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Arne Slot’s Anfield is peopled with a variety of top-class talent, but Liverpool have still struggled to click into gear this season.

In truth, this was always going to be a testing year for the Reds after the events of the summer, and the squad deserve a measure of leeway.

But the football will just keep coming, and Liverpool know that they cannot allow their wretched Premier League form to rage on, having lost five of their past six matches in the division.

Regardless, Liverpool can be optimistic for the future. The likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak may not have found form yet following record-breaking summer moves, but these are two of the most talented players in England, and their success at the club is a matter of when, not if.

No such misfortune for Hugo Ekitike, though, who has been thriving since completing a £69m move to the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in July.

The numbers behind Hugo Ekitike's start at Liverpool

Looking even deeper into the Merseysiders’ squad, though, we can see that Liverpool are raising a school of youngsters with so much potential, and despite the bump in the road this year, there’s one who has the capacity to end up outstripping Ekitike at number nine.

Some felt Liverpool’s hijack of Newcastle United’s move for the France forward was needless as they pushed ahead to land Isak’s signature this summer, but Ekitike has responded emphatically on the pitch.

So mobile and creative, Ekitike offers far more than just goals. Data from FBref tells of his protean quality, ranking among the top 8% of Premier League strikers this term for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90.

Across all competitions, he has scored more than any other Redman this term, and this, having joined a loose-wired tactical machine from overseas.

The 23-year-old’s ability to chop and change his attacking outlook is one of his biggest strengths. He is tactically malleable, and this will serve him well over the coming years.

He’s been the cream of the attacking crop this season, for sure, and looks set for a propitious future on Merseyside. That said, he will continue to tussle with Isak for minutes, and the Sweden striker is bound to hit his world-class stride at some stage.

Moreover, Liverpool are developing an academy star who has the potential to go all the way.

The Liverpool teen who could surpass Ekitike

When ‘Klopp’s Kids’ helped steer Liverpool’s iconic manager to silverware in his final season, fans thought the club had unearthed a treasure trove of up-and-coming talent.

Most of those stars have since moved on, but Liverpool’s academy system has continued to evolve and several stars are showing themselves to have real potential.

Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha are the biggest names, but Keyrol Figueroa is on the road toward making himself known, for sure. The 19-year-old striker has scored seven goals from nine league outings in Rob Page’s development side this season, meaning he is currently the club’s top scorer across all levels, ahead of Ekitike.

In October, Slot named Figueroa among his substitutes in the Carabao Cup at Anfield. Liverpool were thrashed 3-0 by Crystal Palace, but this stood as a testament to the regard the teenager, son of former Premier League star Maynor Figueroa, is held in.

A powerful runner, strong in the duel and tenacious across all phases of play, Figueroa is on the cusp of breaking onto the major stage, and while he will find opportunities hard to come by in a Reds side chock-full with attacking talent, Slot is clearly a fan.

It’s probably worth noting that Liverpool U21s have not been at their best this year. After nine matches, Page’s outfit are 21st in the 29-team league.

They have only won three games, but in each of these fixtures, Figueroa has scored. He has started only five of nine outings this season. It’s clear to see why Page has said he has the making of a “lethal, ruthless number nine”.

This is a remarkable, clinical run for the prospect, and if he manages to prove that he has unlocked a sustainable attacking quality, there’s every chance he could be knocking on Slot’s door sooner than many would have anticipated, frankly.

There has been a clear emphasis over the past several years at Liverpool on keeping a clear pathway open, running from the academy set-up to the senior squad.

Figueroa deserves a shot, especially since all the shots he is taking right now are finding the back of the net. Of course, we have seen already this season the benefits that can be found from giving hungry youngsters a chance (looking at you, Ngumoha).

Given Liverpool’s struggles at the highest level over the past several months, Figueroa’s inclusion in the months ahead might not be a bad thing, should he continue to score at such a clinical rate.

He might not be on Ekitike’s level at the moment, but his physicality and natural-born eye for goal suggest he could become a real star on Merseyside, perhaps even going on to eclipse the Frenchman down the line.

