six balls before suffering his injury at the end of a five-over spell. The seamer bowled Todd Murphy and Peter Handscomb in the same over, before Oliver Peake edged a ball back onto his own stumps in Abbott’s next over.Hazlewood also had Sam Harper caught on the pull shot, before reporting some tightness to Smith and leaving the field for scans.”Coming into this game, we knew it was going to be a big challenge,” Victoria coach Chris Rogers said.  “It’s almost one of those games where you’re playing against a bit of a superstar team. If you lose, that’s okay. It could be a good health check to see where you are.”But to come out and play with such a dominant performance, I think it gives our changing room such a lift.”

Standing at 2.08m tall, the fast bowler delivered a stinging blow to India in the Guwahati Test

Firdose Moonda24-Nov-20255:17

Best Test allrounders: Jadeja, Stokes, and… Jansen?

We all know the image that best represents the long and the short of South African cricket because we see it every time Marco Jansen and Temba Bavuma get together on the field. Turns out it’s Jansen who carried all the height envy, not the other way around.Okay, not quite, but now that you’re interested, hear him out about why he wishes he could shave a bit off his 2.08 metres, especially when he is playing in India.”I’ve always struggled bowling in India, whether it was white ball or red ball,” Jansen said at the post-day press conference, “And I’m still jealous of people that get the ball to squat and nip back. Yesterday was a perfect example. (I bowled a ball) that went over off stump because I’m so tall. For a different bowler, like KG [Kagiso Rabada] that’s hitting top of off, so I’ve always been jealous of those people where they’re a bit shorter than me.”The delivery Jansen referred to came late on day two of the Guwahati Test, at the end of his second over. He pitched the ball on a length. It seamed back in to KL Rahul. He left it. And it sailed over the top of the sticks. Rahul judged it well but Jansen was frustrated, knowing he had come close to bowling the India opener.Related

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A tall fast bowler can often find it difficult to keep the stumps in play. But there is a flip side to it. A broadcast graphic showed that Jansen’s short ball pitched almost a metre closer to the batter than Mohammed Siraj’s and still generated disconcerting bounce.Going short wasn’t the plan when the day began. South Africa’s initial breakthrough came when the spinners operated in tandem for 17 overs in the morning session. Keshav Maharaj had Rahul caught at slip to break a 65-run opening stand while Simon Harmer was at the other end. Jansen then replaced Maharaj and the short-ball barrage started because South Africa thought they were “just going to try it.” He bowled six in a row in his first over as a sign of what was to come.In the next over, Jansen took the catch at backward point that dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and gave Harmer his first wicket. Harmer also got the next one, when Sai Sudharsan was caught at midwicket. Jansen felt that was key. “The spinners did a great job and then I was lucky to capitalise,” he told the broadcasters.3:51

‘SA might set 470 target and keep 120 overs’

Jansen had Dhruv Jurel caught on the pull in the 36th over and that set the tone for how he was going to bowl for the rest of the innings. “When I got my first wicket with the bouncer, we said ‘okay cool, let’s see how long this is going to work.'”It worked for the rest of that spell as Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were all out to the short ball sending Jansen on his way to pick up 6 for 48. Still, he didn’t think this performance has exposed a particular weakness in India’s batting. “Nitish Kumar Reddy. I’ve played with him at Sunrisers and I’ve seen him hit the short ball 50 rows back in IPL so I don’t think it’s a vulnerability thing. I just think it’s the game situation,” Jansen said.He was similarly complimentary about both Jurel and Pant but explained that Test cricket is “just difficult,” because “you have to absorb pressure and then you have to find a way and then you have to put pressure back on.” That is something South Africa have become better at doing over the last two years and were best at on a day like today.

