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Big picture – How will Shafali-Mandhana bat?

The stakes couldn’t be higher.Australia are here with a clean slate. They have been pushed back multiple times during this World Cup, and they’ve found a way back each time. Two of their batters, Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner, have scored two centuries each. Two of their bowlers, Annabel Sutherland and Alana King, have taken more than ten wickets each. And apart from everything else that makes them such intimidating opponents, Australia have not lost an ODI knockout game since they lost to India in the the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup.Related

• How to beat Australia in three easy steps (step 1 – invent a miracle)

• Tactics board: Mandhana's level-up, Sutherland's steady hand

• Shafali tunes up for Australia, a day after destiny's call

• What will Harmanpreet vs Australia bring us this time?

India are riding a wave of emotion. They recovered from a three-game losing streak to sneak into the semi-finals. In their last full game, played at the same venue, they posted their record World Cup total. No team has pushed Australia harder than India in recent times. And they are now two wins away from doing what no India women’s team has ever done.Their key player Smriti Mandhana has scored 105, 58, 117, 125 and 80 in her last five ODIs against Australia. But she’ll start from 0 again, and this time she’ll have an adjustment to make, with her usual opening partner Pratika Rawal, with whom she added a record 212 against New Zealand, ruled out of the World Cup. Mandhana is all set to open with Shafali Verma, and the new combination could have an effect on how she bats.In ODIs involving Shafali, Mandhana averages 51.83 and strikes at 85.55. When these two opened together, Shafali was usually the early aggressor. Mandhana took on that role when Shafali went out of the side, however, as her numbers in matches involving Rawal suggest: an average of 62.65, a strike rate of 108.75. How will the new (old) opening combination bat on Thursday?For Australia, there is a fair bit of intrigue around Healy’s availability. A minor calf strain sidelined her ahead of the game against England, and she missed two matches subsequently. Australia would not want to be reminded of the T20 World Cup semi-final from last year; Healy missed the clash and South Africa romped to an eight-wicket win.The second semi-final, for which the cheapest tickets were priced at INR 150 (as opposed to INR 100 for the Guwahati semi-final), is a sell-out. You can expect all of Navi Mumbai to cram itself into the DY Patil Stadium. They could get to witness an epic.Shafali Verma waits for her turn at the nets•ICC/Getty Images

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WLLLW

In the spotlight – Phoebe Litchfield and Deepti Sharma

Phoebe Litchfield loves playing India. She has one century and four fifties in just eight ODI innings against them, and averages 63.50. She has a wide range of sweeps that could potentially upset the rhythm of India’s spinners. After a pair of low scores against England and South Africa, Litchfield may feel she is due some runs too.Deepti Sharma has been India’s leading wicket-taker at this World Cup with 15 at 22.46. There will be a lot of focus on her during this game, because she has a fine record against Australia’s middle-order batters. She has dismissed Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner twice each in ODIs, while going at less than a run a ball against both, Ellyse Perry three times, and Tahlia McGrath five times in nine innings. Only Perry and Annabel Sutherland from the current side have managed to hit Deepti for a six in ODIs.

Team news – Australia sweat on Healy’s availability

While Healy batted and kept wicket during Tuesday’s training session, she opted out of optional training on Wednesday, with Georgia Voll batting in partnership with Litchfield. Head coach Shelley Nitschke said Australia would give Healy “as much time as she needs” and will take a call on her participation on Thursday. That aside, expect Sophie Molineux to come back into the spin attack for Georgia Wareham, who played against South Africa but did not get a chance to bowl.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Beth Mooney, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Megan Schutt.Shafali is likely to swap straight into India’s XI in Rawal’s place at the top of the order. Richa Ghosh, who was rested against Bangladesh after injuring her finger during the match against New Zealand, did not look in any discomfort during her keeping drills and batted a fair bit on Tuesday. Sneh Rana and Kranti Gaud, both of whom were also rested against Bangladesh, could come back into the XI.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 N Shree Charani, 11 Renuka Singh.2:15

Australia coach Nitschke: Not underdogs, but also not favourites’

Pitch and conditions

The game will be played on the pitch on which Sri Lanka played Bangladesh. That track was devoid of grass and had a bright brown look to it. It is expected to be a high-scoring game. There has been rain in Navi Mumbai in the lead-up to the match, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday, but the forecast for matchday has cleared up somewhat. The match will go into a reserve day should it not finish on Thursday.

