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O Palmeiras tem motivos para comemorar após três vitórias consecutivas. Mais do que isso, o Verdão tem mostrado evolução a cada partida e vai deixando para trás aquele momento ruim que tanto prejudicou os resultados do time. Como o próprio Abel Ferreira comentou, há uma retomada física, técnica e mental dos jogadores, algo que se reflete dentro de campo. Para se ter uma ideia, a escalação diante do Atlético-MG, na quarta-feira (2), no Mineirão, não era utilizada há três meses e deve se firmar como a titular para o restante da temporada.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Antes de encaixar essa sequência de bons resultados, o Alviverde teve um período em que fez oito jogos e venceu apenas um. Retrospecto incomum para uma equipe do nível que essa atingiu nos últimos anos. Foi durante esses dias fora da realidade palmeirense que o time acabou sofrendo com baixas e atletas que não estavam em plenas condições de competir.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

– Sobre a má fase, eu expliquei muito bem, eu disse que, infelizmente, em função da loucura que é a intensidade dos jogos no Brasil, nós tivemos vários jogadores, que vocês não souberam, abaixo de sua forma e, mais do que isso, lesionados. Desde o nosso goleiro ao nosso centroavante. Isso sim foi a grande influência do nosso baixo rendimento – declarou Abel em sua entrevista coletiva.

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No entanto, a verdade é que o treinador sofre com as questões físicas do elenco há algum tempo. O time formado por Weverton; Mayke, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Zé Rafael, Gabriel Menino e Raphael Veiga; Artur, Dudu e Rony, não jogava junto desde o dia 3 de maio (três meses atrás), quando venceu o Barcelona-EQU por 2 a 0, pela Libertadores. Naquela ocasião, Murilo teve grave lesão no ombro, precisou operar e desfalcou o Verdão por um longo tempo.

Antes disso, esse time só havia sido utilizado uma vez, na vitória por 2 a 1 diante do Corinthians, no Allianz Parque, pelo Brasileirão. Exatamente no jogo que antecedeu o duelo com o Barcelona-EQU. O fato chama a atenção, pois na teoria é essa a equipe titular na cabeça de Abel Ferreira, que praticamente não pôde usá-la em 2023.

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+ Veiga ultrapassa o número de participações em gols da temporada 2022 pelo Palmeiras

E não foi apenas Murilo que acabou impedindo essa escalação. Nesse mesmo período, Rony, Zé Rafael, Dudu, Artur e Raphael Veiga chegaram a desfalcar a equipe por questões físicas. Weverton e Piquerez foram desfalques por não terem chegado da Data Fifa no mesmo dia de um jogo do Palmeiras. Além de Gómez, Menino e Mayke, que tiveram suspensões. Ou seja, todos os titulares chegaram a ser baixas em algum momento desses últimos três meses.

Agora, com a retomada física e técnica do time, Abel Ferreira finalmente pôde reunir aqueles que considera os 11 titulares no momento. Esse time, muito provavelmente, será utilizado com prioridade na Libertadores, visto que a distância para o líder no Brasileirão está em 12 pontos, e na competição continental restam seis jogos para tentar buscar novamente a Glória Eterna.

“Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score,” says SRH head coach Daniel Vettori

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-20252:14

Knight: At the moment, SRH are all or nothing

Not for the first time in IPL 2025, the “where’s plan B” question has been asked of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting.”At the moment, it’s all or nothing,” Nick Knight said after SRH’s latest loss, to Mumbai Indians (MI) at home. The margin was seven wickets with 26 balls in hand, but the outcome was evident by the ninth over of the match when SRH, asked to bat first, were 35 for 5. Despite the situation, plan B came later when Heinrich Klaasen and Abhinav Manohar added 99 runs for the sixth wicket.”If you see the way some batters have batted, they are just following the same pattern,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “Yes, you can hit a few shots along the ground, you don’t have to hit everything in the air; a four is a good shot, but if you’re going to hit everything in the air, you’re going to get out more often than not. Especially when the wickets are like this, when they are slowing down towards the back end.”But that’s the formula that worked for SRH the previous season, when they broke existing IPL batting records and went all the way to the final, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).Related