Bigger mistake than Quansah: Liverpool sold their next Gravenberch for £15m

Liverpool made a bigger mistake than offloading Jarell Quansah when they got rid of their own Ryan Gravenberch for just £15m.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 20, 2025

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Como se a semana do vascaíno já não tivesse preocupações suficientes, o Vasco perdeu um dos pilares do time para o jogo decisivo contra o Fortaleza, às 19h, pela Copa do Brasil, no Castelão. O jogador ainda não se recuperou 100% da lesão no joelho.

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Zebra? Com R$100 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$451 se o Vasco vencer o Fortaleza no Castelão após 20 anos

Após goleada para o Criciúma em São Januário no último sábado (27), o Cruz-Maltino teve mais um problema para resolver. O técnico Ramón Díaz pediu demissão logo após a derrota e dividiu opiniões entre a torcida.

Agora, Rafael Paiva, ex-técnico do sub-20, vai comandar o Vasco no confronto contra o Fortaleza. O interino terá dor de cabeça para escalar o time para o primeiro duelo da terceira fase, pois não poderá contar com Dimitri Payet. Apesar de ter atuado nos primeiros 45 minutos contra o Criciúma, o jogador ainda não se recuperou completamente da lesão no joelho direito, e ficou no Rio de Janeiro.

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No último confronto entre as duas equipes, o clube carioca saiu com a vitória depois de um golaço do craque francês em São Januário, no segundo turno do Brasileirão 2023. Na ocasião, o Vasco lutava para deixar a zona de rebaixamento e gol de falta de Payet foi fundamental para a conquista dos três pontos que tiraram o Cruz-Maltino do Z4.

Na ocasião, o time que foi a campo foi: Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique; Maicon, Léo; Piton; Marlon Gomes, Zé Gabriel, Praxedes; Gabriel Pec, Dimitri Payet e Vegetti. Apenas Gabriel Pec e Marlon Gomes não fazem mais parte do elenco, mas a escalação que vai a campo nesta quarta-feira (1) deve ser bem diferente.

Sem Payet e sem João Victor, expulso na partida contra o Água Santa, Rafael Paiva deve ir com três zagueiros: Rojas, Maicon e Léo. Para o meio-campo, Galdames deve voltar ao time titular para fazer a função de Payet.

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He will take over the position from Jon Lewis at a franchise that has struggled since reaching the playoffs in WPL’s inaugural season

Nagraj Gollapudi and Ashish Pant25-Jul-2025UP Warriorz (UPW) have appointed former India allrounder Abhishek Nayar as their head coach for the next edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Nayar’s appointment comes after the franchise parted ways with Jon Lewis, who had been at the helm for the last three seasons.Nayar comes to the set-up with an extensive coaching background. A Mumbai stalwart in first-class cricket, Nayar also played three ODIs for India before his retirement in 2019. Since then, he has transitioned into coaching. He was the lead coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders academy in 2018 and then joined the KKR support staff as assistant coach. Nayar also served as the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) head coach in CPL 2022.While Nayar has never coached a women’s team, he oversaw a week-long off-season camp with UPW in August 2023 in Bengaluru. He has also worked on a one-on-one basis with several international and uncapped Indian players over the years.”I really enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before and I’m thrilled to take on this new role,” Nayar said. “WPL is a fantastic platform for women’s cricket and I’m looking forward to working closely with the management to build a strong team for Season 4. UP Warriorz already have a strong foundation in place, and I believe we can build something truly special. There is incredible potential and I will give it my all to help win their first-ever title this season.”During his stint at KKR, Nayar built a rapport with mentor Gautam Gambhir, and their partnership helped the franchise lift their IPL third title in 2024. When Gambhir was appointed the head coach of the Indian side the same year, Nayar joined it as assistant coach, but his contract was terminated less than a year into the job. He subsequently returned as KKR’s assistant coach for IPL 2025, having been a part of their backroom staff from 2018 to 2024.Related