Stats and trivia

• Mandhana and Shafali have opened together 25 times in ODIs, adding 893 runs at an average of 37.20 and a run rate of 5.38. Mandhana and Rawal, who have opened together 23 times, are India’s most successful opening pair in ODIs, having put on 1799 runs at 78.21 and 6.06.
• Alana King’s average of 34.63 and economy rate of 5.93 against India are her worst by a distance against any opposition in ODIs. Mandhana (160.00), Harleen Deol (116.66), Harmanpreet Kaur (114.58), Jemimah Rodrigues (113.23) and Deepti Sharma (105.40) have 100-plus strike rates against the legspinner.
• Australia are on a 15-match winning streak in ODI World Cups. They had also won 15 in a row across the 1997 and 2000 editions.
• Megan Schutt is one wicket away from becoming the leading wicket-taker for Australia in ODI World Cups. She has 39 now, on par with Lyn Fullston

Quotes

“Ash [Gardner] has been unbelievable. We all know what she’s capable of with the bat, but to take her game to the next level, and do that in a World Cup, has been fantastic. She’s someone who is very diligent in everything she does; she’s a hard worker. When she’s at her best, it’s about making sure that she’s enjoying the game and enjoying the environment and she’s getting in the contest.”
“I was playing domestic cricket and was in good touch. [Semi-finals] are not something new for me because I’ve played many semi-finals before. It’s just a matter of keeping my mind clear and giving myself confidence. I’ve been in such situations earlier, so it’s nothing new. I’ll keep telling myself to stay calm and believe in myself. So absolutely, I’ll do well, 200%.”

Martin Guptill has joined the West Indies camp to provide specialist support for the two T20Is at Eden Park

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2025Tim Seifert has been ruled out of New Zealand’s upcoming home T20I series against West Indies with a broken finger. Mitchell Hay has been called in to the squad as Seifert’s replacement and joined the team on Monday night.Seifert retired hurt after being hit on the finger while batting for Northern Districts in Monday’s Ford Trophy match against Wellington Firebirds, and a subsequent X-ray revealed a fracture to the right index finger.”We’re all feeling for Tim,” Rob Walter, New Zealand’s head coach, said in a statement. “He’s a key member of this T20 unit given his power at the top of the order and his role as keeper, so he’ll be missed over the next five matches.

NZ vs WI, T20I series

Nov 5 – 1st T20I, Auckland
Nov 6 – 2nd T20I, Auckland
Nov 9 – 3rd T20I, Nelson
Nov 11 – 4th T20I, Nelson
Nov 13 – 5th T20I, Dunedin

“He showed in the recent T20 series’ that he’s building up to top form, so it’s disappointing that that has been halted as we continue to prepare for a pinnacle event.”We’re hoping Tim’s recovery will be quick and he’ll be back on the park as soon as possible.”A wicketkeeper-batter like Seifert, Hay is not as experienced as the man he has replaced but has featured in 11 T20Is since making his debut against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in November last year and holds the world record for the most dismissals (six) in an innings in the format.”Mitch has shown in his international opportunities so far that he’s a top-quality wicketkeeper batter and is more than capable of contributing at this level,” Walter said. “We’re lucky to be able call on another player of his ability which shows the level of depth we currently have in the T20 format.”<!–#cricinfo_insert
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A familiar face in different colours at Eden Park

Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has seen a new era begin at the football club, with the Dane tasked with taking the side to the next level under his guidance.

The 52-year-old has already formed numerous impressive partnerships across the first-team squad, with centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero nailing their places down as regular starters.

The duo have started all but three league games together in 2025/26, with the pair no doubt playing a crucial role in the Lilywhites’ away record – which is the joint-best in the division at present.