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Knight: 'Klaasen is batting far too low. Six overs or a tick over, get him out there'

Knight attempted to provide that perspective. “These discussions have got to be a little bit careful. It’s not like you can put [a] one-size-fits-all [answer] here. You can’t say Gujarat Titans [GT] are the best, they are doing it this way and everyone’s got to follow,” Knight said. “What Gujarat Titans are doing best is that they are using their resources the best. Their type of players play like that. It suits their style. When you look at Abhishek [Sharma] and Travis Head, I don’t want to see them hitting [along] the ground. I am more than happy to see them hitting aerially. Because that’s what they do, that’s what they do well.”What I am slightly concerned with about SRH is when that doesn’t work and you find yourself two-down quickly, that’s when you’ve got to move it back for a little while. That’s when you’ve got to reassess it a little bit, you’ve got to say, ‘okay, that’s perhaps not working, we will try plan B for a bit and then go back to plan A’. It’s got to be a bit [balanced]. At the moment, it’s all or nothing. There are times when you have to rejig your attitude, the approach a little bit, and then get back on it.”Daniel Vettori, the SRH coach, acknowledged that, and also said that plan B was exactly what SRH had attempted to turn to once the early wicket fell.”We wanted to bowl first,” he said at the press conference after the game, but, after losing two wickets inside three overs, “the assessment was that it was not the 250-260 wicket it has been the last couple of games”. “Once we realised that the surface wasn’t what we had anticipated, then we needed to build towards that 180 score. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to do when you’re 24 for 4 after the powerplay.”0:42

Knight: Klaasen batting far too low for SRH

Knight agreed. “If you’re four down for 13, it’s game over. I wonder if when you’re two down, whether you can just hold it back a little bit, have a partnership there with Klaasen or someone, then you don’t need Abhinav [Manohar] as your Impact Sub, then you can use an extra bowler, then you might be able to get an earlier partnership. Those sorts of little things can play out in important moments in your game.”As things stand, SRH are down at No. 9, only above Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with six games left to play in the league stage. They aren’t out of contention yet, but it’s not looking bright.”There’s been a lot of teams that find themselves in this situation, and there’s been a few teams that were able to resurrect their seasons [in the past],” Vettori said, holding out hope. “You look back to RCB last year after a difficult start. So if we can take inspiration from a team like them, and Mumbai’s done it on a few occasions, but ultimately, it’s just going to take one performance, and we haven’t been able to put a collective performance bar the two games we’ve won. We’ve got to improve dramatically in all three facets.”The next opportunity to do that will come on Friday night, when they play the only team that’s worse off than them, CSK, in Chennai.

Visitors forced to follow on but reach close unscathed in second innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Apr-2025