UP Warriorz and coach Jon Lewis part ways

“Bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as head coach feels like a natural and exciting step forward for UP Warriorz,” Kshemal Waingankar, COO and director of cricket UPW, told ESPNcricinfo. “When someone of Abhishek’s calibre became available, it was a no-brainer. Few in Indian cricket bring the same depth of experience when it comes to shaping players and shaping winning cultures.”In just the past 18 months alone, Abhishek has been part of three championship-winning campaigns, each in a different role, each leaving a lasting impact. We are thrilled to have him lead a Warriorz side that’s united, fearless and hungry to grow. With Abhishek at the helm, we believe this group can do something truly special.”Nayar played a crucial part in unlocking Dinesh Karthik’s potential as a finisher in T20 cricket. At various times, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have also credited Nayar for their batting resurgence.More recently, KL Rahul also thanked Nayar: “I’ve worked really hard on my white-ball game the last year or so. Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team.”UPW haven’t had the best of times at the WPL so far. They made it to the playoffs in the inaugural season in 2023, where they lost to eventual champions Mumbai Indians in the eliminator. Since then, they have finished second to bottom and bottom of the five-team points table, in 2024 and 2025 respectively.UPW have played 25 matches in the WPL across seasons, of which they have lost 15 games and won ten. Deepti Sharma was named their captain for WPL 2025, after Alyssa Healy was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, believes the game needs to look beyond the Super Smash

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-2025New Zealand is finally set to enter the world of privately owned T20 leagues, with plans afoot to start NZ20, a tournament comprising six privately owned franchises in January 2027. The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the tournament receiving the license from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), but managed independently.Plans don’t currently have NZC approval, but if they do secure that, NZ20 will replace the Super Smash, the current six-team competition. That tournament is now two decades old and is played by the local cricket associations in New Zealand: Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago. It is managed by NZC, whereas NZ20 will have teams with private owners.According to Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, the concept for the league originated from former New Zeeland greats including Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA} to gauge whether the time had come for a franchise-based league. MacKinnon, a professional lawyer who heads the country’s Sports Integrity Commission, and has served as a director on the NZC Board, was approached about three months ago to see if the concept was feasible.In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, MacKinnon said NZ20 was an “extremely viable” project and it was the “ideal” time to launch.”The concept is a pretty simple one really. It’s to see if New Zealand cricket could provide us with a clean window, which in our mind is absolutely essential for a very short privately owned competition, ideally in the peak of summer in New Zealand,” MacKinnon said. “So ideally for a men’s competition in the month of January at potentially a lot of our holiday venues, some of our beautiful grassbanks ground and a short fan-centric, fun type competition, but one played by the very best players in New Zealand and hopefully some internationals.”

‘Super Smash not working’

The absence of a New Zealand T20 league until now has been notable, especially as its players and coaches have been popular in leagues across the globe. But MacKinnon said collective belief among former players was that the time was ripe for New Zealand to create its own domestic brand.Back in 2014 the NZC Board had turned down the idea of such a league because it did not believe it could create a successful product and would “struggle” to compete with the likes of the IPL and BBL. MacKinnon agreed with that decision but pointed out the time now was right to “develop our own unique competition.” He said that NZ20 would not be aping the IPL or BBL.”We are looking at something very boutique, very New Zealand centric, a unique experience for players who come here, as I said, small grounds, a great lifestyle, something that we think players would love to be involved in.”Finn Allen is among the New Zealand players who play overseas in the January league period•Sarah Reed – CA / Getty Images

MacKinnon said the Super Smash was “not really working with the fans” and has become more of a “development” competition for players. NZ20, MacKinnon believes, has the potential to “reenergise domestic cricket” in New Zealand. “What’s different about it? Well, it’s partly driven out of private investment and so you get the ability to be very innovative. You have the ability to have greater capital, to invest in better fan experience both at the ground but also whether you are watching on television or online. We also think that if we get this right, we will attract the very best New Zealand players back into our domestic competitions.”MacKinnon did not disclose whether IPL franchise owners were looking to invest, but said there was strong interest both from India as well as other investors globally. “We’ve also looked really closely at some of the models around the world and particularly the CPL where the league owners and the team seem to have done a great job in moving that competition not only into a point of profitability but also has really engaged fan interest. So that’s one of the models we’re looking at very closely. But by no means the only one.”