Spurs’ latest fixture against PSG saw Frank unleash a midfield duo of Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, an opportunity which both players took full advantage of, potentially making them the manager’s long-term pairing at the heart of the side.

However, the Dane will no doubt be wishing that he could rely upon a couple of players who set the Premier League alight during their period together in North London.

The success of Kane & Son’s partnership at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs completed the £23m signature of winger Heung-min Son from Bayer Leverkusen – subsequently arriving as an unknown quantity to many supporters.

Such a move came at around the same time as academy striker Harry Kane was making his mark in the first-team ranks after various loan spells across the Football League.

However, not many people could have foreseen the impact they would have alongside one another, with such a partnership being one of, if not, the best, in England’s top-flight.

The pair linked up for 47 goals between one another – the most of any duo in the division’s history – with many of which handing the fans memories to last a lifetime.

A two-year spell between 2020 and 2022 was by far and away their most successful, as the duo linked up on 21 separate occasions for goals – a simply staggering feat.

One game will no doubt stand out, as Kane registered all four assists for Son in the 5-2 demolition of Southampton back in 2020/21 – with such a record putting the Englishman joint-top for most assists in a single English league game.

However, in 2025, Frank is unable to rely upon either of the aforementioned talents, with both moving on to pastures new over the last two years – undoubtedly leaving a huge hole in the Lilywhites’ attack.

The Spurs duo who are becoming Frank’s own Son & Kane

During his time as a manager, Frank has not been alien to iconic duos at the top end of the pitch, with the Dane fortunate to work with multiple elite attackers at Brentford.

In the Championship years and the first few seasons in the Premier League, he was able to rely upon the likes of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo at the GTEC.

The pair scored 29 combined goals back in 2022/23, 11 goals shy of the tally produced by Kane and Son, but still managed to cement themselves as one of the division’s most threatening pairs.

In the present day, the Spurs boss has none of those players at his disposal in North London, but the Lilywhites hierarchy have handed him the opportunity to improve the options in his current squad.

He took full advantage during the summer window, splashing a reported £55m on the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from fellow Premier League side West Ham United.

Such a fee will have raised eyebrows, but the Ghanaian international has already made an immediate impact in North London after his controversial transfer.

He’s already managed to register four assists in the Premier League to date, with such a tally putting him joint-top in the division alongside the likes of Jack Grealish and Yankuba Minteh.

The numbers produced by Kudus are similar to Son’s, leading to similarities being drawn due to their ability to create endless opportunities for their teammates in North London.

Their playstyles are also extremely similar, with both talents loving to take on their opponents, before cutting off their respective flanks and getting shots off on goal.

Games played

11

Goals & assists

5

Pass accuracy

87%

Successful crosses

1.8

Successful dribbles

3.3

Dribble success

48%

Chances created

1.5

Duels won

7.1

The other half of Frank’s duo at the top end of the pitch is made up by loanee Randal Kolo Muani, who joined the Lilywhites on a season-long loan from PSG.

The striker has often had to bide his time to regular minutes since his switch, as Richarlison has often been ahead of him in the pecking order, or he’s been sidelined with fitness issues.

However, his showing against his parent side on Wednesday night highlighted his impressive ability within the final third when given an opportunity to thrive.

The 26-year-old netted twice and registered an assist in the 5-3 defeat in the Champions League, but his clinical finishes certainly did show glimpses of what Kane produced in North London.

The pair, who earn a combined £300k-per-week at Spurs, will need time to gel and form a deadly partnership, but the early signs appear positive for the individuals.

If they can click together in the near future, there’s no reason why they can’t star together in the remainder of 2025/26 and potentially lead Frank to a successful first season at the helm.

Romero upgrade: Spurs "ready to make" £35m bid for "world-class" defender

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a huge January move for a new centre-back.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 28, 2025

The India fast bowler, who has the raw materials to succeed in Test cricket, is working on his control

Sidharth Monga28-Jun-20252:01

How will India work their bowling options for Edgbaston?