Gloucestershire paceman Zaman Akhter produced an incisive bowling performance to ask questions of Glamorgan on day three of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.Colin Ingram top-scored with 103 and Chris Cooke contributed 56 in a rearguard action for the Welsh county, but Akhter’s return of 5 for 85 from 20.5 overs and 3 for 61 from fellow quick Ajeet Singh Dale ensured Glamorgan were dismissed for 385, a first-innings deficit of 161.With the possibility of a first red-ball win in Bristol since September 2022 before them, Gloucestershire enforced the follow-on, only to then be frustrated by openers Zain-ul-Hassan and Eddie Byron, who scored 51 not out and 47 not out respectively to usher Glamorgan to the close on 106 without loss. The visitors trail by 55 runs, their chances of saving the game on the final day vastly improved.Still 400 runs behind and needing a further 250 to avoid the follow on at the start of the day, Glamorgan were intent upon survival. But Gloucestershire’s bowlers were afforded encouragement by partial cloud cover and Singh Dale was rewarded for bowling a fuller length when Kiran Carlson failed to move his feet, edged a routine catch to Cameron Bancroft at second slip and departed for 22 in the seventh over of the morning with the score on 169. Gloucestershire tails were up and Ingram was fortunate to survive on 33 when attempting to pull Taylor and seeing the ball drop just short of Graeme van Buuren at mid-on.Change bowlers Akhter and Tom Price were unable to exert the same degree of pressure and, as conditions eased and the sun came out, so new batsman Ben Kellaway and Ingram began to find runs easier to come by. After an hour and 10 minutes, Gloucestershire skipper Bancroft had seen enough and called upon off spinner Ollie Price.It came as something of a surprise, both to onlookers and the batsman himself, when Kellaway became stuck in his crease and was bowled by an Akhter yorker that knocked off stump out of the ground. Kellaway had made 22 and Glamorgan were perhaps feeling a little anxious as Cooke joined Ingram with the score on 205-5. Ingram responded by hoisting Ollie Price over long-on for six to raise an 86-ball 50 in the grand manner, after which the Welsh county secured a first batting bonus point.Glamorgan were 251-5 at lunch, Ingram unbeaten on 62 and Cooke 21 not out.The new ball represented Gloucestershire’s only realistic chance of forcing a result on a characteristically flat Bristol pitch, but Ingram and Cooke looked increasingly assured as they extended their alliance to three figures from 169 deliveries amid a flurry of boundaries. Ingram went to his hundred via 170 balls, reaching that landmark with his 13th four, a back-foot drive behind point off Singh Dale. Cooke reached a 99-ball 50 in the next over, driving Akhter through the covers for his eighth boundary.Gloucestershire desperately needed a breakthrough and Akhter provided it, encouraging a ball to nip back at Cooke and hit off and middle. Cooke had made 56 and played his part in a hugely important stand of 129 for the sixth wicket with Ingram. When Singh Dale bowled Ingram on the back foot for 103 and Akhter had Timm van der Gugten held at first slip by Ollie Price for four, three wickets had fallen in 12 balls and Glamorgan were back under intense pressure at 337 for 8, still 60 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.The ninth wicket pair of Ned Leonard and Shoaib Bashir successfully negotiated eight overs as Glamorgan reached the sanctuary of the tea interval on 363-8, still 183 runs behind. Relying on pace following the resumption, Gloucestershire quickly terminated tail-end resistance, Akther clean bowling Leonard for 16 and then repeating the feat in his next over to remove Asitha Fernando for six, leaving Bashir high and dry on 22 not out.Glamorgan made a better fist of batting second time around, openers Byron and Hassan demonstrating admirable concentration to defy tiring bowlers for 31 overs and greatly improve Welsh prospects of salvaging a draw on the final day. Hassan went to a patient 50 from 102 balls with 6 fours, while Byron finished just three runs short of the same landmark.

Mumbai Indians (MI) sealed their fifth consecutive win in comfortable fashion this season to climb to 12 points in ten games. It was a near-perfect day for the hosts in front of 19,000 kids as they defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the first time in a league-stage fixture.Half-centuries from Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav – who also became the third-fastest to 4000 IPL runs – helped them set 215 before Jasprit Bumrah’s four-for and Trent Boult’s three-for sealed a 54-run win.Mayank Yadav was back in LSG colours for the first time this season. His pace had dropped but his slower ones were effective and took 2 for 40 in his four overs. Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran got starts but LSG’s middle order, including an out-of-sorts Rishabh Pant, crumbled again. The chase fizzled out with the their last six wickets falling for 26 runs.

Mayank strikes on return

The day began with Mayank being announced as Shardul Thakur’s replacement. He took the new ball and bowled in the mid 130-kph to early 140-kph range. The bumper he tried in the first over got spongy bounce and went above Rickelton’s head. But an overpitched ball next up was thumped down the ground.In his next over, Mayank tested the middle of the pitch. Rohit Sharma hit two sixes with the pull, one in front of square and one behind. The response was a change in line, length and pace. It worked as Rohit reached out and sliced a slower length ball to short third.