NZ players ‘would desperately love’ to play NZ20

The current plan involves starting the men’s tournament in January 2027 followed by the launch of the women’s league in December 2027. The biggest challenge remains finding a clear window with the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 running simultaneously in January. Those tournaments generally involve the participation of several New Zealand international.MacKinnon acknowledged that hurdle, but believed current New Zealand players were keen to participate. “We appreciate we won’t be able to attract everybody that we’d like to have, but the feedback from current New Zealand players is they would desperately love for this tournament to go ahead and would do everything to participate in it.There would be plans to launch a women’s edition later in 2027•Getty Images

“So that’s the first goal. We are designing this competition very much along the lines that we want the Lockie Fergusons and the Finn Allens of this world and the Kane Williamsons playing in it. So that’s the most important goal because at the moment a lot of those players aren’t playing in our Super Smash.”MacKinnon is confident NZ20 can attract “marquee players” if they get the right owners. MacKinnon also highlighted one of its USPs would be to allow players to own a stake in the league. “We also are looking at a model where the players may well have an ownership share of the league,” he said. “And we are doing that because we want an extremely high level of access to player intellectual property. We want to be able to open our players up to the wealth. And to do that, that intellectual property needs to be very readily available.”

NZC approval</h2.NZC approval will have to come swiftly if NZ20 is to take off by January 2027. MacKinnon emphasised that his committee wanted to work with NZC. In fact, the NZ20 committee comprises two members from NZC's board along with representatives from NZPA and members associations.MacKinnon said that NZC had told the NZ20 Committee they were looking at various options. "We have been in constant discussions with the New Zealand Cricket Board over the last two to three months. They have been excellent to deal with. They have been very clear to us that while they're excited by this project, they have other options they're looking at including quite clearly whether they wish to consider trying to get a team into the Big Bash."MacKinnon said he would obviously like NZC to pick NZ20 as the "preferred option" but admitted ideally he would want the final decision to be made as soon as possible. "At the same time we are proceeding on the basis that we believe we will get a license and we are continuing to talk to investors and making progress in that regard. We would love to be in a position by the end of January [2026] to have some real certainty about whether we can make the competition start in January 2027 and that's our timeframe."

It’s nearly the season to be jolly for Newcastle United, but only if Eddie Howe finds a winning formula once again and transforms his side’s fortunes, currently slumped in 14th place in the Premier League.

The savvy coach will have sat on his thoughts over the past two weeks, well aware that this Magpies side need more than just a few tweaks to fire on all cylinders once again.

Perhaps a return to full fluency will be struck upon over the coming month, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson may be in concert regarding the need for an external solution this winter, a late Christmas present welcomed after the new year, when the transfer window swings open.

Newcastle preparing for winter signing

Antoine Semenyo is a hot topic at the moment, with news filtering through this week that the Bournemouth talisman has a £65m release clause in his contract, which becomes active in January.

Newcastle had a vested interest in the Ghana international before signing Anthony Elanga for £55m this summer, and though the Toon are considering a new right-sided forward, there are other options that might come into play.

According to Caught Offside, West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen is believed to be looking to complete a move away from the east Londoners next summer, in the search for Champions League football.

Bowen, 28, has led the Hammers to meteoric heights over the past several years, but things have unravelled at the London Stadium since David Moyes’ departure.

Thus, Newcastle – who aren’t actively linked with the Englishman, as per the report – could strike for a player they have targeted in the past. Tottenham Hotspur are also interested, though, and are willing to spend £60m on the England star.

Why Newcastle should sign Bowen

Bowen was at the heart of West Ham’s Premier League win over Newcastle this month, and he has recorded three goals and an assist across four matches for the out-of-form side.

Hailed in the past by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino for being in the “Salah club” on the right flank, Bowen certainly falls into the category of ‘goalscoring winger’, but his underlying creative qualities could make him the perfect dynamic force to complement Howe’s Tyneside attack.

Crucially, Bowen’s durability across so many years as an Iron leader has made him perfect for a move to a club like Newcastle. Moreover, he scored the winning goal in the 2022/23 Conference League final, the hero in a trophy-winning campaign for West Ham.

25/26

11

3 + 1

24/25

34

13 + 10

23/24

34

16 + 6

22/23

38

6 + 6

21/22

36

12 + 12

20/21

38

8 + 5

19/20

13

1 + 4

Bowen also ranks among the top 7% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, further emphasising the dynamism and breadth of his game. Salah-esque, alright, and evidence that

Bowen may not be quite so much of a protean threat as, say, Semenyo, but he has streamlined his output and this has seen him establish himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League, sustaining that level across many years.

Nick Woltemade’s unique link-up ability and willingness to drop deep emphasises the gains that could be found in landing Bowen’s signature. If a chance to make this move does present itself, Newcastle must pounce.

