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Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon was a sensational performance which gave Pep Guardiola’s side even more daylight on the 2024/25 Premier League champions.

City put Liverpool to the sword in Guardiola’s 1000th game as a manager, running out 3-0 victors.

The East Mancunian side are still some way off the top of the table, with Arsenal four points clear and comfortably leading the way. Yet, City are finding their best form, having now won four of their last five games, and leading the way for the most goals scored in the top flight.

The main reason for that form in front of goal is Erling Haaland.

How Haaland's start to 2025/26 compares to other seasons

It has got to the point where you watch Haaland now and wonder when, not if, he will score. The Norwegian striker is the most clinical player in the Premier League, and, despite being 108 games into his English top-flight career, is already one goal away from a century.

This season, Haaland has been at his very best. In the Premier League, he’s found the back of the net 14 times in just 11 games.

All of those have come from open play, too, a run which has stayed intact after missing a penalty against Liverpool. Of course, he still got on the scoresheet on Sunday anyway.

City’s striker is in exceptional form, and it does seem nigh on impossible to stop him. But, this is not even his best start to a Premier League season for City. That came in his debut campaign back in 2022/23, when he bagged 15 goals in the first 11 matches.

The following term, 2023/24, was his worst start. That is ironic, given that his 11 goals in as many games would be the ideal way for most strikers to begin the campaign. In 2024/25, Haaland has 12 goals in the first 11 games.

With 19 goals for City in all competitions, it is fair to say the City number 9 is in the form of his life. Yet, there is one of his teammates who could also be in that category.

Man City star is hitting his best form alongside Haaland

Things are starting to click for Guardiola’s side in recent weeks, with Haaland, of course, looking at his very best. Phil Foden is another player who is motoring and has put in some excellent performances in the Champions League.

But it is the man who was player of the match against Liverpool who looks to be in the form of his life. Jeremy Doku shone against the Reds with a dazzling display, capped off with a goal of the highest quality.

It was a performance from the winger which will live long in the memory of City fans. He completed an unbelievable seven out of eight dribbles and was relentless against Conor Bradley.

His goal from the edge of the box saw him drive inside, buy a yard of space and unleash an effort that sailed into the top right corner.

It is not only that game that suggests Doku is playing his best football yet. City’s number 11 has some exceptional underlying numbers, averaging 3.33 key passes and 10.72 progressive carries per 90 minutes. Both of these rank him in the top 1% of positionally similar players in the Premier League.

Described as an “unstoppable” force by BBC Sport analyst Umir, the Belgian winger already has three goals and four assists in 16 games for the Citizens this term. His best campaign saw him get 17 goals and assists across all competitions, so to be 41% of the way to that total is impressive.

With the sort of form the 23-year-old is showcasing this season, it is easy to see how he is in the form of his life. At the current rate, he could easily have his most productive season in terms of goals and assists, whilst helping City push for titles in all competitions.

Man City "genius" looks like the player Liverpool thought Wirtz would be

This Man City star has outshone Wirtz in less minutes this season

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 7, 2025

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Arsenal keeping a clean sheet.

Mikel Arteta’s side matched a 122-year club record on Tuesday night by doing so for the eighth game on the bounce in their Champions League win over Slavia Prague.

To their credit, the Czech side came out of the blocks like a house on fire, but after the 20-minute mark, the Gunners established control over the game that remained until the final whistle.

However, while most of the team impressed, there was one player who looked off the pace and was far less effective than Mikel Merino.

Merino's night vs Slavia

With Viktor Gyokeres joining Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the injury list over the weekend, Merino was once again drafted in to start up top.

Given the fact that the Czech giants hadn’t lost a home game since December, it was always going to be a challenging evening for the makeshift number nine, and early on, it looked it.

However, just 35 seconds into the second half, the Spanish international once again found himself in the right place at the right time and buried a brilliant cross from Leandro Trossard.

It wasn’t a lucky or scrappy goal, though; it was a well-timed run and a proper centre-forward’s finish on the half volley.

With his name on the scoreboard, the 29-year-old seemed to grow in confidence and just 22 minutes later headed home his second from a Declan Rice delivery.

He did more than bag a brace, though, as in his 95 minutes of action, he played one key pass, took 52 touches, covered 10.2km, made three interceptions, two clearances and three recoveries.

It really was a man-of-the-match display from Merino and one that should fill Arteta with confidence ahead of a tricky game away to Sunderland on Saturday.