Rickelton takes MI off to a flier

Rickelton could’ve been run-out in the second over but Aiden Markram missed a direct hit from point. Rickelton showed his trust in the pitch as he slogged and pulled balls off a length. He drove a full toss down to take 15 off Prince Yadav’s first over. There were no other chances created in the 66-run powerplay.Digvesh Rathi came in having not conceded a single six in the powerplay, but Rickelton slog swept him twice for two sixes over midwicket before reaching a 25-ball fifty. Rathi changed ends and bowled quicker and straighter on return. Rickelton’s tried to capitalise on the googly when it was tossed up outside off, but ended up slicing straight to point in the ninth over. He made 58.2:18

Jaffer: Suryakumar more dangerous when he scores all around

SKY, finishers take LSG down

Mayank was brought back with Suryakumar new at the crease. That didn’t work as Suryakumar launched him over his head. Jacks then got a couple of boundaries behind square both sides of the wicket. The slower balls, though, did keep the batters down and MI moved to 105 for 2 in 10 overs.Prince’s reverse-swinging yorker then knocked Jacks over for 29. Suryakumar kept MI’s tempo going by hitting Bishnoi for a four and two sixes in the 13th over, but the 16-run over also saw the dismissal of Tilak Varma.Suryakumar brought up his 4000th run in the IPL with a ramp off Avesh Khan and got another six off Prince over fine leg again. At 157 for 5 in 15 overs, MI were ready to launch but Mayank set them back when he dislodged Hardik’s leg stump and gave away just five runs in the 16th over. Suryakumar was then dismissed for 54 off 28 balls, but MI kept finding the boundaries.Rathi’s off-day continued at the death as LSG continued with just five bowlers. The over started with an edged reverse sweep that went for four. It finished with 19 runs as Naman Dhir and Corbin Bosch got under the ball and launched sixes over the leg side. MI soared past 200 with an over to go. Four full tosses from Avesh in the 20th over helped MI post 215.

Marsh, Pooran start well

Aiden Markram was able to slash Boult, who started from around the wicket, through the off side for a couple of fours. Marsh then launched a flick over square leg off Deepak Chahar that nearly went out of the ground.Bumrah was slightly lucky to get Markram as hi middled flick went straight into the hands of deep-backward square. Pooran got hold of Chahar in his third powerplay over, scything two wide yorkers for six before pulling a short ball for one more as LSG posted to 60 for 1 in six.

Jacks does it again

With Mitchell Santner out due to a finger niggle and a left-hander on the tear, Jacks was brought on ahead of Karn Sharma and he struck twice. The first ball was lobbed up in the slot but Pooran mistimed a lofted drive to long-off, where Suryakumar took a good catch.Pant was back at No. 4 but endured another short stay at the crease. He edged a cut for four through third before miscuing a premeditated reverse sweep to Karn at short third. The wicket led to the two overs following the powerplay going for just 13 runs.Trent Boult got two wickets in the middle overs•Associated Press

Boult and co. keep set batters in check

Ayush Badoni got off to a watchful start. He was on seven off seven balls before making room and and slashing Karn for two fours and a six. Marsh hit two fours off Hardik Pandya’s sole over but slowed down from 31 off 17 to 34 off 24. Hardik rang in the changes as five different bowlers were used between the eighth and 13th overs.The asking rate rose close to 12 when Boult, on return, got Marsh with a slower ball and reduce LSG to 110 for 4. Badoni and David Miller continued the trend of the earlier partnership with Miller, the new batter, getting off to a quick start (21 off 13) while the set batter slowed down.Badoni got away with an undetected edge in the 14th over but fell to a slower ball from Boult to end with 35 off 22 after being 30 off 15.

Bumrah brings the chase crashing down

Bumrah returned with LSG needing 76 off 30 balls and got three wickets, starting with Miller’s. Bumrah followed Miller with a low full toss that was flicked to Bosch at deep midwicket. A dipping slower yorker had Abdul Samad early into the shot and knocked middle stump back. A pace-on yorker smashed Avesh’s off stump. At 142 for 8, the game was effectively done.Bishnoi was able to launch a couple of sixes, the second of which was off Bumrah and brought out smiles and fist-pumps, but Bosch and Boult cleaned up the tail and completed MI’s 150th IPL win comprehensively.

Arne Slot has built on the successful era under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool incredibly well, winning the Premier League in his first year in charge.

In the summer of 2025, FSG also splashed the cash, spending more than £400m on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

The Reds currently have an annual payroll of £154,440,000 and pay out just under £3m per week. We have ranked every Liverpool player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025-26 season, with the help of Capology.

