Category Uncategorized

Ben Slater took full advantage of Guildford’s short square boundaries to hit nine sixes and 12 fours in a brilliant List A best 164 off 119 balls as Notts Outlaws overpowered Surrey by 107 runs.And Rob Lord, a 23-year-old seamer making only his second senior appearance, was Notts’ star with the ball in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 2,000 at Woodbridge Road, impressing hugely with 5 for 45 as Surrey were bowled out for 271 in reply.The Outlaws’ third win in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup’s Group B boosts their hopes of reaching the 50-over competition’s later stages, while for Surrey it was sadly a fifth defeat in five matches.Only Dom Sibley, following up his 149 against Warwickshire two days’ previously with 72 off 81 balls, threatened with the bat for Surrey as Lord spearheaded an excellent Notts’ performance in the field.Tailender Conor McKerr did have some late fun with three sixes and eight fours in a violent 36-ball 71 – the fast bowler’s highest score in any senior cricket – but by then it was just damage limitation for Surrey.Opener Slater was joined by Jack Haynes, who struck two sixes and nine fours in a fluent 85-ball 86, in a superb partnership of 187 in 28 overs that is a List A second wicket record for Notts against Surrey. Both Slater and Haynes batted beautifully, with Notts’ eventual total also a record for List A games between these two counties.Haynes, like Slater, will certainly always remember the day with affection as he came into the game with four ducks from his previous four innings in the competition. Yet if Haynes was anxious about extending such a remarkable and unwanted run of noughts he did not show it after Freddie McCann had hit five fours in a bright 28 before mis-hitting Ryan Patel’s medium pace to mid off in the seventh over.Slater’s first six was pulled off McKerr, taking him to 22 and signalling more positive intent after a comparatively cautious start, but it was only once he had reached his eighth List A hundred – and seen Haynes cloth one to mid on the ball after thumping McKerr for a massive six – that the left-hander went into overdrive.An over from legspinner Cameron Steel cost 27 runs as Slater pulled and swept him for three sixes, adding two fours and a single for good measure, and time and again Slater flicked or bludgeoned the ball high over the legside ropes until, in the 46th over, he drove James Taylor straight to Ben Foakes at extra cover.By then the Notts total was 345, Haseeb Hameed and Lyndon James had both gone cheaply attempting to hit out, but Matthew Montgomery had also played a lovely cameo of 38 in 21 balls before lofting McKerr to long-off.Tom Moores, with a jaunty unbeaten 24, ensured that Notts reached the sort of challenging total that Slater’s heroics deserved, and Surrey’s response only really looked up to that challenge when Sibley and Patel were adding 66 in 11 overs for the first wicket and when Ben Geddes also played well for a 32-ball 34 at No. 3.Patel pulled and drove sixes in his 35, before hitting James to deep midwicket, and Geddes helped Sibley take Surrey on to 115 for 1 until a quite brilliant catch by keeper Moores proved to be a key moment in the game.Geddes flashed hard at Lord and the thick edge seemed to be flying away to the boundary, only for Moores to fling himself high to his right to clutch the ball in one glove.Rory Burns was then leg-before for a duck to slow left-armer Liam Patterson-White, another Notts bowler to impress even though Sibley did pull a rare short one from him over mid-wicket for one of his three sixes.Surrey’s slide continued when Foakes (10) chipped Lord to cover, off a leading edge, and Steel (7) nicked the bustling Lord through to Moores.Sibley’s departure, in the 31st over, left Surrey in an almost hopeless position – the opener held by bowler Lord when he skied an attempted pull – and, to his great joy, Lord’s fifth wicket arrived two overs later when Josh Blake (10) hooked straight to long leg.After that, McKerr enjoyed himself as the dominant partner in a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket with Nathan Barnwell (17), but after he perished to a catch at long on the end came quickly. Both James and Luke Fletcher finished with two wickets.

Liverpool are making waves in the transfer window this summer and even television personality Piers Morgan has chimed in, with the well known Arsenal supporter unhappy at the news coming out of Anfield this week.