However, there was another starter who more than likely played himself out of the team.

Arsenal's underwhelming star

Unfortunately, while the likes of Merino, Trossard and Rice were looking brilliant against Slavia, Ethan Nwaneri was not.

Chalkboard

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

Now, there is no denying that the 18-year-old is an extraordinarily talented prospect and someone who still seems destined for big things.

However, it is also true that he was the most underwhelming player for the Gunners on Tuesday night and looked like an inexperienced youngster.

For example, while he did get himself into promising areas on several occasions, he’d then either lose the ball, play the wrong pass or hold on to it for too long.

As content creator Alex Moneypenny points out, the Hale Ender will have to “prioritise retention” more if he “wants to go to the next level.”

It might sound harsh, but the Sun’s Chisanga Malata was also unimpressed, awarding the teen a 5/10 match rating and writing that he “was anonymous in the first half and struggled to get into the game.”

Unfortunately, his statistics more than back up such an appraisal, as in 65 minutes he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.04, failed to complete a single cross, took 30 touches – 18 fewer than David Raya – completed just 18 passes, lost possession six times and won two of seven duels.

Minutes

65′

Expected Goals

0.03

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Accurate Passes

18/19

Touches

30

Lost Possession

6

Tackles (Won)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (2)

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Fouls

2

Ultimately, Nwaneri is an incredible talent and will surely get back to his best this season, but due to his poor performance against Slavia, he should be dropped for the Sunderland game.

Arsenal "warrior" who won 100% duels is looking like Arteta's new Gabriel

Arsenal may have unearthed another Gabriel during their 3-0 win over Slavia Prague.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 5, 2025

The international break is finally coming to an end this weekend, and West Ham United will be looking to continue their good form.

After a somewhat rocky start to life in the London Stadium dugout, Nuno Espírito Santo finally got a tune out of the Hammers before the break, beating Newcastle United and Burnley.

Those victories have done wonders for the atmosphere around the club, but even so, there is plenty of work to be done in the coming months.

Moreover, the board need to help the Portuguese coach overhaul the squad, and one way they can do that is by moving on one of Graham Potter’s worst signings, alongside Niclas Füllkrug.

The latest on Niclas Füllkrug

While some fans wanted Fullkrug to leave West Ham in the summer, the German decided to stay put and fight to turn things around.

However, like the rest of the team, he started this season in dire form and then, within two games of Nuno’s reign, tore a muscle, which has kept him out of the last four matches.

During that period, it became clear that the former Borussia Dortmund striker wanted to leave the club, and now, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that he will, and has already been in talks with sides from Germany and elsewhere.

On one hand, it could be seen as a shame that the Irons will be losing a German international after just a season and a half at the club.

However, on the other hand, this is a move the club need to facilitate for everyone’s sake, as describing the 32-year-old’s time in the capital as disappointing would be an understatement.

Appearances

20

7

Minutes

877′

385′

Goals

3

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

175.4′

N/A

For example, since making his move to the club in the summer of 2024, he has scored just three goals and provided two assists in 27 appearances, totalling 1262 minutes.

Worse yet, he failed to score or assist a single goal in the seven appearances prior to his injury this season.

For whatever reason, the international marksman has looked like a totally different player in Claret and Blue from the one who racked up 25 goal involvements in his last season in Germany.

Therefore, getting rid of him in January would be best for all parties, which is unfortunately something that could be said about another international in West Ham’s squad.

The West Ham flop Nuno needs to axe

While it took a little while for them to settle in, it would be fair to say that most of West Ham’s summer signings have improved the squad.

Chalkboard

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

El Hadji Malick Diouf, for example, is a tremendous attacking full-back, Kyle Walker-Peters is great cover and even Callum Wilson has scored a couple of goals and is fine as a low-cost option.

However, one player who wasn’t low-cost and certainly has not improved the squad is Mads Hermansen.

Potter and Co paid Leicester City around £18m for the Danish international in the summer, and unfortunately, that fee is looking worse and worse with each passing game week.

For example, on his competitive debut for the club, he conceded three against Sunderland, then let in five at home to Chelsea the following week.

It was after the game against the West Londoners that Jamie Redknapp argued that he “needs to be changed”, and iconic commentator Ian Darke described the 25-year-old’s start to life in East London as “horrible.”