I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.Jansen needed a bit of help to recover from being dismissed for 93 in Guwahati

Now as for Jansen’s claim about not bowling well in India before. It’s worth noting that he had only played one red-ball game in the country before these Tests, in 2019 for a South African A side. He bowled 15 overs and took 2 for 59. In ODIs, he has done reasonably well (17 wickets in 10 matches at 29.00), though the blow-out from South Africa’s group stage World Cup match against India in 2023 when he took 1 for 94 in 9.4 overs is clearly still a sore point. In the IPL he has 36 wickets from 35 matches but concedes at 9.40 runs to the over. All told, Jansen has been on nine tours to India, including five IPLs, over the last six years and perhaps the value of experience is starting to show.On this, his 10th trip, he has taken his first five-for in any format in the subcontinent to follow a career-best 93 with the bat. Still, he livid that a first red-ball century had eluded him. “I’ve never been in the 90s before in first-class cricket, never mind flipping Test cricket,” Jansen said.2:19

Philander: ‘Jansen made great use of his height’

Was it nerves, with South Africa nine down at the time, that caused him to hang back in his crease to defend Kuldeep Yadav, whom he had attacked all day, and chop on? Maybe. Maybe not. “I was nervous when I had 20. Definitely nervous. And I was nervous in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. I was nervous the whole way through,” Jansen said.South Africa’s centurion, Senuran Muthusamy, told him to “just breathe” and “that helped massively,” but the disappointment was writ large on Jansen’s face when he was dismissed. He dealt with it when the team left the ground. “Yesterday, when we went to the hotel, I tried to switch off and blow some steam off. I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.”And to make sure he was focused for a big bowling shift. South Africa lost Rabada to injury at the start of the tour and went into this game with only two seamers in the XI. Jansen conceded that losing Rabada was big but “whether KG plays or doesn’t play, I always try to think of myself as someone who can also break the game open for the team,” he said.”I just try to give my best every time I get the opportunity and try to put the team in a winning position. Not having KG there definitely adds a bit of responsibility and pressure on myself and Wessie [Wiaan Mulder]. Nonetheless, we know we have the bowlers, we know we have the players in the squad to help the team.”Those same bowlers will have the job of bowling India out again if South Africa are to win the Test. Jansen suspects it will fall to the three spinners, one of whom – Muthusamy – has not been required at all thus far as the surface deteriorates.”It is a good wicket. There is a bit of pace, there is a bit of bounce and now, the ball is starting to turn a little bit as well. Some of the balls are stopping as well from the spin, so I think the game is going to go more to the spinners side of things,” he said. “I think the pace and the bounce will stay there, but for seamers, in particular, I think we are going to have to make the new ball count. It is still a good wicket. If you bowl well, you will get wickets. If you bat well, you will score runs. You are just going to have to figure out your way of doing it.”South Africa only need a draw in Guwahati to win the series and if they do, it will be their first series win in India since the year 2000.

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Playing his first Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the 22-year old opener is emerging as one of India’s key players

Alagappan Muthu16-Nov-20243:31

Straight Talk: How can Jaiswal succeed in Australia?

There is a pretty cool bunch of people at the top of the list of Indians with the highest strike rates in Test cricket. Only four of the first ten are specialist batters. One of them is Yashasvi Jaiswal.Players at the top of the order in a game that can go on for five days are meant to try and avoid risk. The lists they would rather be on are most runs, or most hundreds, or best averages. And would you look at that, Jaiswal is there too. He is going to be important for India’s chances in Australia. But he has never faced a challenge like this.Five Tests. Away from home. Against a bowling attack that has quality, depth, variety and venom.Related