At Headingley, Prasidh Krishna became the first bowler in Test cricket to go at more than a run a ball in both the innings (minimum 15 overs bowled in each innings). He also registered the highest match economy for an India Test bowler. It in part contributed to India becoming the first team in first-class cricket to lose after scoring five hundreds in the match.It is not difficult to see why Prasidh didn’t get the desired results in Leeds. In the first innings, he bowled just 24 balls in the 6-8m good length band, one in five balls. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled half their deliveries on a good length. His economy when he pitched there was 3.75.Instead he kept veering into short of a good length: 51 balls in 8-10m band for 53 runs and a wicket and 17 balls in 10-12m zone for 34 runs and no wicket. The first of these is just the limited-overs hard length, which is used as a defensive ploy with defensive fields. At Headingley, it just got hammered. The latter is a short ball, but not like you mean it. It didn’t quite rise to the shoulder. When he went to the proper bouncer, in the 12-14m zone, Prasidh drew the results: two wickets of set batters in 11 balls.It made for frustrating viewing because you know Prasidh has the ingredients to be a Test bowler. He has the highest release among the India bowlers, giving him the best chance to draw seam movement and disconcerting bounce. He is not express, but an average pace of 136.54 kph can be harnessed through accuracy. He did crank it up to 147.46 kph at one point.Prasidh made improvements in the second innings, bowling half his deliveries in the 6-8m band for one wicket and an economy of 4.93. He looked more threatening than in the first innings, but by now the pitch had lost its juice and it wasn’t deteriorating either. Still Prasidh has to find a way to not concede so many runs: be it get better on the line or work with his fields or come up with better plans for specific batters.Prasidh Krishna is still very new to Test cricket and has the attributes to find success•Getty ImagesIt is easy to forget this was just his fourth Test but Prasidh is not hiding behind any excuses. “If I look at the first innings, I was a little too short than where I wanted to be,” he said. “Definitely 6-8[m] is ideal. That’s what I would say. I think second innings it got slightly better, but because again the wicket was slightly slower, I had to pitch a few slightly behind it and then go slightly fuller when I’m trying to get a wicket. So, yeah, I definitely did not bowl the lengths that I wanted to.”There were other factors at play. “Not wanting to float it up there is definitely one of the reasons,” Prasidh said. “And also, it honestly took me some time to get used to the slope that side. But I should be able to do it as a professional. I take complete responsibility about it, and then maybe I do it better next time.”It could be noticed in the nets that bowling coach Morne Morkel and Prasidh are working at getting the default length slightly fuller without actually floating the ball up. Ishant Sharma, another tall fast bowler, had similar issues until he worked with Jason Gillespie at Sussex. Gillespie made him move away the traditional practice of hitting the cones on the pitch. He asked Ishant to forget the pitch but try to hit the knee roll on the batters’ pads as hard as he could. That is something Prasidh could perhaps look at doing.The processes can go on, but the economy can’t be this high. Prasidh needs to be able to exert better control on the flow of runs. “I had a few conversations with a few of them about this particular match,” he said. “I definitely would want to bring that down to whatever best I can do. I think I’m learning as well. It’s up to me. It’s my responsibility to get better, and that’s what I’m trying. That’s what I’m working on, and I just want to make sure I put in the right kind of work and come back here and put up better numbers.”Coach Gautam Gambhir supported Prasidh wholeheartedly minutes after the Headingley defeat. He pointed out to his lack of experience, but said he had all the ingredients to become a good Test bowler. The challenge won’t get easier: Bazball pitches will remain flat, Bazballers will continue trying to dominate him, and he won’t even have Jasprit Bumrah for two of the remaining Tests. It is up to Prasidh now to find a way to hit those good lengths without floating the ball. The rest can only flow from there.

Captain Ronald Araujo has been granted indefinite leave by Barcelona following a request for a period of absence. The Uruguay international's representatives held discussions with club sporting director Deco on Monday after the defender was not part of the matchday squad for Saturday's 3-1 La Liga victory over Alaves at Spotify Camp Nou.

Araujo was sent off in Barcelona's Champions League loss at Chelsea

After being sent off in Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League last Tuesday, Araujo was absent as his side secured a victory over Alaves which sent them top of La Liga. 