Liverpool closing in on three summer signings

Arne Slot has become a hero at Anfield following a season that has saw his side become Premier League champions, and celebrations will continue long into the next few weeks from anyone of a Liverpool persuasion.

However, there have been headline-grabbing stories elsewhere involving the Reds, not least Trent Alexander-Arnold’s decision to leave his boyhood club for Real Madrid.

What has been more impressive in light of a significant departure is Liverpool’s quickfire response in the market. Turning heads around Europe, Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong appear to be on their way to Anfield.

Laying down a statement of intent, the top-flight holders have reportedly seen off competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich for the former, who clearly views the Reds as an environment where regular silverware can be won for the foreseeable future.

Milos Kerkez has agreed personal terms with the Reds, lending credence to the thought that Slot could be set to build a dynasty while in charge.

Romano: Liverpool on verge of £45m star signing after personal terms agreed

The Reds are close to completing a deal.

3 BySean Markus Clifford May 26, 2025

Either way, this window feels like it could be a significant one for Liverpool. They have needed to wait their turn during Pep Guardiola’s four-in-a-row era, but you feel the tide may be changing between the Reds and their rivals.

Arsenal have also been firmly in that conversation, so much so that media personality Morgan has now shared his thoughts on the news coming out of Merseyside.

Piers Morgan reacts to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz bid

Taking to social media platform X, Morgan has questioned why Arsenal haven’t taken a similar course of action to Liverpool’s speedy pursuit of a key target like Wirtz. Questioning Mikel Arteta’s authority, he also praised the Reds for ‘not mucking around’ as they look to defend their title come the start of next season.

Admittedly, he does have point, but Liverpool fans will be quite happy that they are the ones leading the race for a player who has registered 16 goals and 15 assists in 46 appearances this term.

Next campaign, Arsenal are expected to be at the forefront once again in the title race. The Reds managed to finish ten points ahead of their nearest challenger, albeit their run-in results were a consequence of winning the league with games to spare.

Liverpool are a winning machine when it matters at present and are showing no signs of slowing down, so there is every reason for the red half of Merseyside to be excited at what 2025/26 could have in store, while fans in North London must count on their club to find the right number nine to lead the line for Arteta next term.

While signing a new centre forward is top of new sporting director Andrea Berta’s wishlist at Arsenal this summer, the need to strengthen in other areas of the pitch is also strong.

The Gunners have been severely hamstrung – pardon the pun – by injuries this season, notably in their forward line.

Though, there’s also been a huge degree of inconsistency, chiefly at left wing where Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have scored just eight goals each in the Premier League.

So, where will Mikel Arteta and Co turn to in their bid to add an extra dose of spice to their attack?

Arsenal chasing big-money winger

For over a year now, Arsenal have been exploring a move for Spanish winger Nico Williams.

The Bilbao star dazzled at the European Championships last summer, famously scoring a goal in the final against England.

However, after no club signed him last year, interest hasn’t dampened in the young forward. He reportedly dreams of a move to Barcelona but their finances are still extremely tight. As a result, English clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea have both been interested.

If the Gunners have room for a pricier addition, perhaps AC Milan’s Rafael Leao could be their man.

Transfer Focus

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

Arsenal have been linked with a move in the past but their interest is now ramping up ahead of the summer, with Football Insider reporting that they are now ‘working on signing’ the Portuguese sensation.

One problem could be the player’s release clause which currently stands at an almighty £145m according to claims in Italy.

How Rafael Leao compares to Nico Williams

While Williams is quite clearly one of the most exciting young wingers in the game right now, there is an argument to suggest that his output needs improving.

This feels like a player simply ready to explode in a better side but the fact remains that he has only scored five times in LaLiga this term and 11 in all competitions.

If Arsenal are looking to add more goals to their side then perhaps Leao, despite a heftier price tag, would be a more exciting candidate here.