He then kept his first clean sheet against Nottingham Forest, but the next game saw him let in another three goals, this time at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Since then, the 25-year-old hasn’t been anywhere near the starting lineup, and in his place, Alphonse Areola has reminded the club that while not the most spectacular of keepers, he can do a job.

Therefore, when the winter window opens, the board should be looking to recoup as much as they can on the former Foxes star, as he’s clearly not good enough to be the number one, and he cost too much and is too unreliable to be a number two.

Ultimately, it might be ruthless, but for the good of his own career and the squad, West Ham need to ensure Hermansen follows Fullkrug out the door in January.

West Ham flop was compared to Pirlo, now he's "National League standard"

He has shown no Pirlo-esque ability since moving to West Ham United.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025

Leeds United are ready to sell a first-team player in the January transfer window, and there is now interest from a Champions League giant.

Pressure on Farke ahead of Leeds vs Aston Villa

Daniel Farke arguably appears to be the Premier League manager under the most pressure as club football prepares to make a return.

The Whites go into Sunday’s clash at home to Elland Road off the back of two disappointing away defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (h)

November 23rd

Manchester City (a)

November 29th

Chelsea (h)

December 3rd

Liverpool (h)

December 6th

Brentford (a)

December 14th

Crystal Palace (h)

December 21st

Sunderland (a)

December 28th

Now just a point above the relegation zone, Farke insisted that his side aren’t panicking.

Leeds have already been linked with numerous managers to replace Farke in Yorkshire, including former RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose and ex-Tottenham and Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou, both of whom are currently out of work.

However, the 49ers Enterprises are ready to give Farke until January to turn things around, and in the winter transfer market, one player exit could materialise.

Inter Milan keen to sign Leeds goalkeeper Meslier

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Inter Milan are interested in signing Illan Meslier in 2026.

Leeds are ready to sell the goalkeeper in the January transfer window with his contract up at the end of the season, however, Inter, as well as rivals AC Milan, have their eyes on a free transfer in the summer.

Both Milan sides have a good relationship with Meslier’s agent Pini Zahavi, who is looking to find the Frenchman a new permanent home with the goalkeeper failing to make an appearance for Leeds in 2025/26, being preferred to new signing Lucas Perri and Wales number one Karl Darlow.

Of course, should Meslier’s situation remain the same, he’ll be able to pen a pre-contract agreement with Inter or AC Milan in the New Year.

The 49ers may find it tough to recoup the £5m they spent on Meslier back in 2020, which is something that would’ve been hard to believe a few years ago when the ‘keeper was once valued at £50m at Elland Road.

Inter are currently joint-top of the Champions League group with four wins from a possible four, conceding just once during that time.

They have Yann Sommer (36), Raffaele Di Gennaro (32) and Josep Martinez (27) as their current goalkeeping options heading into 2026, and by the looks of it, Meslier could join or replace one of the trio.

Academy star who's never played a senior minute for Leeds could replace Bijol

This might be the first international break in some time that West Ham United fans can’t wait for it to end.

The East Londoners are still in the Premier League relegation zone, but following back-to-back wins, there is a sense of optimism that they can avoid a protracted fight for survival this year.

After all, Nuno Espirtio Santo took Nottingham Forest from near the bottom of the table to Europa League football in a season and a half; why can’t he achieve something similar at the London Stadium?

However, before fans get carried away, there are still a number of players who need to be moved on from the squad, including one flop previously compared to Andrea Pirlo.

West Ham's biggest losers since Nuno arrived

After a slightly rocky start, Nuno does look to have finally stabilised and improved things at West Ham.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

However, while the team appears to be somewhat on the up, and the fans are starting to feel justifiably optimistic about what the rest of the campaign could bring, some players have lost out due to the appointment of the Portuguese coach.

For example, while James Ward-Prowse was a constant feature in Graham Potter’s midfield, he hasn’t played a minute under the new regime.

In fact, the former Southampton captain hasn’t even been named in a single squad, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise considering Nuno also froze him out when he was on loan at the City Ground last year.

Another Potter signing who has had no luck under the Sao-Tome-born boss is Igor Julio.

The Brazilian centre-back joined the Hammers on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion on deadline day, and so far has played 13 minutes of football under his new boss, which came in three short appearances off the bench.

What makes this worse is the fact that Konstantinos Mavropanos has been out injured for almost a month, and even so, he has still been limited to a bit-part role at best.