A double from Dani Olmo and a strike from Lamine Yamal helped Hansi Flick’s side rise to the summit ahead of Real Madrid, who stayed in second place after drawing 1-1 with Girona on Sunday. With Araujo missing, left-back Gerard Martin had to step into the centre of defence alongside youngster Pau Cubarsi.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReport states Spanish giants have granted defender's request for absence

And according to Araujo has now been allowed to take a break following a request from his agents. The report states Barcelona chief Deco granted the 28-year-old’s wish to step away from football as the club remain committed to giving him the time he needs to recover.

Spanish publication reported earlier on Monday that Araujo lodged the request because he does not believe he can deliver for Barcelona at the moment. The report added the centre-back feared he would “hurt” the team if he tried to force himself to play.

While refusing to go into detail as to why Araujo requested a period of absence, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid: “It is a private situation, I don’t want to say more. And please, if you can respect it I’d appreciate it.”

Barcelona president Laporta says Araujo has been treated unfairly of late

Flick’s comments came after Barcelona president Joan Laporta said Araujo had been treated unfairly in recent weeks and that the club were “behind him”.

Speaking at an event in Andorra on Friday, Laporta said: “He has been heavily criticised, and I don’t think that’s fair. He gives his all on the pitch, he’s our captain, and now he needs to get through this difficult period because he’s a very emotional person with strong feelings.

“He’s had a tough time, and I want to tell him that we’re behind him, that he needs to turn the page because here we all win and we all lose, and no one person is responsible for defeats or victories.”

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AFPBarcelona boss Flick expecting tough test against 'fantastic' Atletico

Barcelona are gearing up for a highly-anticipated fixture with Atletico in what will be just their third match at the renovated Camp Nou, following the earlier games against Athletic Club and Alaves. While the reigning champions are hoping to secure a win which would keep them above fierce rivals Real – who travel to Athletic on Wednesday – Diego Simeone’s Atletico should provide a strong test for Flick’s men.

Currently fourth in the table, Los Rojiblancos could go level on points with Barcelona with a victory at Camp Nou. Simeone’s side have lost just one of their 14 league matches in 2025-26, winning nine and drawing four.

Previewing the fixture, Barcelona boss Flick said: "We know we are up against a fantastic team with a lot of quality, one of the best in Europe with one of the best coaches. For that reason it will be a tough encounter.

"We are back at the top and we are happy about that, it's where we want to be but the important thing is to stay there until the end of the season. We have to keep working hard and give our best. We are leaders but at the moment we are not at our best. We need to move forward to to get back playing our best football.

“I think we are committing too many mistakes, despite having the quality to control matches. It's something we have missed in recent matches but we can do it and we are working towards that.”

England’s incumbent has been given the backing of his captain for now, but he knows he needs to produce