Described as a “superstar” by scout Jacek Kulig, he may have only scored one more than Williams in 2024/25, but he’s got a history for finding the net with consistent regularity, now reaching double figures in each of the last four campaigns. On that evidence, it’s no surprise to see that data analyst Ben Mattinson noted that he is “clinical off both feet.”

Goals

0.32

0.22

Assists

0.32

0.34

Shot on target %

39%

35%

Key passes

2.18

1.85

Progressive passes

3.91

2.89

Shot-creating actions

4.62

4.96

Succesful take-ons

2.53

3.21

Take-on success %

48%

40%

Progressive carries

5.27

5.52

When diving deeper into the numbers, the play style of each winger becomes clearer. They are both ‘carry-first’ attackers, driving at players and committing their full-back. This is what Arsenal need more of in the final third so that’s one box ticked.

Williams registers more take-ons but it’s actually Leao who appears to be more effective in one-on-one situations, registering a higher success rate.

Crucially, while the Milan sensation is a goalscorer, he’s also creative and in this Arsenal team he could take his assist numbers to the next level considering he actually ranks higher than Williams for key passes over the last two seasons.

Ultimately, Berta will have to be wise with how he spends the Kroenke’s cash this summer and thus, Leao may not be possible. However, if they are able to sign a striker and still raise additional funds, the 25-year-old should be the man they go for on the flanks.

Arsenal could see £59m bid accepted for "monster" upgrade on Sesko

Arsenal have been handed the chance to sign an upgrade on Benjamin Sesko.

ByMatt Dawson May 18, 2025

Manchester United have now made contact over a deal for an “incredible” striker, who would be keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger.

Man Utd pursuing new striker for Amorim

Man United suffered yet another setback in their last Premier League outing, suffering a 4-1 defeat away at Newcastle United to remain 14th in the table with just six games left to play, and they were very poor at both ends of the pitch.

Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund both squandered one big chance at St. James’ Park, which once again underlined the need for Ruben Amorim to bring in a new striker this summer, and several targets have now been identified.

Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap is believed to be chief among them, with the Englishman set to be available for just £30m this summer, given that his side are almost certain to be relegated from the Premier League.

Related Man Utd making moves to sign "incredible" assist king for bargain £20m fee

The Red Devils are in pursuit of a playmaker, who is set to leave his club on the cheap this summer.

Posts ByDominic Lund Apr 15, 2025

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike are also on the shortlist, with the Red Devils considering options from abroad, and another Bundesliga striker has also recently entered the frame.

According to an update from Sky Sports reporter Berger on X, Man United have now made initial contact over a deal for Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick, although the move is still in the early stages, with nothing concrete so far.

Leverkusen would be looking to receive €25m – €30m (£21m – £26m) for Schick, making him an affordable option for United, and there are some signs he would be keen on the move, given that the Premier League is said to be his “preferred destination”.

Ideally, Amorim would be looking to bring in a younger striker, but the 29-year-old is viewed as an “interesting” option.

Schick enjoying another impressive Bundesliga campaign

The Czech striker has spent the majority of his career in Germany, chalking up 70 goals and 13 assists in 138 Bundesliga outings, and the current campaign is on course to be one of his most prolific to date.

With 17 league goals to his name, there are clear signs the Leverkusen star is now entering his prime, and he has averaged a remarkable 0.87 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, placing him in the top 1% of all strikers in a top five European league.

Not only that, but the forward has been lauded as “incredible” by members of the media in the past, indicating that he could be a real upgrade on Hojlund and Zirkzee, who have fallen way below expectations this season.

That said, it would be a gamble to sign Schick, given that he is unproven in the Premier League, and Delap should remain United’s top striker target.