Here are the top 10 Liverpool earners…

10

Federico Chiesa

£150,000 per week

One of four players on £150,000 per week is forward Federico Chiesa. The Italy international arrived in Slot’s first transfer window in charge after being made surplus to requirements at Juventus.

A pacey wide man who can also occupy a central role when required, Chiesa has struggled to break into the starting XI but has become a fan favourite.

9

Ryan Gravenberch

£150,000 per week

Ryan Gravenberch arrived at Liverpool from Ajax in 2023 and had to remain patient to find a permanent role in the starting line-up during his first season with the club.

Under Slot, Gravenberch has been transformed into the club’s new No.6 and may well be used there for the foreseeable future, with his Anfield deal expiring in 2028.

8

Alisson

£150,000 per week

The arrival of goalkeeper Alisson from AS Roma back in 2018 helped transform the Reds under Klopp, with the Brazilian being an ever-present figure during his six-year stay so far.

In total, Alisson has made more than 300 appearances for Liverpool and has kept more than 125 clean sheets.

7

Alexis Mac Allister

£150,000 per week

Liverpool picked up the services of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023 after his impressive three years on the south coast.

The Argentine’s current agreement with the Reds is for another three years.

6

Andrew Robertson

£160,000 per week

One of the best value-for-money signings in Liverpool’s recent history has to be Andrew Robertson, who cost the Reds just £8m from Hull City in 2017.

The Scot is now into his 30s, though, and with his contract expiring in 2026, Liverpool may soon be without their iconic left-back.

5

Florian Wirtz

£195,000 per week

Costing a whopping £116m from Bayer Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz was Liverpool’s record signing for a matter of months.

The attacking midfielder signed a deal worth more than £10m a season and will look to star at Anfield over the next five years.

4

Hugo Ekitike

£200,000 per week

Hugo Ekitike was one of two star strikers to sign for Liverpool in 2025, with the Reds paying Frankfurt an initial £69m for the French forward.

He scored on his debut at Wembley in the Community Shield and also netted the first goal of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Ekitike is on £10.4m per season on Merseyside.

3

Alexander Isak

£280,000 per week

In what was the transfer saga of 2025, Liverpool eventually splashed the cash on Alexander Isak for a British record £125m.

The forward went on strike at Newcastle to push through a deadline day move to Anfield, penning a six-year contract where he is set to earn a total of £87m.

2

Virgil Van Dijk

£350,000 per week

Centre-back Virgil Van Dijk was signed for an eye-catching £75m fee from Southampton in 2018, a figure which some were shocked by at the time.

However, since then, Van Dijk has comfortably repaid the faith shown in him by the Reds, starring at the back at Anfield and winning numerous trophies. His current deal through until 2027 was signed in 2025.

1

Mohamed Salah

£400,000 per week

Like Van Dijk, star attacker Mohamed Salah also signed a new two-year deal in 2025. The Egyptian King has helped turn the Reds into Premier League and Champions League winners, becoming a Liverpool legend in the process.

During his eight-year stay, Salah has made more than 400 appearances, scoring over 240 goals.

Paul Pogba's long-awaited return to football has hit another snag after the midfielder suffered a minor thigh strain in training. Having not played an official game since 2023 due to a doping ban, the plan for the 32-year-old to make his Monaco debut this month is now in serious doubt, adding to his frustrating comeback trail as he targets a return to the national team ahead of the World Cup.

• Thigh strain threatens to rule out planned return

  Pogba’s highly anticipated debut for Monaco may be put on hold after the midfielder suffered a fresh injury in training, according to . The France international was expected to make his return to competitive action against Angers on October 18, but a minor muscle strain in his right thigh has now compromised his involvement. The club has confirmed the setback but specified that the issue is not related to the knee problems that have plagued him in the past.

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  Frustration grows after two years out

  This latest blow is another frustrating chapter in Pogba's long road back to professional football. The World Cup winner has not played a competitive match since September 2023, having served an 18-month doping suspension before signing for the Ligue 1 club at the end of June 2025. His return was initially pencilled in for last week’s derby against Nice before being pushed back to the Angers fixture to allow for more recovery time, a precaution that has been justified by this new muscular problem.