Vithushan Ehantharajah19-Jun-2025Ollie Pope’s journey as an England cricketer began against India in 2018. Seven years on, as he prepares to lock horns with them once more, we might finally be about to find out what he’s about.There’s an important differentiation. Because after 56 Tests, all we know of Pope is what he does. A bit of everything, really. Some bits he’s done before, others he has not. He’s become English cricket’s own handyman. And a damn good one.That debut at Lord’s came at No.4, despite having made his case at No.6 for Surrey. The selectors saw a 20-year-old wunderkind and sought to let him loose. His first walk out to the middle in England creams was also the first time he had gone into bat in the first 20 overs of an innings.He is by no means a full-time wicketkeeper, yet he donned the gloves in Pakistan in 2022 and New Zealand in 2024 to help the team out of issues of illness and injury. He has deputised for Ben Stokes as captain on four occasions and won three.His recent active, altruistic service has included three years (and counting?) at No.3, smoothing over a problem position by being the responsible one when, deep down, he’d much rather hang with the rest of the dashers in the middle order. And it is this reason that even external talk of jeopardy around Pope’s position, ultimately triggered by the internal temptation to throw the latest wunderkind, Jacob Bethell, into the mix, had Stokes on the front foot a day out from Headingley’s series opener.”It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was a one-seventy (171),” Stokes said, thrusting Pope’s last knock against Zimbabwe like a shiv, in response to a question on whether there was a decision to be made at first drop. “And that’s pretty much all I need to say on that.”Ollie Pope received his Test cap from Alec Stewart at Lord’s in 2018•Getty ImagesStokes’ admiration for Pope developed before his tenure as captain. He has always rated him, and took him under his wing during the 2021-22 Ashes when Pope was in a rough patch of form. Stokes even negotiated with then-captain Joe Root to fix Pope at No.5 for the third Test of that Australia tour, with Stokes volunteering to move up to four. He went as far as telling Pope the plan had been agreed, only for the management to drop Pope for the next two Tests.Pope was also the first Bazball “project player” – the first raw talent hot-housed in the greenhouse of good times. As newly appointed managing director Rob Key explained in May 2022, Pope’s placement at No.3 came in a bid to “unlock him”. You could argue they’ve done that – an average of 28.66 across 40 innings leading into that summer has been followed by 39.80 (and seven centuries) in the next 58 knocks.Pope’s specific No.3 average is 43.06, though this figure includes the 205 he made against Ireland in 2023, as well as the recent Zimbabwe 171. Without those knocks, his average slips to 36.62, which puts us back in the zone of yearning for a little more, as do his averages of 24.60 and 15.70 against India and Australia respectively. And so the allure of Bethell’s remarkable talent and unblemished (almost empty) record comes back into the frame.There’s an argument to say Stokes and Brendon McCullum have played it safe behind closed doors. For all Stokes’ bolshiness in his press conference, picking Bethell would sit neatly alongside the various calls over the last six months – the selections of Shoaib Bashir and Jamie Smith at the expense of Jack Leach, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes. Even McCullum left last year’s New Zealand tour admitting a serious decision needed to be made after Bethell’s impressive showing. Well, the decision has been made and, surprisingly, it is a safe one.Perhaps that reflects the life cycle of this team. An initial period of wild, enthralling adolescence, followed by the familiar lurch into conservatism with age. A group of one-time free-spirited vibe mongers are now, on the eve of a five-match series against India that leads into a winter Ashes, considering things like “consequences”.Related

• Rules of three: how England have dealt with a most thorny batting position

• Pant relishes 'senior' tag but also focuses on 'individual' game

• Gill says India will go all out to take 20 wickets: 'You could maybe see four proper bowlers'

• Pope confirmed as England's No. 3 for first Test against India

• India begin Gill era with an eye on England's weakened bowling

Ironically, Pope’s life under Baz and Ben has almost entirely been about dealing with the consequences of his various roles, or at least minimizing the fallout that they caused. When Stokes took the job and spoke of wanting to be flanked by 10 selfless cricketers, Pope stood tallest. It is no coincidence Stokes chose him as his deputy.And look where that got him? Under-appreciated and under pressure. Had he not put team balance first and assumed the gloves in New Zealand, Bethell would not have got the opportunity to strum 260 compelling runs. This conversation would not be happening, and Pope could be looking ahead to the 10 legacy-defining Test matches to come. Now, even this first one feels tetchy.Of course, Pope still has a say here. He might not have had it in him to say, “you know what Jacob, settle down, I’m at 3” six months ago. But here and now, as the man in possession, he can make a statement.Does he have it in him? Maybe, you know. It is clear Pope’s patience for the discussion around his position has, naturally, diminished. He appreciates this is the lot of an international sports star, but there is a growing annoyance – and it’s spilling into anger – at the lack of respect given to his name and what he has done for this team.Rather than ignore it, he could do with harnessing some of that negative energy. One of England’s most selfless cricketers needs to be a lot more selfish, and seek the “I’m him” glory that came with that incredible 196 in Hyderabad.Even the babiest of baby faces need a heel-turn once in a while. Now is the time for his. With his Test future still in the balance, he should remember there’s a “me” in team, and an “I” in Ollie Pope.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl may still be wondering how his side were unable to see the game out for all three points after they found themselves 1-0 up against ten-man Braga on Thursday night.