Stats highlights from Navi Mumbai, where India completed the highest-ever chase at the Women’s ODI World Cup

Sampath Bandarupalli30-Oct-2025339 The target chased by India against Australia in the semi-final. It is the highest-ever chase in women’s ODI cricket, bettering the 331-run chase by Australia against India earlier in the tournament in Visakhapatnam.India’s previous highest successful chase was 265 against Australia in 2021, and they had never chased a 200-plus target at a World Cup.15 Consecutive wins for Australia at the Women’s ODI World Cup, coming into Thursday’s semi-final. Their previous defeat was also against India, in the semi-final in 2017.Related

• Rodrigues completes her redemption arc as the silence turns to roars

• Australia feel India's force as Rodrigues brings down the Death Star

• Alyssa Healy on semi-final defeat: We did that to ourselves

• 'The belief, the fight, the hunger to win' – cricket world reacts to India's historic win

• Rodrigues: Felt like a dream after a month of anxiety

It is the joint-longest winning streak for any team in the Women’s ODI World Cup, equaling Australia’s earlier streak of 15 wins between 1993 and 2000.341 for 5 India’s total in the chase is their highest at the Women’s ODI World Cup, a run more than the 340 for 3 they posted against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai last week.It is also the second-highest total by any team against Australia in women’s ODIs, behind their 369 in Delhi last month. In fact, that is the only total in a women’s ODI chase higher than India’s 341 on Thursday.679 Runs by India and Australia on Thursday in Navi Mumbai, making it the highest aggregate for a Women’s ODI World Cup game. The previous most were 678 runs between England and South Africa at Bristol in 2017.The 679 runs are also the second-most for any women’s ODI, behind the 781 runs in last month’s Delhi ODI, also featuring India and Australia.3 Number of successful chases of 300-plus targets in a knock-out match across men’s and women’s ODIs. The previous two were by India in men’s ODIs, who chased 315 against Pakistan in the third final of the Silver Jubilee Independence Cup in 1998 and 326 against England in the 2002 NatWest tri-series final.127* Jemimah Rodrigues’ score against Australia is the highest for India in an ODI chase, bettering the 125 by Smriti Mandhana, also against Australia last month in Delhi.167 Partnership between Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur for the third wicket – the highest by any pair against Australia at the Women’s ODI World Cup.It is also the third-highest partnership against Australia in all women’s ODIs and the highest for the third wicket.3 Fifty-plus scores for Harmanpreet in the three knockout matches she has played in the Women’s ODI World Cup. Only Belinda Clark, with four, has more fifty-plus scores in World Cup knockouts than Harmanpreet.Harmanpreet aggregated 311 runs across those three games, the second-most in Women’s ODI World Cup knockouts, behind Clark’s 330 runs.Hug it out: Smriti Mandhana congratulated Jemimah Rodrigues after India’s epic chase•ICC/Getty Images77 Balls Phoebe Litchfield needed for her century against India, the fastest in any knockout game in women’s ODIs. The previous quickest was off 90 balls, by Harmanpreet against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final and by Nat Sciver-Brunt against Australia in the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup final.Litchfield is also the youngest batter to score a hundred in a knockout match in women’s ODIs.23.3 Overs bowled by Australia’s spinners in the semi-final. They also conceded 157 runs without taking a wicket. These are the most overs the spinners have ever bowled in a women’s ODI while being wicketless. The previous highest by Australian spinners was the 23 overs against New Zealand in 2012 at SCG.0 The 2025 edition will be the first Women’s ODI World Cup final to not feature either Australia or England. At least one of the two teams have featured in all the previous editions of the World Cup which have had a final.

Left-arm spinner shines at a time when the tour had threatened to come off the rails for his team

Andrew McGlashan01-Mar-20232:11

Chappell: Kuhnemann learnt from the second Test and bowled better

Whatever way Matt Kuhnemann’s Test career goes from here, he’s going to have some good stories to tell.While the first Test of this series was taking place he was playing for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield. Then he jumps on a plane and a few days later is making his debut in Delhi and taking the new ball. Virat Kohli becomes his first Test wicket.On the first day in Indore he held the ball aloft as he walked from the field, barely two-and-a-half hours after India’s innings had started, with the extraordinary figures of 5 for 16 from nine overs – a first-class career-best. His dad had reached the ground just in time to see the fifth wicket after lunch having missed the first session.Related