With the 23-year-old Elanga yet to register a single goal contribution for Newcastle this season, and Semenyo yet to prove himself at the highest level, it might be that Bowen would be a fantastic addition to complement a young attacking workforce at St. James’ Park and steer Newcastle back on course across the second half of the season and beyond.

Bigger talent than Anderson: Newcastle have 'one of the world's best teens'

Newcastle’s academy has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 21, 2025

واجه فريق برشلونة خصمه أتلتيكو مدريد مساء الثلاثاء، ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” لموسم 2025-2026.

واستقبل برشلونة نظيره أتلتيكو مدريد على ملعب “سبوتيفاي كامب نو” في مباراة مقدمة من الجولة التاسعة عشر للدوري الإسباني.

وقلب برشلونة الطاولة على أتلتيكو مدريد، وحول تأخره إلى فوز بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، وسجل له رافينها، داني أولمو، وفيران توريس.

اقرأ أيضًا | ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإسباني بعد هدف فيران توريس في مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد

وحصل البرازيلي رافينها على جائزة رجل مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد، بعد الأداء المميز الذي ظهر به خلال اللقاء.

وارتفع رصيد برشلونة إلى 37 نقطة في صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، وتوقف أتلتيكو مدريد عند 31 نقطة بالمركز الرابع.

It was an unfortunate toss to win, but India will look back at how they faced up to the challenge and question their methods

Sidharth Monga17-Oct-20241:53

Should India be worried about Australia after 46 all out?

If you were to fantasise a scenario in which New Zealand, coming off a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka, were to challenge India in India – unbeaten for 18 straight series at home – the fantasy would have looked quite close to, if not exactly like, what happened in Bengaluru. It had been raining in the lead-up to the Test, the first day was washed out, overcast skies were expected, and as the final piece in the fantasy, you would expect New Zealand to insert India and run through them.The last bit of it, in fact, changed a little. New Zealand wanted to bat first, but were denied the death wish by India. That’s because of the dry pitch. If anything, India were clearer in what they wanted to do: bat first and play three spinners. New Zealand’s second spinner was Glenn Phillips, and they still wanted to bat first.With that stroke of luck, New Zealand put India through the wringer of good length and consistent seam movement. In the first session, Matt Henry drew an average seam movement of 1.3 degrees, Tim Southee 1 degree and Will O’Rourke 0.8. Himanish Ganjoo, analyst and cricket writer, tweeted it was not just the seam – 0.87 degrees median seam in 30 overs compared to 0.5 degrees in the last three years in India – but also 20% extra bounce compared to the last three years.Related