• Debut to come under new management

  Adding another layer of complexity to his comeback, Pogba will not play under the manager who brought him to the club. Adi Hutter, who signed the Frenchman, was sacked by Monaco earlier this week. This means that whenever Pogba is finally fit to make his debut, it will be under a new head coach, who is yet to be appointed.

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  What next for Pogba and Monaco?

  With the planned return against Angers now in serious doubt, there is no new timeline for Pogba's debut. The club's medical staff are monitoring the thigh strain closely, and a decision on his availability will be made in due course. For now, the former Manchester United star’s long wait for a return to the pitch continues, with both player and club hoping this is only a minor delay on his path to redemption.

Glasgow Rangers had one of their better afternoons of the 2025/26 campaign on Saturday when they beat Hibernian 2-0 to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Goals from Nicolas Raskin and Bojan Miovski secured the win for Russell Martin’s side, after Martin Boyle had a goal disallowed at 0-0 in the first half.

It has been a frustrating season for the Light Blues, with no wins in the Scottish Premiership to date, and there have been issues all over the pitch under the new head coach, particularly in the left-back position.

Why Rangers have struggled at left-back this season

It was evident that Martin was not happy with Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz as his options at left-back at the start of the season, because right-footed right-back Max Aarons started the campaign in that position.

Once it was clear that having a player out of position at left-back was not working, Jefte came into the side for a few games before the club decided to sell him to Palmeiras, shortly followed out of the door by Yilmaz, who returned to Besiktas.

Having sold their only two natural full-backs, Rangers brought Jayden Meghoma in on loan from Brentford. A young player who had only started 11 league games in the 2024/25 campaign, all on loan at Preston in the Championship.

The English defender has lost 56% of his duels and failed to register an assist in three appearances for Rangers in the Premiership to date, per Sofascore, and the club may rue that they let go of a star who was once compared to Lionel Messi.

Rangers fumbled their own Lionel Messi

Back in 2019, Croatian coach Davor Rupnik compared Borna Barisic, who was at Ibrox at the time, to Barcelona and Argentina’s legendary attacker.

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.

Rupnik said: “Many people don’t know he is a superb free kick and set piece taker. He has a left foot like Lionel Messi. He has improved massively and he is also an exceptionally hard worker. He used to ask for extra gym work in the evening after training.”

Of course, this does not mean that Barisic was dribbling past four or five players and scoring two or three goals every week, like the World Cup-winning icon, but he did have a left foot that consistently delivered quality at the top end of the pitch.

23/24

17

3

22/23

29

10

21/22

19

3

20/21

30

7

19/20

22

8

18/19

15

3

Total

132

34

As you can see in the table above, the Croatia international provided a big threat in the final third as a creative force from left-back throughout his Premiership career.

The left-footed star created 12 or more ‘big chances’ in all competitions in three of his last five seasons at Ibrox, which shows that he was still at the top of his game from a creative perspective up to the point that he was released at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Looking back, given what has happened in the left-back position up to this point, Rangers may regret alowing Barisic to move on because he was a proven Premiership performer who made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Unfortunately, for the defender, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury for Leganes in LaLiga in January and is currently without a club, having been released by Trabzonspor whilst dealing with that horrendous injury in the summer.

Rangers must regret losing the Harry Kane of Scottish football for nothing

Rangers had their own version of Harry Kane and Michael Beale watched him walk away for nothing.

ByDan Emery Sep 18, 2025

Ultimately, though, Rangers lost a star who was “like Lionel Messi” on a free transfer, and their current left-back situation shows that they are still looking for his replacement over a year on from his departure.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to face Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon, looking to continue their excellent start to life under new manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane has already won four of his first five games in charge of the Lilywhites, with the most recent victory coming against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Other wins have come in the Premier League against Burnley, Manchester City and West Ham United – allowing the side to occupy a place in the top four after the first handful of outings.

However, this afternoon they will be coming up against Fabian Hurzeler’s side, who have yet to taste defeat on home soil, subsequently picking up four points out of a potential six.

If Frank’s men are to have any chance of securing another victory, he may have to unleash one talent who’s already demonstrated glimpses of his quality in the current campaign.

Why Frank must unleash Johnson v Brighton

Brennan Johnson has certainly had his doubters during his time at Spurs, but it’s safe to say that he’s produced the goods on a consistent basis over the past 12 months.