From Test No. 2 to going home: the bizarre handling of Ashton Agar

Rohit hints India could request green pitch in Ahmedabad

'Quality player' Green one part of the jigsaw puzzle Australia have been missing

Khawaja gives Australia the lead after India collapse against spin

At times Australia have tied themselves in knots over their desire to have a left-arm spinner in the side and their handling of Ashton Agar was a curious sequence of his events. When Mitchell Swepson is available for Queensland, Kuhnemann can’t make their Sheffield Shield side, but he was ideal for this devilish surface, which has even left India unimpressed with how much it offered on day one, and he troubled the right-handers in what was an uplifting performance for Australia on a tour that had threatened to come off the rails.”It’s been a whirlwind,” Kuhnemann said of the rapid elevation, whose ODI debut came in similar fashion in Sri Lanka last year. “Like every night I’m sort of just pinching myself. Even today just sitting in the change room, just looking around speaking to [Mitchell] Starcy and Nathan Lyon and thinking this is unreal, just be able to do this. To even go out there and play with Steve Smith and all these other players and contribute to the team, it’s really awesome.”Kuhnemann played a key role in getting Australia into this game after heads could have gone down. They lost the toss on a bone-dry pitch then saw Rohit Sharma nick the cover off the first ball of the game, only they didn’t review. When replays showed, somewhat surprisingly, that India’s captain had also survived an lbw in the same over, Smith could have been forgiven for worrying how events would transpire.Matt Kuhnemann picked up his first five-wicket haul in Tests•BCCIIt was vital for Australia’s peace of mind that they removed Rohit without too much damage after the missed reviews. Smith turned to spin in the sixth over after the brief, rare sight of two quicks in operation as the recalled duo of Starc and Cameron Green took the new ball. There is little chance of either of them being over-bowled on their comebacks.Kuhnemann’s third ball spun sharply past Rohit’s edge and the next turned and bounced to defeat a slog sweep. The straight boundaries at the Holkar Stadium are enticingly short and Rohit could not resist, skipping down and being defeated by more huge spin to present Alex Carey a stumping.In his next over, Kuhnemann produced a perfect left-arm spinner’s dismissal when he drew a skittish Shubman Gill forward and found the outside edge. It felt like every ball could be a wicket-taking opportunity. Two deliveries after dismissing Gill, Kuhnemann produced one that was full at leg stump and spun square past Kohli.On a pitch turning more than anything he had seen before, he kept it simple and let the surface play the tricks. “Nathan Lyon was excellent out there,” Kuhnemann said. “Even after a couple of wickets he said don’t get ahead of yourself, just think about bowling that ball…he was great for me. Not every day you get these wickets like so enjoy them, it’s very different to what we get back home in Australia.”Meanwhile, there was little Cheteshwar Pujara could do about his delivery from Lyon which spun sharply and kept low. Given the conditions, Kohli was constructing a superb innings before he was dismissed by Todd Murphy for the third time in the series, an offbreak straightening perfectly from round the wicket to win the lbw.It was a little surprising when Kuhnemann was taken out of the attack with figures of 5-0-13-3 – Shreyas Iyer having dragged on – although Smith was proactive in switching the spinners around depending on the right and left-hand batters. But after lunch his fourth wicket came when R Ashwin edged a full delivery, and the fifth arrived when one skidded into Umesh Yadav’s pads.Although it’s all relative in an innings that lasted 33.2 overs of which he bowled nine, Kuhnemann said he had implemented some subtle changes as the ball got older having watched how Ravindra Jadeja operated in Delhi.”I’m a massive fan of Jadeja and Ashwin so watched how they have bowled in the last few years,” he said. “The way [Jadeja] uses his crease and probably the biggest thing I picked up in Delhi is that he brings his length back a little bit when the ball gets a little bit older. That’s probably the main thing I brought into this Test. Don’t want to get full especially on a wicket that stays low, being consistent on that five-six metre length.”By stumps, Jadeja himself had four to his name – all Australia’s wickets to fall – to take his series haul to 21, and with India bowling last he could yet be the left-arm spinner to have the decisive say on this game. However, Australia are well placed to prevent that happening. It would be a remarkable turnaround, and Kuhnemann would be a big part of the story.