The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Europa League this season and they may not have a better opportunity than the one they had at Ibrox earlier this week.

Whilst Mohamed Diomande was sent off later in the match, the Gers allowed the Portuguese side to equalise whilst they had a man advantage, as Nasser Djiga’s wayward header caught James Tavernier out and allowed Gabriel Martinez to pounce.

The German head coach will be scratching his head and wondering what he could do to turn things around in Europe, as the Light Blues have lost four of their five matches, with two of those losses coming in his three games in the competition.

Attention, for now, will turn back to the Scottish Premiership as Rangers play host to Falkirk at Ibrox, after the reverse game at their stadium led to Russell Martin’s dismissal.

Rohl has won all four of his league games in charge of the club so far, but these league matches present an opportunity to try things out ahead of European games. For example, unleashing Oliver Antman in a new role.

Why Oliver Antman should be unleashed in a new role

You could hardly blame any supporters for getting a bit excited by the signing of the Finland international after he registered 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

On top of that, Antman delivered two assists on his debut for the Gers against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, crossing for Djeidi Gassama and winning a penalty for Cyriel Dessers to score.

Since that impressive debut, though, the Finnish forward has produced no goals and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has failed to deliver consistent quality in the final third.

Per Transfermarkt, all 11 of his starts have been on the right flank. With this in mind, it may be time for Rohl to unleash the 24-year-old attacker in a new role in his Rangers career.

RW

69

9 + 13

CM

22

1 + 0

LW

21

5 + 3

CF

18

5 + 0

AM

8

0 + 0

RM

8

1 + 5

As you can see in the table above, Antman has played in other positions throughout his career, on the left and through the middle, which means that the Light Blues can, realistically, use him in other areas of the pitch.

With this in mind, Rohl should unleash the Finland international in a flexible number ten position, which would allow him to drift out to the left or the right when the situation demands.

This would allow him to provide creativity on both flanks and centrally, which could help to support the two wingers whilst also providing the centre-forward, in theory, with more creativity.

In order to make this positional change for Antman against Falkirk, though, the German head coach will have to ditch one of his starters from the 1-1 draw with Braga on Thursday night.

Chalkboard

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

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after his dismal showing against Braga, which would allow Danilo or Bojan Miovski to lead the line up front, with the Finnish whiz in behind them in the number ten role.

Why Rangers should drop Youssef Chermiti

Rangers parted company with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of the week, after just one transfer window at Ibrox, and his lasting legacy may be the signing of the Portuguese striker.

The former Gers chief sanctioned an £8m deal to sign the forward from Everton, which made Chermiti the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move to Glasgow.

That staggering outlay was made in spite of the fact that the 21-year-old striker failed to score in two seasons at Everton after Thelwell signed him for the Toffees from Sporting.

So far, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not lived up to his price tag yet.

The former Everton attacker’s performance against Braga was the latest in an unfortunately long line of underwhelming displays from the £8m summer signing.

Minutes

89

Sofascore

5.9

Shots

3

Shots on target

0

Pass accuracy

52%

Key passes

0

Duels won

6/15

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese centre-forward failed to offer quality on the ball, as he was particularly poor with his passes, and also lost the majority of his physical duels.

After the match, reporter Jonny McFarlane posted that Chermiti is “mind-blowingly bad” and that the striker “offers nothing”, whilst describing him as a “galling signing”.

As harsh as that is, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment because of how poor the £8m attacker’s performances have been for the Light Blues, with one goal in 14 matches far from enough for the money spent on him.

Of course, Chermiti is not at fault for the transfer fee that Thelwell agreed to pay for him. He is a young player who is clearly trying his best and competing for the Gers, as evidenced by his 15 duels on Thursday night, but the quality is not there, on current evidence.

That is why Rohl must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for this clash with Falkirk at Ibrox, because he has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he should be playing week-in-week-out as the main number nine.

Dropping Chermiti will then provide the manager with an opportunity to unleash Antman in this new role, because Danilo can move into a number nine position or also be dropped for Miovski to start.