The Welshman, who joined in a £47.5m deal from Nottingham Forest, registered 18 goals across all competitions last season – including the winner in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

He also made an excellent start to 2025/26, scoring in each of his first two Premier League starts, before being dropped in the last two matches across all competitions.

Johnson has demonstrated that he has the goal-scoring prowess needed to win a game of football, something which will be vital against a solid Seagulls outfit.

However, he should be the only player recalled to the starting eleven, with one other Lilywhites talent deserving of a start after dropping to the bench in the Champions League.

The Spurs player who loves playing against Brighton

Over the last couple of years, Spurs have had somewhat of a torrid time facing Brighton, often being on the wrong end of numerous high-scoring encounters.

The two sides last met on the final day of last season, with the Lilywhites falling to a 4-1 defeat in North London just days after claiming Europa League glory in Bilbao.

Their last visit to the AMEX saw Ange Postecoglou’s side lose 3-2, that’s despite being two goals ahead at the break, thanks to goals from Johnson and James Maddison.

However, another defeat could be avoided by Frank if he unleashes loanee Joao Palhinha at the heart of the midfield on the South Coast once again this afternoon.

The Portuguese international joined the Lilywhites on a loan deal from Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window, offering a needed ball-winning presence in the middle of the park.

He’s started three league games to date, even scoring in the victory against Manchester City at the Etihad back at the end of October – in what was just the second league game of Frank’s tenure.

Out of possession, the 30-year-old has been just as impressive, winning 2.2 tackles per 90 and 7.8 duels per 90, often being the main player to regain the ball for the Lilywhites.

However, it’s his previous record against the Seagulls that could be another reason to start Palhinha, with the former Fulham star previously impressing against the Albion.

In his three matches against today’s opposition, the Portuguese international, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, he’s won two and drawn one, subsequently never losing a game against them.

He’s also previously netted a goal against the Seagulls, hopefully replicating such a record if he gets the nod and is recalled to Frank’s starting eleven this afternoon.

Palhinha’s early form in North London has showcased that he’s already been an excellent addition to the squad – potentially playing a vital role in any success in 2025/26.

He and Johnson are both deserving of a starting role once more, potentially able to help the side extend their phenomenal start to life under new boss, Frank.

Forget Simons: Spurs must rue selling their answer to Odegaard for only £8m

Tottenham Hotspur made a huge mistake in selling one player who has starred massively in recent years.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 19, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level youth talents over the last couple of years, with attacker Mikey Moore one of the players on their constant conveyor belt.

The 18-year-old has spent the vast majority of his life as a Lilywhite, before making his debut in the first-team last campaign under Ange Postecoglou due to the injury crisis.

Despite his tender age, the youngster racked up a total of 19 senior appearances, ten of which came in the Premier League, with three of his outings coming from a starting role.

Moore even registered his first senior goal for his boyhood club in the Europa League, scoring in the victory over Elfsborg and helping the club end their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.

However, after Thomas Frank’s appointment during the off-season, he’s been shipped out on loan to Scottish side Rangers in the hope of more consistent game time.

He’s not the only young talent on the books who has caught the eye, with one other youngster set for a huge future in North London during the years ahead.

Luka Vuskovic’s future as a Spurs star

Back in the summer of 2023, Spurs forked out a fee in the region of £12m for the signature of teenage centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split.

However, he’s spent a couple of years out on loan, with his spell on loan at Westerlo catching the eye – but for his attacking quality rather than his talent at the back.

The Croatian scored seven times and registered two assists in his 36 outings, a simply staggering feat for a young defender who is trying to establish himself at the top-level.

Such form led to the sensation being involved in the first-team’s squad pre-season plans, even registering a goal and an assist in the 2-0 victory over League One outfit, Reading.

Many fans were calling for the youngster to be included in the Dane’s Premier League squad for 2025/26, but it wasn’t meant to be, with Vuskovic sent on loan to Bundesliga side Hamburg this summer.

The prospect of top-flight German football to many youngsters may be a daunting one, but the 18-year-old has taken to the task like a duck to water – already netting his first goal despite making just three appearances.