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In a career that is now little over a year old, Jaiswal has had occasion to taste bits of those separately. He played five Tests against England, but that was at home. He faced seam-friendly pitches and rip-snorting bowling in South Africa, but that was just two Tests. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will combine the worst of those two events together.India’s training sessions since they landed in Perth earlier this week have been focused on getting their batters used to pace and bounce, to the extent that one of them, KL Rahul, suffered an injury scare, because they know what they are up against. In the last three years, only two countries, where at least two Tests have been played, have been less hospitable for run-scoring than Australia (27.08).And that is fine. Test-match batting is supposed to be difficult, particularly when the red ball still has its shine. It’s on you to stay out there until it gets soft, and then cash in. Except, over the same period, the batting average against the old ball in Australia – assuming it starts to get old after 30 overs of wear and tear – is almost identical to the batting average against the new ball: 27.81 vs 26.64.That may be testament to the discipline of Australia’s bowling attack, and how well they function together. Jaiswal hasn’t really had a chance to face any of them, barring a few balls here and there in the IPL. He is going to have to do a lot of learning on the job, which began in earnest on Tuesday when he joined India A’s net sessions at the WACA, and hit one so hard and so far that the ball ended up on the street outside the ground. It seems he is comfortable that the methods he has been using so far don’t need too much fiddling. There are others who share the same opinion.They stray, he flays: Yashasvi Jaiswal could be key in Australia•Associated Press”He has the ammunition. He has the game to do well in Australia,” former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said on his ESPNcricinfo’s Straight Talk.Give Jaiswal half a chance to play an attacking shot and he will, whether it’s the first ball of the innings, or the second one in a chase. Put him in front of someone who is approaching 700 wickets or someone else who gets it up to 150kph, it’s all the same. They stray, he flays. That’s why a 22-year-old is shaping up as one of India’s most important players on a tour that is going to be long and tough, and lousy with consequence. Even the Australians know it.”He’s scored runs very quickly, but he hasn’t made a mistake. He hasn’t really given the opposition a chance to be able to get him out,” former allrounder Shane Watson said. This was pre-New Zealand though, when Watson was answering a question about whether India will miss someone who is capable of batting time and absorbing pressure, like Cheteshwar Pujara.”I think if those type of batters come out to Australia and play aggressively – just put the bad balls away and put pressure on the Aussie bowlers – then they can still have the same effect, and they keep the game moving as well.”Yashasvi Jaiswal perhaps has work to do in terms of shot selection when the ball is in an in-between length•AFP/Getty ImagesWith 10 of his 14 Tests have come at home, there has been a pattern to Jaiswal’s run-scoring – 902 have come against spin at an average of 75.16, and the remaining 505 have come against seam at an average of 38.84. He likes to take on short-pitched bowling, which he showed once again in a match simulation setting against India A in Perth. But there is perhaps some work to do in terms of shot selection when the ball is in an in-between length. It accounts for seven of Jaiswal’s 13 dismissals to pace so far, at an average of 18.42, and it happened again at the WACA when he was caught in the slips for 15. But he batted again and scored 58.”In Australia, you have to be to the pitch of the ball [to drive] unless the ball gets older, then you can drive on the up,” Manjrekar said. “But Yashasvi will play the new ball, so [he has to be] be careful when he wants to play that drive because that is one of his favourite shots.”Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be tempting him to make that mistake over and over, again and again. Nathan Lyon won’t let him rest easy either, because even if he bowls the kind of stuff Jaiswal likes, Jaiswal is the kind of batter Lyon likes – a left-hander, against whom he averages 24.20. At every turn, there is an obstacle. At no point can you feel safe. This series, with its relevance, profile and the baseline skill-level it demands from everyone involved, is fire, and Jaiswal will be stepping into it for the first time.He is the kind of batter whose success will breed success for the team because he can upset the opposition’s plans and take their rhythm away. But he is young, and he has never been here before. His success is far from guaranteed, though perhaps his growth is. Jaiswal has a high ceiling, and win, lose or draw, the experience of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy will help him reach it.