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Manchester City are now frontrunners in the race to sign a “world-class” £80m star, who Pep Guardiola has called “extraordinary”.

Man City eyeing new forward after Bayer Leverkusen defeat

Guardiola rung the changes on Tuesday evening, making 10 alterations to the side that lost 2-1 at Newcastle United at the weekend, and Bayer Leverkusen made them pay, emerging as 2-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium.

City did manage to create some chances, with Nathan Ake, Savinho and second-half substitute Erling Haaland all squandering big opportunities, but they weren’t clinical enough on the night, and the German side emerged as surprise winners.

Pep would’ve been hoping that his attackers would step up in the absence of Haaland, with Omar Marmoush being given the nod ahead of the Norwegian at centre-forward, but it was a subpar performance from the Egyptian, who received a 6.2 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player.

The defeat arguably underlined the need for the Blues to bring in another forward to support Haaland in the January transfer window, and there has now been a positive update on their interest in Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.

According to a report from Football Insider, Man City are now frontrunners in the race to sign Vinicius, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea, with the forward’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu in doubt, following a fallout with manager Xabi Alonso.

Talks over a contract extension have stalled, meaning the Brazilian could be set to depart the Spanish club, and City would have the financial muscle to get a deal over the line, with his current employers looking to receive £80m.

Should Madrid decide to cash-in this summer, with the 25-year-old’s current deal set to expire in 2027, a number of Saudi Pro League clubs would also join the Blues in the race, so there could be stiff competition for his signature.

"World-class" Vinicius could elevate Man City's forward line

With the likes of Savinho, Marmoush and Oscar Bobb failing to deliver against Leverkusen, Pep may be keen to bring in a forward who is already proven at the top level, and he is known to be a keen admirer of the Real Madrid star.

The City boss lauded the Brazil international as “extraordinary” last year, while he has also received high praise from Jurgen Klopp, who described the winger as “world-class” and a Real Madrid “legend”.

The former Flamengo man has been one of Madrid’s most important players for several years now, and he remained potent in front of goal right across the 2024-25 campaign, weighing in with 41 goal contributions in all competitions.

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As such, should Vinicius Jr become available, Man City should undoubtedly make a move, and £80m would be reasonable fee for a forward who is still young, and regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.

Leeds United have their eyes on a tricky January transfer to sign a new forward who has been compared to Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds’ lack of goals in Premier League as 49ers eye forward

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far following their return to the Premier League, with centre-back Joe Rodon the club’s joint top scorer in the top flight.

Leeds’ top Premier League scorers 25/26

Goals

Joe Rodon

2

Lukas Nmecha

2

Noah Okafor

2

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

1

Anton Stach

1

Brenden Aaronson

1

Sean Longstaff

1

Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

Only three attacking additions were made over the summer, two of which were free transfers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It is looking like a decision the 49ers Enterprises could live to regret, but they do have their eyes on attacking reinforcements in the New Year.

Brazilian forward Jhon Jhon is one name that has emerged in recent weeks, and he already has Red Bull links at RB Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A. Journalist Graeme Bailey said:

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

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Domestically, Coventry City’s Haji Wright is another attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months, and there has been a fresh claim regaring the Whites taking the USA international in the New Year.

Update on Leeds’ move for Haji Wright

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have four attacking targets who they could move for in January, one of which is Wright.

It is stated that the Whites ‘have a genuine interest in signing Wright’ and ‘the club are considering a concrete move for a player they have tracked since the summer’.

A deal is viewed as tricky with Coventry top of the Championship, however, Wright’s contract is set to expire in 2027.

Despite the difference in size, Wright has been compared to former Leeds attacker Summerville due to his ability to play off the left.

Similar forwards to Haji Wright

Club

Roony Bardghji

Barcelona

Marcus Edwards

Burnley

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham

Sadio Mane

Al-Nassr

Borja Sainz

Porto

Primarily a centre-forward, though, the 27-year-old has scored eight Championship goals in 14 appearances so far this season.

Labelled as a “constant problem” for defenders to keep tabs on by his manager Frank Lampard, it has previously been suggested that an offer of £20m could be required to sign Wright.

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