Shouting at the umpires can only do so much but ground dimensions are firmly on analysts’ radars

Cameron Ponsonby23-Aug-2021Over the last ten years of the Blast (or its predecessor, the FLt20), of the 40 quarter-finals played, exactly 20 have been won by the home side and 20 by the away.That feels weird. Surely, even in a format as short and volatile as T20, there must be some form of advantage to playing at home? Otherwise, what’s all the fuss about in securing a home quarter?In 2005, the international bestseller narrowed down home advantage essentially to how close your fans are to the referee; if they yell at him or her enough, human nature will kick in and they will give you more close decisions than they won’t. Basically, peer pressure and bullying works. Which is nice.But that study related mainly to sports such as American football, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, etc. Sports where playing dimensions and surfaces are standardised and not, as is the case in cricket, sports where pitches can be doctored or where outfields can vary greatly in size and shape.For instance, at Nottinghamshire’s Trent Bridge, the new stand that runs parallel to Bridgford Road cuts across the outfield in a way that means the playing area resembles a circle that someone has snipped an edge off. It creates a very short part of the boundary that, combined with an excellent batting surface, leads to high scoring contests.Related

Harrison four-for helps Notts polish off Durham

Wright advocates staging Blast 'in a block' as quarter-finals loom

Teenager Lenham rides his luck during 'crazy' debut season

On Wednesday, Nottinghamshire will host Hampshire in the second quarter-final. They have lost just one game of T20 cricket at home over the last two years.”We know the dimensions of our ground”, Nottinghamshire captain, Steven Mullaney, says, “and we know how we want to play cricket at Trent Bridge.””Batters come here and they fancy it [the short boundary], but at the same time their bowlers come here and they’re not used to defending it. So I think that is an advantage.”It’s a sentiment that Lancashire’s spin consultant Carl Crowe agrees with.”It’s about adapting,” Crowe says, ahead of his side’s away quarter-final at Somerset. “That’s as a team and as an individual. The best teams and the teams that win the tournament are the best at that. Yes, you’ve got half your games at home but you’ve also got half your games away that are just as important.”Both Mullaney and Crowe express a notion that, rather than home advantage being anything explicitly tangible, it’s just something that lingers over a game. You’d rather play at home because of course you would. You sleep in your own bed, you’re comfortable on arrival, it’s your fans not theirs, the club gets the gate receipts, you know the woman at the gate and you know the bloke at the bar. It’s, well, home.And currently in the Blast, home advantage doesn’t always seem to exist at all. This season was the first group stage since 2017 to see more home wins than away. However, whilst at first appearing like a standout statistic, it doesn’t quite account for the fact that in general good teams are good (so win home and away), and bad teams are bad (so lose home and away). But, it paints a picture similar to a sentiment expressed by Mullaney.”I don’t think [advantage] is the right word”, he says, “Obviously it is a home advantage but I don’t think it’s an advantage as in – it’s not a manipulative advantage – it’s just that you know what to do at your ground.”But, shouldn’t it be a manipulated advantage? It’s your house after all, so why not play to your rules?Recruitment in particular seems to be an open goal where teams could maximise their chances at home. If you play at a small ground, recruit high end boundary hitters. Big outfields? Need people who can run two. Spin-friendly pitches? Need batters who can play against spin.So how much do teams tend to factor in ground dimensions and quirks to their recruitment?”At the moment, not a lot,” Somerset analyst Scott Thomas says. “But that’s definitely my biggest plan for the next three-to-four years.””I just did my Masters dissertation on that kind of stuff using player impact ratings in T20 cricket. I compared and contrasted how valuable overseas players are. How do they impact games of cricket in a positive way and not being worried about stuff like averages or old school traditional measures, but how do they win you games of cricket full-stop.”That’s my winter’s work because the summer is just so busy. Even if that’s trying to change some opinion in the club about how recruitment could be done a bit better, because I think cricket is so far behind in that sense.”There are obvious difficulties facing counties in this regard that aren’t faced by, say, a franchise side, whether that be in the Hundred or the IPL. Counties aren’t exclusively T20 teams and players are often developed as opposed to recruited. But, it is on the radar of analysts, meaning it will be on the radar of the game as a whole before long. And who knows, in five years’ time the statistics next to the home wins column may look very different.In the meantime, if you’re a home fan at one of this week’s quarter-finals, just yell at the ump from a 100 yards away. Worth a go.