England made 125 runs and took two wickets in the morning session at Manchester

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes brought up his century on fourth morning•AFP via Getty Images

Ben Stokes added a century to the five-for he had already taken to cement his place among the greatest allrounders in Test cricket, and after all that he just had to sit back and watch as his bowling attack laid waste to India’s top-order. England had piled up 669, their fifth-highest total in this format. They kept India on the field for 157.1 overs and the fatigue that it caused was certainly on show. India, trailing by 311 runs, lost two wickets scoring any of their own.Stokes, who retired hurt on 66 with leg cramps, seemed back to his fighting best judging by the quick single he took in the very first over of play. Anshul Kamboj had hit the stumps direct at the bowlers end and Mohammed Siraj was so certain it was out that he had his forefinger raised to various corners of the ground. Replays showed a different picture and Stokes took to Siraj in the next over, dancing down the track and clattering him through cover for four.There were a few nervy moments as he approached his century, his first in 35 innings. A neat nudge off the hips brought it up. Stokes punched the air as he ran down the pitch and brought out the folded-finger salute – a tribute to his father Ged – while the trumpeter in the crowd added to the moment by belting out the Superman theme. Stokes joined Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis as the only three allrounders with 7000 Test runs and 200 Test wickets. He became the fifth captain to score a century and pick up a five-for.India were already showing signs of wear. They gave away overthrows. They spread the field for the No. 10. In situations like this, the 15 minutes they had to endure until lunch become extremely dicey and Chris Woakes made it impossible. He started around the wicket immediately to make sure the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiwal would not have easy leaves. The angle forced the mistake as he tried to flick one off middle stump only for the ball to seam extremely sharply off the pitch to take his leading edge through to Joe Root, who fumbled initially before gathering it on the second attempt. Sai Sudharsan showed the clearest signs of fatigue among the Indian players when he was faced with a harmless short and wide delivery. He tried to play at it. Eventually he realised he didn’t need to. In the end, he was caught at second slip leaving the ball.Shubman Gill walked out to face the hat-trick delivery, surrounded by five slips and a leg slip and his team yet to score. They managed one run during the three-over barrage.

Ruben Amorim complained earlier this season that his 3-4-3 formation is always to blame whenever Manchester United lose but on the rare occasion they win, his tactics are not credited. The coach's system has been the No. 1 talking point since he took charge of the Red Devils, with many believing it cannot work in the Premier League. But Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is proving otherwise.

Glasner has been playing the same formation as Amorim since he succeeded the beloved Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park in February 2024, with the team sitting 15th in the Premier League. But rather than being the straitjacket that it often seems to be for Amorim's United, the 3-4-3 shape has led to Palace enjoying one of the club's greatest ever spells.

In less than two years in charge he has led Palace to win the FA Cup (their first major trophy), consequentially taking them into Europe for the first time. He has also overseen the club's longest ever unbeaten run, spanning 19 games in all competitions and six months, and won this season's Community Shield. Palace are currently fifth in the Premier League, enjoying their best run in the division and their best season since finishing third in the old First Division in 1990, when they also reached the FA Cup final.

It is quite a different story for Amorim, who last season oversaw United's lowest league finish in 51 years and whose team were incapable of beating 10-man Everton in their last game despite having a one-man advantage for 77 minutes. As United head to south London to face Palace on Sunday, GOAL looks at six things Amorim could learn from Glasner in his long quest to make his formation finally work…

Getty Images SportPick formation based on players

Amorim and Glasner may be the two most famous exponents of 3-4-3 in the modern game but only one of them has made it their hallmark. While Amorim began playing the formation as early as his fourth game in charge of semi-professional side Casa Pia, his very first job, Glasner only started adopting it when he became Eintracht Frankfurt coach as it had worked for his predecessor.

"In my career, I have used every single system," Glasner told . "I got promoted in Austria with a 4-4-2, then we switched to a 3-4-3. In Wolfsburg, we reached the Champions League with a 4-2-3-1. In Frankfurt, they played with three at the back before and it fit the squad. I always look at what system might suit the players we have best. My favourite system is 4-4-2, but do we have the right players for this?"

Amorim's mistake was to land at Old Trafford hell-bent on playing his formation even though the squad he inherited was stacked with traditional wingers and shorn of good full-backs who could become effective wing-backs. Against Everton he stuck with the formation even when the circumstances demanded a tactical tweak, showing a concerning rigidity contrasting with Glasner's pragmatism.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFocus less on possession

Pep Guardiola's Barcelona made every team obsessed with having lots of possession but the game has shifted back towards a more equal balance in recent years. United's defeat against Everton was the most flagrant example that dominating the ball does not always win you games: they had 70 percent of the ball overall and 75% in the second half. 