• 'Relentless' Matt Henry revels in the gloom

• Rohit Sharma 'hurting' after misjudging Bengaluru pitch

• Pant stays off the field after picking up knee injury while keeping

• Stats – India plumb new lows on their way to 46 all out

• India 46 all out as Henry and Conway create New Zealand's dream day

Once both the sides misjudged the conditions and India were the unfortunate ones to win the toss, the New Zealand seam bowlers were just perfect for the conditions. No drive balls, about half the balls on good length, and the extra bounce for O’Rourke.That said, India will look back at how they faced up to the challenge and question their methods. This was not like the 36 all out, the closest such event in recent memory, where the ball actually seamed less that morning and India were bundled out in just 32 false shots. Here India batted almost out of muscle memory and hoped to just hit the bowlers off their length. It took 75 false shots for India to be bowled out, which is not a million miles away from about the 10 it usually takes for a wicket on an average in Test cricket.Yashasvi Jaiswal started off leaving the ball, but drove loosely to just the 12th ball he faced. There was no reason why he should have drove at that ball in particular: it was neither overpitched nor wide. He tried to walk at the bowlers to cut down the movement, but there were 21 false shots in his 63-ball stay, 10 of those drives and aggressive shots. He could just as easily have got out to a shot that looked ugly.Rohit Sharma was not so lucky. He was bowled the first time he tried to hit out. Rishabh Pant enjoyed Jaiswal-like luck, surviving 20 false shots and a dropped catch before nicking to second slip. Sarfaraz Khan, asked to bat higher than he does in domestic cricket, took the attacking option third ball with no luck.KL Rahul was out for a six-ball duck•Getty ImagesWhile it sounds brave and selfless of Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz to bat out of position, India will also question if KL Rahul was not the best man for No. 3 in these conditions. Rahul is one of only two Asian opening batters to have scored a century in all three of Australia, South Africa and England. Rahul’s resolute old-fashioned grinding down of England, in partnership with Rohit, was the reason why India drew 2-2 in England.If India had a week to prepare for the conditions they got in Bengaluru, chances are they would have buckled down similarly. Instead they did what came to most of them instinctively: counterattack. There is logic to that too, as you don’t want to be sitting ducks on a seaming pitch. You can’t dismiss this thought process straight off the bat, but as the control figures and the final score shows, you are leaving a lot to luck if you keep on attacking in these conditions and if the bowlers are not erring in length at all.Traditional wisdom suggests you try to ride out the period of extravagant seam movement and hope that you still have one or two specialist batters left when the seam becomes softer and the sun comes out. Here, India didn’t trust the traditional wisdom, either because things were so different to their expectations that they were too shocked to respond or because they consciously decided not to do so. The ones who did – Kohli and Rahul – were unlucky to get out before they could get in.You can still get out for 46 or 36 doing that, but you can look back and say you tried to give yourselves a chance and then move on and hope for better luck another day. India did just that in Australia after 36 all out. This day, you suspect, won’t be so easy to erase from memory.

Leeds United have been in excellent form over the last few weeks. The Whites suffered a last-minute defeat against Manchester City, before beating Chelsea 3-1 and then drawing with Liverpool 3-3 in consecutive games at Elland Road.

The number of goals scored across those three games is a real positive. They scored twice in East Manchester and bagged another six combined in the games at Elland Road.

That takes the West Yorkshire outfit up to 19 goals for the season, better than six sides in the Premier League.

There has been a real upturn in form for two of their strikers, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

How Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha have turned it around

Leeds were savvy in the summer when it came to their business. Their two new number nines were a prime example of that, both of whom came on a free transfer.

Calvert-Lewin joined upon the expiry of his Everton contract, and Nmecha his Wolfsburg contract.

Chalkboard

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

26-year-old Nmecha has begun the season strongly. He already has four goals in 14 games for the Whites, including a goal against City.

He went on a run of three goals in as many games during November.

As for Calvert-Lewin, it was a slow start to life at Elland Road for the Sheffield-born attacker, but his form has really picked up of late.

He also has four goals in 13 appearances this term, bagging in each of the games against their last three opponents.

Someone who has been full of praise for the striker is his ex-teammate at Everton, Conor Coady. The defender described him as an “outstanding footballer” and said playing in a front two is beneficial for him.

However, this upturn in form in front of goal isn’t great news for all Leeds players, with someone on the periphery now seemingly set to struggle even more for a spot in the side.

Leeds' "best finisher" is now out of favour

It has certainly not been an easy campaign for a few of Leeds’ promotion heroes. Daniel Farke has not been able to find a regular place in the side for Ao Tanaka or Daniel James, who have become squad players.

However, it has perhaps hit Joel Piroe the most out of any Leeds star.

Last season, the former Swansea City striker was pivotal as Farke’s side got promoted at the second time of asking. Piroe bagged 19 times and assisted seven in 46 appearances.

His form last term in the Championship was summed up by some impressive underlying stats.

For example, the Dutchman averaged 0.8 goals and assists and created 1.1 chances per 90 minutes.

He had some huge moments in the Whites’ title-winning season, too.

Perhaps the standout was when he bagged four goals inside the first half against Stoke City in the third-to-last game of the season, helping them to a 6-0 thrashing.

Things have not been so straightforward for the former PSV Eindhoven attacker. Piroe has only played eight times in the Premier League, racking up just 197 minutes in that time.

That is a surprise given his form last term, but even more so when you factor in Farke calling him “the best finisher” he’s ever coached.

Yet, it seems like time could be up for the 26-year-old in a Leeds shirt. The fact that he has played so little this term, combined with how well both Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha are playing, does not bode well for his future.

Leeds paid Swansea a reported £16m, including add-ons for the striker, back in 2023. He has certainly justified that price tag with his performances in the second tier, but the fact that there has been no opportunity for him this season is worrying.