Finally, although this may be a bit harsh, the manager appears to have lost faith in Soungoutou Magassa.

The Frenchman started his first two games in charge, but has since played just 30 minutes of action across the last four league games, thanks to two substitutions.

With that said, he’s still young and clearly talented, so there is every chance Nuno will eventually use him more often, which cannot be said for a West Ham flop who was once compared to Pirlo, but now needs to be sold as soon as possible.

The West Ham flop compared to Pirlo

The midfield pairing of Freddie Potts and Mateus Fernandes, which has worked so well in recent games, has made it evident that West Ham need to get rid of their other midfield options, who have looked way off it this season: Andrew Irving.

The Hammers signed the Scotsman in the summer of 2023 from Austrian outfit Klagenfurt, and while it wasn’t really a big deal at the time, there was a hope he’d prove to be a bargain buy, especially as he’d been compared to the legendary Pirlo in the past.

Yes, while it was certainly tongue-in-cheek, he was given the nickname ‘Portobello Pirlo’ by the fans during his time with Scottish outfit Hearts, where he made 61 appearances, scoring five goals and providing 13 assists.

Unfortunately, while he was probably deserving of the comparison north of the border, he hasn’t shown any Pirlo-esque quality in the capital.

In fact, in the words of journalist Jordan Rushworth, he has looked more like a “National League standard” midfielder, adding that he “gets walked past every time an opposition midfielder has the ball.”

While harsh and probably a little over the top, the 25-year-old has looked miles off it in Claret and Blue, and was starting in the middle of the park during Nuno’s struggles against Brentford and Leeds United.

In fact, it was in the aftermath of the former that Jamie Carragher described the Hammers as “one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League history!”

This lack of dynamism in the middle of the park was largely down to the once-capped Scotsman, and his statistics from that game did not make for pleasant reading.

In his 61 minutes of inaction, he played a single key pass, misplaced four of five crosses, lost 100% of his tackles, didn’t make a single interception, clearance or block, and lost 100% of his aerial duels.

Minutes

61′

Expected Assists

0.02

Key Passes

1

Shots

0

Crosses (Accurate)

5 (1)

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Tackles (Won)

2 (0)

Clearances

0

Interceptions

0

Blocks

0

Ultimately, Irving has been really quite poor for West Ham this season, and with far better options currently doing the business for Nuno, he should be sold in January.

£67m spent & no Wilson or Fullkrug: Nuno's dream West Ham XI after January

This is the dream West Ham starting line-up that Nuno could build in the January window.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 15, 2025

Barry Bonds had plenty of epic at-bats in his career as the greatest slugger the baseball world has ever seen.

In a video for the San Francisco Giants YouTube channel, Bonds sat down with commentator Duane Kuiper to share memories of some of his most iconic moments at the plate at Oracle Park.

One of those battles was a matchup against Dodgers closer Eric Gagne in April of 2004. At the time, Bonds was the three-time reigning NL MVP, and Gagne was the reigning NL Cy Young winner. This was the type of battle that lives in the dreams of baseball fans.

According to Bonds, he was able to get the pitch he was looking for thanks to a clever bit of gamesmanship. The drama started when Gagne delivered a heater inside that nearly clipped Bonds.

“I thought he broke my rib cage, because he came in tight. That was like 101 [mph]. When he cut me inside I was like, ‘Oh no.’ I knew it was on,” Bonds explained. “You’ll see me stare him down going, ‘That wasn’t the deal brother, but if you want to play the game, we’re going to play the game.’ I just wanted to send a message, don’t do that.”

Bonds then broke out a trick that his father taught him for dealing with a flamethrower.

“My dad always told me that if a guy throws that hard, send him a message and pull it very, very hard foul, and I guarantee you the next pitch is away.”

Bonds pulled one very, very hard. And when the next pitch was delivered away, he smacked it out of the park.

There’s nothing like a chess match between two of the best in the business.

Liverpool are probing the market for reinforcements after a poor start to the Premier League season and could now be ready to break their transfer record in the process.

Despite returning from the international break determined to arrest their slump in form, the Reds were on the end of a comprehensive defeat to Nottingham Forest that hammered home some of the frailties Arne Slot has been trying to address since the beginning of the campaign.

Nevertheless, David James is a firm believer that Liverpool can still have a solid season despite losing six of their last seven top-flight matches, claiming that the Champions League may be where they are most likely to earn success.