Palace are showing just what you can do with less of the ball. They rank third-bottom in the Premier League for possession but are fifth in the table. United are ranked eighth for possession but are 10th in the table. Indeed, throughout this season United have tended to get better results when having less of the ball. 

They beat Liverpool with 36.5% possession and also had less of the ball when they beat Brighton and Chelsea, remarkably only having 41% of the ball against the Blues despite having a man advantage for most of the first half. The only game they have won while dominating the ball was against Burnley, who have the lowest possession count in the league, while they had marginally more possession when they beat Sunderland (50.2%).

When Amorim's Sporting CP thrashed Manchester City after he had accepted the United job, the coach warned: "United cannot play the way we play, they cannot be so defensive." But that is not the case any more. What United fans want right now is results and to climb up the table. When long-suffering supporters were celebrating their first win at Anfield in a decade, no one in the away end was grumbling about their lack of possession.

Getty Images SportHave a reliable centre-forward

The last time United played Crystal Palace, Jean-Phillipe Mateta gave a clinic in centre-forward play which was juxtaposed by the absurdity of Kobbie Mainoo starting as a false-nine for the Red Devils. It was a game which underlined the importance of having a streetwise, Premier League-tested centre-forward leading the line. But United did not learn any lessons from it. 

While Mateta was being touted as a smart option for United in the summer, they instead paid £74m ($98m) for Benjamin Sesko, despite him having the same flaws as Rasmus Hojlund, the player he was replacing after the Dane proved ill-equipped to cope with the demands of the Premier League and the pressure of playing for United. Sesko, who is in the middle of an expected six-week lay off with a knee injury, has scored two goals so far and it says a lot that Amorim opted against starting him against Liverpool and Tottenham, playing Matheus Cunha as a false nine instead. Joshua Zirkzee got his big opportunity against Everton but failed to take it.

Mateta, meanwhile, has scored six goals this season, making him the joint-fourth top scorer in the league. In the last two campaigns he scored a combined 30 goals. No one in United's squad came close to those numbers. Mateta is still not an elite-level striker and it should not be forgotten that in his second season at Palace he started only six league matches, being Hodgson's second-choice behind Odsonne Édouard. He has steadily learned the trade of what it takes to be a Premier League forward and even when he doesn't score he gives his team a clear focal point, something United clearly lack despite spending close to £184m on three strikers since 2023.

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Getty Images SportPlay wing-backs on correct wings

Wing-backs are utterly essential to a 3-4-3 system and Amorim has struggled to get a tune out of the men he has chosen to perform the role. Amad Diallo is the one exception as he has been one of the few players to continue to shine over the last year although playing at wing-back does not really suit his strengths.

While Amad has been able to demonstrate his attacking quality as an inverted wing-back and has struck up a promising partnership with Bryan Mbeumo, playing further back than his natural role as a right winger has its pitfalls. His defensive shortcomings were exposed against Nottingham Forest and he is not helped by being forced to defend on his weaker right side. 

The same is true of Diogo Dalot although for different reasons. Dalot is naturally right-footed but is often deployed as left-wing-back, meaning he struggles to cause damage going outside defenders and routine goes inside, making it easier to defend against. Gary Neville was furious with Amorim for bringing Dalot on against Everton to replace Patrick Dorgu, while Jamie Carragher previously said of the Portugal international in this position: "He can't beat a man. He's not going to play a clever pass, he's not going to get a cross in."

Glasner has gone for a simpler approach, playing the right-footed Daniel Munoz at right-wing-back and the left-footed Tyrick Mitchell on the opposite flank. Munoz has contributed to 17 Premier League goals since joining Palace in January 2024. Mitchell has 11 goal contributions since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. 