However, his showing against Union Berlin on Sunday was his best to date, winning 18 aerial duels and making 12 clearances – helping his current side keep a needed clean sheet.

There’s no denying that he could be a huge player for Frank in the future, but the new manager already have another hugely promising talent on the books in North London.

The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Vuskovic

As previously seen by the aforementioned talents at Spurs, they do have a plethora of upcoming stars who could potentially catapult them to continued success in the years ahead.

Their recruitment strategy has certainly aided their ability to create a strong youth setup, with many taking the jump and already cementing themselves in Frank’s plans for 2025/26.

Lucas Bergvall may only be 19, but he’s already established himself as a regular starter, featuring in all six of the Lilywhites’ Premier League outings to date – even scoring once against West Ham United.

The Swede could be joined by youngster Luca Williams-Barnett for many years to come, with the 16-year-old already making huge waves across various levels despite his tender age.

The attacking midfielder has been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s for the majority of 2024/25.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

Williams-Barnett has once again exceeded expectations, already notching eight goal contributions in his first six appearances of the new campaign.

The 16-year-old has let his age get in the way, subsequently starring five years above his age group – something which has caught the eye of first-team boss Frank in recent weeks.

He was handed his first senior appearance against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup last week, coming off the bench for three minutes – leading to analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as a “superstar”.

Luca Williams-Barnett

8

Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny

4

Rio Kyerematen

4

Oliver Irow

3

Yusuf Akhamrich

3

Tynan Thompson

2

Dane Scarlett

1

Dante Cassanova

1

Given his tender age, there’s no denying that the attacker needs more time in the academy system to develop before being able to make the jump into the first-team squad.

However, that’s not taking away from the fact that Williams-Barnett is a player with mammoth potential, with the club desperately needing to manage him in the right way.

In the years ahead, he could have a huge part to play in the Lilywhites’ hunt for success, with the youngster having the chance to create new history for the club alongside centre-back Vuskovic.

Spurs may already have their new Luka Modric & it's not Palhinha

Tottenham Hotspur have found their next Luka Modric in North London, and it is not Joao Palhinha.

ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2025

The PSL playoffs begin on Wednesday, and Lahore Qalandars will play the Eliminator on Thursday

Mohammad Isam19-May-2025Lahore Qalandars have signed up Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the playoffs stage of PSL 2025. The BCB has granted Mehidy the required no-objection certificate, and he is expected to fly to Lahore by Tuesday.The PSL playoffs begin on Wednesday, and Qalandars will play the Eliminator on Thursday – their opponents have not been identified yet.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Mehidy said that he was looking forward to the stint even though it could be for as few as one match.Related

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“Of course it is exciting for me to join Lahore Qalandars,” Mehidy said. “It is technically the second time I have got a call-up to a franchise league. Nonetheless, it is a good opportunity for me to compete at a very high level. PSL is one of the top tournaments going around. I have done well in the past in the BPL, so I am confident that I can give my best.”Mehidy said that he wanted to use the opportunity to find a way back into Bangladesh’s T20I setup. He wasn’t included in the squad that is currently involved in a T20I series against UAE in Sharjah or the one for the forthcoming five-match series in Pakistan.”I can get myself up to the mark in T20s, so that I am prepared for the selection opportunities ahead,” Mehidy said. “Definitely I want to get back into the Bangladesh [T20I] team, and this is one of the ways I can improve myself in the format.”At Qalandars, Mehidy will link up with his long-time team-mate Shakib Al Hasan.After the PSL resumed following the pause because of the border tensions between Pakistan and India, Qalandars managed to bring Sikandar Raza back, but he was available for only one game before he joins the Zimbabwe squad for the one-off four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge. David Wiese and Sam Billings haven’t returned to Pakistan, which led to Shakib being called up – along with Bhanuka Rajapaksa – for the business end of the tournament.Shakib made his first appearance on Sunday, falling for a first-ball duck against Peshawar Zalmi and going for 18 runs in two wicketless overs.Before Shakib and Mehidy, Rishad Hossain was in the Qalandars’ side, while Nahid Rana was with Karachi Kings. Litton Das was also with Kings this season, before he picked up an injury at training and had to leave.