It certainly seems as though the man who helped steer Leeds back to the Premier League might not have a future at Elland Road much longer.

Best signing since Raphinha: "Underrated" Leeds star must start every game

Daniel Farke must now start this Leeds United star for every game, who could be considered their best signing since Raphinha.

By
Kelan Sarson

3 days ago

The visitors bowled spin for all 50 overs of their innings in Dhaka, keeping Bangladesh to 213

Mohammad Isam21-Oct-2025
West Indies won the Super OverWest Indies prevailed over Bangladesh in the Super Over, beating the home side in Dhaka by one run. Akeal Hosein delivered an imperfect final over in extra time, defending ten runs, but he kept Bangladesh in check with several dots mixed with wides and no-balls. Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar and Najmul Hossain Shanto couldn’t do the job for Bangladesh, and so, the series is now 1-1.West Indies had earlier scored ten runs in their Super Over, with captain Shai Hope getting a boundary off the last ball, after Mustafizur Rahman had removed Sherfane Rutherford with his second ball.This was Bangladesh’s first tie in 814 men’s international matches.Hope carried West Indies in regulation time, getting the only half-century of the game. West Indies needed five runs off the 50th over to complete a chase of 214. Saif Hassan bowled two dot balls before conceding a single. Hope got on strike and even though he only had Hosein at the other end – the No. 10 batter playing his first game on tour – he chose to take another single.Saif punished Hope for that, bowling Hosein between his legs. Khary Pierre, the last man in, needed to get three off the final ball, but his top edge spun towards square leg. Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan ran for the catch, but he dropped the chance. He also couldn’t pass the ball on in time to Mustafizur, who was stood by the stumps, as Pierre and Hope completed two runs, tying the match.West Indies became the first team to bowl spin for all 50 overs of an ODI. The visitors overhauled a record that had stood since 2004, when Sri Lanka plied Australia with 44 overs of slow bowling. Bangladesh topped that tally up with 42 overs from their own spinners, pushing the match aggregate to 92 overs of spin – another record in this format.Rishad Hossain came good with the bat again•AFP/Getty ImagesWhen West Indies’ chase began, Nasum Ahmed removed Brandon King in the first over. Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty batted solidly during the powerplay, with Athanaze hitting Mehidy Hasan Miraz over covers, followed by a straight drive off Nasum. He also struck two more fours, before Rishad Hossain trapped him lbw. Athanze missed with a sweep after connecting with one earlier in the over.Carty was Rishad’s next victim when he missed his reverse sweep, and the ball snuck through and hit his back leg. Debutant Ackeem Auguste swept Tanvir Islam straight to Rishad at square leg, falling for 17. Sherfane Rutherford was given out lbw next, in the 27th over, as West Indies lost half their side with 103 on the board.Gudakesh Motie and Hope tried to keep West Indies afloat, but they were separated six overs later. Rishad struck with a full ball that Motie went after with a wild slog, falling for 15. Roston Chase, batting at No. 8, followed soon after, caught behind off Nasum.From 133 for 7, Hope added 44 runs for the eighth wicket with Justin Greaves. The latter got run out trying to take a quick single, with Mehidy effecting a direct hit to get the crucial wicket. Hope handled most of the strike but Hosein struck a six, to take West Indies closer. Needing just 14 off 12 balls, it looked unlikely that they would let the game go into a Super Over.Earlier, Bangladesh struggled to get going for most of their innings after deciding to bat first. Saif was dismissed after hitting a six, while Towhid Hridoy and Shanto got out to poor shots. Hridoy top-edged a slog, while Shanto got caught at short midwicket, unable to time Athanaze’s long hop.Sarkar played some gorgeous shots in between a lot of dot balls. He made 45 off 89 balls with three fours and a six, before holing out in the deep in the 31st over. Bangladesh were 103 for 5, and looked in danger, until Nurul slammed a six and two fours for his 23, leaving Rishad to do the finishing. He struck three fours and as many sixes in his unbeaten 14-ball 39, all of which came in the last 2.1 overs of the Bangladesh innings.Athanaze was West Indies’ best bowler with figures of 2 for 14 from his ten overs, while Hosein, who flew into Dhaka on the day before the match, also picked up two wickets. Motie took 3 for 65, his figures spoiled by Rishad’s last burst of boundaries.