The numbers only tell half of the story though: the wing-backs' legs and lungs are a big reason why Glasner's team are so dangerous going forward on the break. Mitchell and Munoz both currently rank in the top five in the Premier League for distance covered, according to OPTA.

Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Richarlison added to his impressive Premier League season so far with a goal against Brentford on Saturday.

The Brazilian marksman scored his sixth league goal of the campaign, in his ninth start, by tapping the ball into an empty net from Xavi Simons’ ball to the back post.

Richarlison, signed from Everton for £60m in 2022, is starting to show that he can be relied upon in the final third, but the same cannot be said of Randal Kolo Muani.

Spurs eyeing new move for striker target

Now, the club are reportedly looking at a deal for another number nine who could come in as an instant upgrade on the PSG loanee next month.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are readying a new move to sign Crystal Palace centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Lilywhites are looking to take advantage of his stalling contract talks with the Eagles to swoop for him ahead of the second half of the season.

It adds that Spurs made a “cheeky” offer to sign the France international to bolster their squad in the summer, and now they are lining up another attempt to bring him to North London.

Football Insider reveals that his contract discussions with Palace have reached a deadlock, which has opened the door for Thomas Frank and Fabio Paratici to swoop.

Why Spurs should sign Mateta

Spurs should push to sign Mateta from the Eagles because he would come in as an upgrade on Kolo Muani, who has been disappointing this season.

The Lilywhites signed the France international on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window, with no option or obligation to buy included.

Tottenham may be glad that they did not include an obligation to make the deal permanent because his form in the Premier League so far this season has not been good enough.

Kolo Muani has scored no goals, missed three ‘big chances’, and failed to assist any goals in eight appearances and six starts in the top-flight, per Sofascore, for Spurs, which shows that he has not offered enough in the final third.

Meanwhile, Mateta has scored nine goals in all competitions for Crystal Palace, per Sofascore, including a return of seven goals in 14 outings in the Premier League.

As well as offering more of a threat in front of goal than Kolo Muani, his international teammate also offers more to the team as a physical presence in the centre-forward position.

Appearances

15

8

Shots on target per game

1.5

0.1

Goals

7

0

Assists

0

0

Ground duel success rate

41%

34%

Aerial duel success rate

40%

37%

Duels won per game

4.1

3.2

As you can see in the table above, Mateta is better in his physical duels, holding the ball up for the team and scrapping to keep possession, whilst also being a superior goalscorer.

Journalist Rory Smith said the striker is “like original Ronaldo” last year, as he started tucking in his shirt to give himself the classic centre-forward look, which is still the case in the present day, and his goalscoring record backs up such a comparison.

The 28-year-old marksman scored 17 goals in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign and 19 goals in the 2023/24 season, per Sofascore, proving why, in the words of Como scout Ben Mattinson, he is “one of the best strikers in the Premier League.”

He is a prolific scorer, like the legendary Brazilian who scored 318 club career goals (Transfermarkt), who rocks the classic tucked-in shirt with style and substance, which could make him a real fan favourite in North London.

With Kolo Muani struggling for form in the Premier League and due to return to PSG at the end of the season, signing a proven Premier League star in the prime of his career could be a brilliant move by Paratici to provide Richarlison with competition in the number nine position.

So, if a January deal is viable, Spurs should push to get a deal done for the French powerhouse, who has the quality to be a difference-maker with the goal threat that he can offer in the second half of the season and beyond.

Spurs star now a doubt for Prague after limping out of the stadium on Saturday

Spurs have been handed an injury blow.

ByMatt Dawson 5 days ago

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Agustín Giay é a bola da vez para chegar ao Palmeiras. O Verdão insistiu na contratação — e pagará cerca de R$ 40 milhões por 75% dos direitos — porque o argentino de 20 anos se encaixa perfeitamente no perfil de reforços do clube. Anteriormente, os argentinos endureceram as negociações e rejeitaram as primeiras propostas apresentadas.