Following the appointment of Danny Rohl, Rangers chief Andrew Cavenagh has already set his sights on some much-needed January upgrades at Ibrox.

Cavenagh admits early Rangers mistakes

It would be a major understatement to say that the 49ers’ haven’t had the best start at Rangers. The new owners have faced fan protest and are already on their second manager after deciding to sack Russell Martin just 123 days into his tenure. But they will hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel for their problems now that Rohl has arrived.

The 49ers have also faced up to their mistakes, with Cavenagh admitting publicly that things have not gone as they “envisioned” and that it is key to own their mistakes.

The Rangers chairman said: “When we came here, we said we wanted to do two things, sustain winning and winning sustainably.

“It has not gone as we envisioned, we knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we are incredibly committed to getting back to what everybody wants, which is winning football matches. When we get things wrong, the key is to recognise that, own it and improve and we are incredibly committed to that.

“It didn’t work out with Russell, I think he is a good person, he worked tirelessly in the role, he desperately wanted to win, and I wish him nothing but the best but, in the end, it didn’t work out. We recognised that and that is a big part of the reason that we have changed.”

Rangers claim they have a 6 foot 4 youngster at Ibrox who's the next Calvert-Lewin

They’ve had their say…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 22, 2025

There may be more change on the way yet, with the chairman already setting his sights on two moves in the January transfer window.

Rohl already has Rangers transfer promise

Speaking to Sky Sports, Cavenagh set his sights on two Rangers moves this January amid an early promise to Rohl about reinforcements. The club chairman admitted that he still wants to add more experience and steel to the new manager’s side when the winter window swings open.

Despite already spending big to hand Martin plenty of changes, it looks as though the 49ers are ready to bite the bullet and return to the transfer market to make up for previous mistakes for Rohl this winter.

There is an anxious wait to see if Liverpool’s win over Inter Milan at the San Siro is a turning of a page or a stay of execution ahead of more poor results, dismal displays.

Arne Slot would be the first to admit that things haven’t gone to plan for the Premier League champions this summer, who find themselves 10th in the top-flight standings after a record-breaking summer of spending. Slot is also a glass-half-full kind of guy, and he sees a route out of this rut.

Circumstances apply for the Anfield side, but there’s no denying many stars have been miles off it, and while much has been made of Liverpool’s defensive disasters, the uncertain future of Mohamed Salah has heaped pressure on FSG and Richard Hughes as the sporting director searches for fresh firepower.

Why Liverpool could sign a new forward

Who knows if Salah will still be a Liverpool player in February? Regardless, the Egyptian hasn’t been good enough this season, and, aged 33, questions are being raised as to whether he has gone past the apotheosis of his glittering Premier League career.

Salah’s decline has seemingly hampered his fellow attackers. It’s only natural; ther 33-year-old has held Liverpool’s success on his back for so many years. Cody Gakpo, for example, has struggled for form too, arguably offering less than the Egyptian while reprising his starting berth

More pace and potency is surely needed, and that’s why FSG are weighing up a move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with Spanish sources claiming Liverpool have raised their interest and are ready to sign the Ivorian teenager to cover Salah’s mid-season sale, should that come to pass.

Diomande might only be 19 years old, but he’s already confirmed his elite status, with Leipzig set to demand payment in the range of €100m (about £88m) to let him leave.

Arsenal and Manchester City are also known suitors.