He told BBC Sport: “Liverpool do not recruit for one season, they recruit for the future. I believe with the players they signed they can be good, but I was one of those that expected them to be fine from the get-go.

“The test for Arne Slot as manager is whether he can turn this around. Not winning the title this season doesn’t make it a bad season. Comparatively it does compared with last season but he wasn’t expected to win it last season. He has already ticked that box if we are looking at the broader picture. The Champions League now becomes more important and winning it would justify everything this season.”

PSV Eindhoven visit Anfield in midweek as the Reds bid to move well into the top eight of the league phase, which would result in an automatic place in the last 16 if they were able to finish the job.

January and beyond will be pivotal for Liverpool as they look to build for the challenges ahead, and they could now be willing to shatter their transfer record to land a premium target.

Liverpool submit club record bid for Federico Valverde

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have submitted an offer worth over £131 million for Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde. The Reds would also be willing to make the Uruguay international, who Toni Kroos called one of the ‘top three’ players in the world, their highest earner on over £500,000 per week.

Liverpool's record signings ranked

Willing to double his current wage at the Santiago Bernabéu, the Reds see Valverde as someone who could revolutionise their midfield after falling into a sticky patch under Slot. Simply put, he fits their tactical framework and England’s reigning champions are ready to convince him that Anfield is a place where he can thrive.

Internally, there is debate at Real Madrid over whether letting one of their high-profile stars leave the club would offer up the opportunity to invest elsewhere, as the size of the offer has caused discourse within Los Blancos’ higher ups, something that may give Liverpool a fighting chance of landing their man.

Federico Valverde at Real Madrid

Appearances

339

Goals

32

Assists

35

With any transfer more likely to occur in the summer, it now remains to be seen whether Valverde will become a statement addition on Merseyside.

Bowling coach Botha is also looking forward to meeting Broad and picking up “one or two new ideas”

Firdose Moonda06-Jun-2025″As a small boy, you want to be involved in Test cricket, and then you want to play against Australia and then you want to play at Lord’s. And then suddenly it happens all at once.”For eight members of the South African squad, this hat-trick of bucket-list items, as described by their bowling coach Piet Botha, will all happen next week. None of Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dane Paterson and Senuran Muthusamy have ever played a Test at Lord’s or against Australia. None of the South Africans have ever played in a World Test Championship final before, though five of them, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, were involved in last year’s T20 World Cup final. Everything that happens from here is uncharted territory, which is “big and awesome”, as Botha put it. And which required meticulous planning, which hasn’t happened quite in the way Botha may have envisaged.South Africa bowled only 11 overs at the Zimbabweans on the only day play was possible at Arundel and neither Mulder nor Paterson had the ball in hand. Rabada took the only wicket, Jansen looked particularly threatening, and Lungi Ngidi was sharp. But all of them, as well as Bosch, had lengthy one-on-one conversations with Botha while South Africa batted to fine-tune their ideas for the final.Related