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O Palmeiras ficou “encantado” com Giay. Ele soma as características desejadas pela comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, além de entrar no projeto a longo prazo do clube: atleta versátil, jovem, competitivo, passagens por seleções de base e promissor, podendo render lucro ao Alviverde no futuro.

Polivalente, o jogador atua na lateral-direita, como volante e meia pela direita. A versatilidade é justamente um dos “mantras” de Abel, que insiste em ter um elenco que os atletas desempenhem mais de uma função.

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Praticamente todo plantel alviverde, atualmente, atua com frequência em mais de uma posição. Além disso, Giay é analisado como competitivo para marcar e atacar, outra valência enfatizada pelo técnico do Palmeiras.

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Formado no San Lorenzo, Giay foi capitão da seleção Argentina no Mundial sub-20. Experiente apesar da pouca idade, o provável reforço palmeirense está no time profissional do “clube do Papa” desde seus 18 anos.

continua após a publicidadePalmeiras viu Giay de perto

O Palmeiras enfrentou o San Lorenzo duas vezes na fase de grupos da Libertadores 2024. A partir disso, o interesse na joia aumentou.

— Sim, teve contato (com Abel Ferreira e Simeone). Mas são coisas que não cabem a mim. Estou tranquilo, pensando no clube — disse Giay, em entrevista recente à “Espn Argentina”.

Na temporada atual, o atleta soma 24 partidas, um gol e duas assistências.

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Trinity Rodman has spoken out about her NWSL future as the Washington Spirit look to retain the forward's services. USWNT star Rodman's current deal in the capital expires next month and the Spirit are keen to keep 23-year-old after another strong season. DC Power have reportedly lodged an offer, which exceeds the Spirit's offer owing to the NWSL wage cap structure, while there is also interest from England's WSL.

Getty Images SportInjured Rodman struggled in defeat to Gotham

NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed that the league will do everything in their power to retain Rodman's services. "We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," Berman said in the NWSL Final presser earlier in the week as the league strives to retain their star player.

The Spirit were in action against Gotham FC, but fell to a 1-0 loss on Saturday as Rose Lavelle's 80th minute winner proved the difference at PayPal Park in San Jose. Rodman didn't start the match owing to an MCL injury to her right knee, yet featured from the bench with a little over half hour to go. When asked about her knee, the Spirit forward admitted it "felt great" but later commented that she wasn't at full strength.

And it showed as Rodman struggled to make an impact as she failed to get a shot off during his second half cameo. It was a performance eerily similar to last season's NWSL showpiece event as the Spirit fell to a 1-0 defeat to Orlando Pride, as Rodman struggled with a back problem in the narrow loss.

Speaking after the NWSL final defeat, Rodman admitted that she "definitely underperformed" as attention turns to her future with the Spirit.

AdvertisementRodman was not 'feeling herself' in the lead up to the final

Referring to the amount of playing time she had in the lead up to Saturday's defeat to Gotham FC, Rodman said: "I think naturally only having nine minutes going into a final is not ideal. As much as I don't want to admit it, I still don't feel like I was my full self tonight, which sucks.

"I feel like this is the second year I've gone to a final not I feeling myself. So it just makes me sad. But yeah, for me, I was just trying to go out there and do what I could. I definitely underperformed."

After the match, Rodman walked over to the far side of PayPal Park, where she and her boyfriend, tennis sensation Ben Shelton, held each other in a long embrace. "It was sad, and I feel like you obviously have your team the entire year, but sometimes you just need your outside supporters and Ben is that for me.

"So I was just crying. I'm sad. It sucks and it's not just we lost a soccer game. It's all the work we put into it and it's nice to get that reward at the end, but at the end of the day we can still celebrate because we did so much."

Getty Images EntertainmentRodman's DC Power offer highlights NWSL's wage cap

With attention now on Rodman's future with the Spirit, the forward was asked whether loss to Gotham FC would influence her decision, to which she replied: "No, every team loses."