What Yan Diomande would bring to Liverpool

Diomande is fast. Very fast. However, he’s anything but a one-trick pony, quickly establishing himself as a potent threat in the final third and a tenacious defender when against the ball.

Journalist Bence Bocsak has actually hailed him as a “generational talent”, comparing the youngster to Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland, who was several grades above when cutting his own teeth for the Red Bull group.

Diomande might actually be a better player than Gakpo even now, even before adding the building blocks to his natural foundation. The 19-year-old doesn’t match Gakpo’s rate of output, not yet, but the underlying data is certainly kind to Diomande’s completeness.

Goals scored

0.45

0.36

Assists

0.26

0.21

Shots taken

2.53

2.08

Shot-creating actions

4.16

5.23

Touches (att pen)

5.67

7.16

Pass completion (%)

72.5

81.2

Progressive passes

2.56

3.44

Progressive carries

3.33

6.66

Successful take-ons

1.31

4.01

Ball recoveries

3.01

6.01

Tackles + interceptions

1.41

2.72

And anyway, Diomande has demonstrated startling growth in a short time, having scored seven goals and supplied four assists for his Bundesliga club this season, joining them from Leganes in the summer.

Gakpo, moreover, has only completed 39% of his 1.3 dribbles per Premier League game this term, whereas Diomande is proving himself to be a highly efficient ball carrier, completing 63% of his dribbles, averaging 2.3 per game (data via Sofascore).

This is an up-and-coming talent who is quickly becoming the talk of the town. Liverpool must ensure they add him to their ranks, adding depth and dynamism to their flanks and a far more dynamic threat than someone like Gakpo.

If Liverpool are currently bracing themselves for Salah’s shock departure, such a profile will be needed.

He could be captain after Van Dijk: £35m star very keen on joining Liverpool

Liverpool clearly need to fix some defensive problems after a wretched start to the season.

1 ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Murillo, with Mikel Arteta personally an admirer, amid a new update on whether Nottingham Forest would consider a sale.

The Gunners are looking to bring in a new centre-back, with Gabriel set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines, as confirmed by Arteta prior to the North London derby, with the manager saying: “Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazil national team and he’s going to be out for weeks.”

“It’s clearly a blow because he’s our leader in our backline and, to me, it’s never a positive thing. The good thing is that we have very good options and we need to stand up now and do the job.”

As pointed out by Arteta, the Gunners have some quality back-up options, with Cristhian Mosquera, who has played a part in keeping five clean sheets this season, the natural replacement for the Brazilian at the heart of defence.

However, at 21-years-old, the Spaniard is still relatively inexperienced, and the north Londoners have now expressed an interest in signing a new centre-back ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal now seriously keen on signing Murillo

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with his current club willing to sanction a departure if they receive an offer in the region of €80m – €90m (£70m – £79m).

The Gunners believe the 23-year-old could make an instant impact in defence, despite already having Gabriel and William Saliba on the books, and Arteta is personally a fan of the Forest star’s progressive style of play.

However, there could be major competition for the centre-back’s signature, with London rivals Chelsea also being named as potential suitors, alongside La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

The Brazilian has been a key player for the Tricky Trees so far this season, making 12 appearances in all competitions, with arguably his best performance coming in the 3-0 victory against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners’ chances of winning the Premier League title were further boosted when Forest emerged as shock winners at Anfield, with the one-time Brazil international opening the scoring, while also making a number of other key contributions.

Lauded as “monstrous” by journalist Ryan Taylor, the Sao Paulo-born defender could have what it takes to become one of the best defenders in the world, but it would be very difficult for him to force his way into Arteta’s plans.

Gabriel and Saliba have formed a formidable partnership, with the Gunners maintaining by far the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, and Mosquera has proven himself as a solid back-up.

Arsenal's surprise replacement for Gabriel at centre-back

Not played CB for a year: Arsenal have a surprise £50m Gabriel replacement

The talented Arsenal star could be just the solution Arteta needs ahead of the North London Derby.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 20, 2025