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“Obviously, we haven’t played a Test match for six months and because people are all over the world, getting together can get a little bit congested in terms of planning,” Botha said. “We did a lot of stuff actually before we came to England, so we’re just backing up on that and getting our plans around with every individual around a specific bat, specific situation, [what to do with the] old ball, new ball, all that type of stuff.”Talk is cheap (and the South African saying goes on to say that money buys the whiskey, which essentially means it’s easier to say things than the effort it takes to do them) and Botha would have wanted to see those plans in action. He got some opportunity when play was called off 20 minutes before noon on Friday and South Africa set up nets on the outfield. For three hours, South Africa’s batters faced their own bowlers and were occasionally humbled. Paterson beat Stubbs with a ball on a perfect length enough to create uncertainty, Jansen bounced Bavuma with no dramas, and Bosch bowled Tony de Zorzi, who shouldered arms to one he should have played. For what seemed like the meat of the session, Rabada, Jansen, Paterson and Mulder ran in to bowl to Stubbs, Bavuma and later Bedingham and Markram. Does that suggest that is how South Africa will line up at Lord’s? Botha wouldn’t say.Lungi Ngidi bowled just two overs but looked sharp•ICC via Getty Images”We’ve got variation,” Botha said. “Left-arm, people who use a different spot of the crease when they bowl, different pace options, so it’s all about analysing the opposition, seeing the conditions on the day, whether it’s overcast, clear skies, and then you make your calls on the day. It’s not like we pre-plan everything. It’s also about leaving room for in-the-moment stuff.”Given that Rabada and Jansen are certainties, and Mulder should be too (he is likely to bat at No. 3), the biggest question is who among Paterson, Ngidi and Bosch will be the additional seamer. Vernon Philander, who took a five-for when South Africa were crowned No. 1 in 2012, has backed Paterson, for offering the kind of pace that will force batters to attack him and moving the ball both ways, but South Africa might want all-out pace in Bosch or the accuracy and variation of Ngidi. They will also wait to get to London, where they will train on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and receive some additional input from Stuart Broad.The former England international will join South Africa on Monday for part of their training session and then meet with the coaching staff who are looking for “one or two new ideas, maybe”, Botha said. “He’s played against Australia a lot, and at Lords, so basically, maybe a fielding place here or there that he might have found effective and a bit of a mental approach to how to play against Australia.”Broad is not their only source of intel. Paterson has played five games for Middlesex this season, including three at Lord’s and has already spent extra time with Botha. “I’ve had my discussions with him and asked for information,” Botha said. “They played on different strips [to the Test strip], but it was just to get an idea of how the ball behaves in certain spaces, certain parts of the innings, when it’s older, or with the second new ball, that type of information. He’s given us a lot of feedback.”South Africa’s bowling coach Piet Botha speaks to Corbin Bosch•ICC/Getty ImagesRabada has both been to Lord’s and under Australia’s skin before. He is coming off a month-long ban for cocaine use, which could attract sledging, but Botha is unconcerned. “He’s a strong personality and he’s 100% fine,” he said. “He’s had a good support structure around him.”Botha had similar complimentary things to say about his other main strike bowler, Jansen, who Zimbabwe’s batters thought was the toughest to face. “He’s really looking forward to this big occasion,” Botha said. “He’s one of those unique bowlers. If he hits his straps, he’ll be a difficult customer and mentally, he’s ready to go.”Perhaps the better person to ask than Botha is the only opposition South Africa have faced since their last Test in January: Zimbabwe. Word from their camp is that they were particularly impressed with how organised and clear South Africa have been, both in the warm-up game and outside. The teams have been staying at the same hotel and Zimbabwe’s players have noticed a closer-than-usual unity in the South African camp. “What stands out for me is how together they’ve been,” Sean Williams said. “They look like they’re peaking.”Next week will tell.

The allrounder suffered the injury while fielding in the match against Oman

Shashank Kishore19-Sep-2025

Axar Patel could be a doubt for India’s Super Four match against Pakistan on Sunday after hurting his head while fielding during the Group A fixture against Oman in Abu Dhabi.Running around from mid-off to intercept a skier from Hammad Mirza in the 15th over of Oman’s chase, Axar juggled the chance and put it down, losing his balance in the process and hitting his head against the turf. He was seen clutching his head and the side of his neck while being ushered off the field by the physio. He did not return to the field for the remainder of Oman’s chase.Axar only bowled one over in the innings, conceding four runs, with India employing eight bowlers on their way to a 21-run win.Related

India, Pakistan will look to put off-field issues aside in Super Fours clash

While T Dilip, India’s fielding coach, suggested at his post-match press conference that Axar was “fine”, the short turnaround between matches could prove a challenge. India have less than 48 hours to take the field for the match against Pakistan in Dubai.Axar was among the many India middle-order batters who had a decent hit against Oman. Coming in at No. 5, he struck a 13-ball 26, dominating a quickfire 45-run stand for the fourth wicket with Sanju Samson, who top-scored with 56 in India’s 188 for 8.If Axar is ruled out of the Pakistan game, India may not be able to revert to the three-spinner combination they have used in all their Dubai matches so far, unless they fly in a reinforcement. Varun Chakravarthy, who was rested for the Oman match with India playing an extra seamer, and Kuldeep Yadav are the two specialist spinners in the squad.The two other like-for-like options India can summon if required are Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar, who are both part of their reserves’ list.

Van Schalkwyk broke the record previously held by Sri Lanka U19s’ Hasitha Boyagoda

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2025Jorich Van Schalkwyk, the 18-year-old opener for South Africa Under-19 has made history by becoming the first batter to score a double-century in men’s Youth ODIs.Van Schalkwyk scored 215 in 153 balls against Zimbabwe Under-19 in the tri-series opener in Harare.