DC Power, who play in the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, which gives clubs full power over squad building and allows all players to become free agents when their contracts expire. By comparison, the NWSL's hard cap means wages are restricted to $3.3m per team for 2026, and not expected to reach $5m until 2030, which limits how many teams can offer players in negotiations.

Commissioner Berman has defended the cap, however, and highlighted the NWSL's growth in recent years, stating: "The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years."

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Potential DC Power switch puts Rodman in unique situation

The outcome of Rodman's contract decision could influence contract negotiations for American players in the future. US stars Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma both moved to WSL champions Chelsea from Angel City and San Diego Wave, respectively, earlier this year, while Lindsey Heaps transferred to French side Lyon from the Portland Thorns back in 2022.

And with lucrative offers available elsewhere, Rodman's offer of a move to DC Power will again bring the NWSL's salary cap under the spotlight amidst the possibility that one of the league's star performers could depart for a bigger contract elsewhere.

The Power and the Spirit both share training facilities owned by MLS giants DC United, and a move to the former from the latter would see Rodman remain in the same market but move to a different league entirely.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer blamed Benjamin Sesko for Manchester United's troubles this season as the Slovenian forward has been told to improve his game. Ex-Arsenal star Theo Walcott, on the other hand, drew comparison between the United summer signing and Thierry Henry. After winning three matches in a row last month, United have now been held to consecutive draws in the Premier League in November.

Sesko's difficult start and injury problems

Ruben Amorim introduced Sesko in the 58th minute of their 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. However, towards the closing stages of the game, the striker had to be taken off following a robust challenge from Micky van de Ven. His cameo performance featured a couple of missed chances. 

The former RB Leipzig star has endured a difficult start to life in England, as he has scored just two goals in the 12 matches he has played thus far for the Red Devils across all competitions. His toothlessness in front of the goal has hampered United's performance at times. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesShearer not impressed by Sesko

Speaking on , Premier League record scorer Shearer said: "Sesko struggled again. He’s only scored twice in his 12 appearances and he came on today with just over half hour to go and had two really, really good chances and should have scored, to be honest. They worked it really well for him to get in. He’s either got to get his shot away early or he’s got to push that ball forward quicker. He’s not going to get that amount of time in the Premier League to work it back on his right foot. This one [Sesko’s second chance] is the bigger puzzle for me. I know he’s struggling for confidence but any centre-forward knows you cannot allow the centre-half to come back at you, you’ve got to get across Van de Ven.

"By that time he should have a picture in his head of where the keeper is and what he wants to do. I don’t think he has a clue he wants to do because I don’t even think he even knows Van de Ven is there and chasing him. I know he’s struggling with confidence but it’s a big ‘must do better’. No one likes to see him coming off injured and we hope his knee is okay but they are two chances you’d expect at that level that someone has to put away."

Sesko compared to Henry

Former Arsenal forward Walcott drew comparison between Sesko and Gunners legend Henry as he added: "As a forward player I’d always be my biggest critic. How many crosses did I get in? How many shots did I have? Did I beat my man? Benjamin Sesko isn’t contributing much at the moment and Manchester United don’t seem to be playing to his strengths. But there is still time.

"I remember when Thierry Henry came to the Premier League – he was a shadow of the player we remember now. I also played with Olivier Giroud – he took about 10 games to really get going, and not many people remember that. We could all see what type of player he was going to be in training."

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Getty ImagesHow serious is Sesko's injury?

After the Spurs clash, Amorim had reacted to the fresh injury of Sesko as he said: "I have no idea. Because it's the knee, we never know. I'm concerned with the injury because it's in the knee. We need Ben to be a better team. We have to check everything, we have to check what has happened with him."

But on Sunday, reported that the injury was not serious and shouldn’t rule Sesko out for a lengthy spell. However, the full extent of the injury will only be revealed after an MRI scan, which will take place in the coming days.

Amorim would hope that the striker recovers quickly during the international break and features for the club in their next Premier League clash against Everton on November 24.