Arsenal are poised to hold talks with a marquee forward about joining Mikel Arteta’s side as the Gunners plan to be active in the January window, according to a new report.

Arsenal squad depth attracts praise after busy summer

Arsenal’s current campaign is increasingly defined by their excellent squad depth, arguably the best in the Premier League.

Despite consistent injuries in key areas, Arteta’s side have shown an ability not just to cope, but to thrive.

The summer’s heavy investment in new faces is already paying dividends, with Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table and on an unprecedented 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Arsenal sealed a 2–0 win over Brentford on Wednesday, tightening their grip on the title race.

The routine win came courtesy of an early header from makeshift number nine Mikel Merino, who scored his 21st goal this calendar year, and a late strike from Bukayo Saka — despite Arteta enforcing an array of personnel changes.

What stands out is how Arsenal have seamlessly filled the gaps when injuries arise.

Arteta noted this week that this is one of the club’s “worst” injury spells in recent memory — and yet, the squad’s backup options have all stepped up to do their jobs.

Key defenders and attackers are still sidelined, and further absences could stretch the squad.

Gabriel Magalhaes is still weeks away from returning, and Arteta is waiting to discover the true extent of Cristhian Mosquera’s injury after he was hauled off against Brentford.

Kai Havertz also won’t be back for weeks after suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.

£282k-a-week star expressing wish to join Arsenal as agents open talks

His exit is a real possibility.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

That being said, Arsenal look better equipped than ever before to handle a long, demanding season — and, crucially, to maintain their push towards a first league title in 22 years.

Arsenal to 'directly contact' Juventus star Kenan Yildiz about joining

Despite their plethora of options right now, a report from Turkish Football now claims that Berta and Arteta are planning for the January window, and one man attracting their serious attention is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

The Serie A rising star is currently Juve’s top performer, bagging four goals and three assists in the Italian top flight already this season after finishing last campaign as their standout attacker as well (WhoScored).

The 20-year-old is a wanted man in the Premier League, with Fabrizio Romano stating that Chelsea are big fans of Yildiz.

However, a lot of reports centre around Arsenal’s interest.

Corriere dello Sport stated earlier this week that Arsenal have held ‘new’ talks with Yildiz’s entourage, and this is backed up by Turkish Football.

The Gunners have already made their interest known to the player’s agents, but it is now believed that Arsenal will also ‘directly contact’ Yildiz about joining them after speaking to his representatives.

Yildiz’s ability to perform on the wing or almost anywhere across the front line — combined with his recent performances for club and country — make him an attractive target, with Juve still unwilling to meet his contract demands.

The impetus for the approach appears twofold.

On one hand, Yildiz’s contract renewal talks at Juventus have stalled, opening the door for Berta. On the other, Arsenal’s management seems determined to boost attacking depth — even after a major summer recruitment drive — perhaps aiming to add more youthful creativity and unpredictability to their forward line.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are also out of contract in under two years, and Yildiz would be a stellar option to replace them.

The Old Lady are poised to demand an eye-watering fee, though, reportedly around £88 million for their prized asset who ex-Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri called a ‘special talent’.

Juve may not find a club willing to shell out that much on Yildiz, but what’s crystal clear is that English sides are taking note of his exploits.

Leeds United are battling West Ham United for the signing of Santiago Gimenez, with the Mexican striker “set to leave” AC Milan in 2026.

Farke praises Calvert-Lewin role in Leeds turnaround

Daniel Farke’s job was at risk heading into a period in which Leeds faced three ‘big six’ teams in the space of just seven days.

Three good performance and four points later however, and the German’s position is as strong as it ever has been, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring in each of the defeat at Manchester City, the win over Chelsea and of course the dramatic 3-3 draw against champions Liverpool.

“I have followed his career for years and this is what he has done throughout. He has delivered really good performances and scored many goals,” the manager said.

“This is why we were so desperate to sign him because we know what he is capable of if he is fit and in a good rhythm.”

Calvert-Lewin’s injury record was a point of contention when he signed at Elland Road during the summer, and the club are set to pursue a new striker in January to provide added competition for the 28 year-old.

Gimenez set to leave AC Milan

According to an update from Italian journalist Niccolò Ceccarini, via Sport Witness, Leeds and West Ham are the two clubs fighting it out to sign AC Milan striker Gimenez, who is now “set to leave” the Italian giants in the new year.

The Serie A outfit are already searching for his replacement, and a move for the ‘right candidate’ will depend on the Mexican joining a new club.

Gimenez was praised by Milan legend and Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic upon his arrival at the club, but has failed to cement himself as their top number nine, failing to find the back of the net in Serie A so far this season despite starting eight matches.

Kyle Walker compared the striker to Julian Alvarez having played together in Milan.

That work rate made Alvarez a hit in the Premier League during his time at Manchester City, and if Gimenez could replicate anything close to that at Elland Road he could make Farke and Leeds fans very happy indeed.

سلطت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية الضوء على رقم سلبي حققه الدولي البرازيلي رودريجو جوس، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد خلال مشاركته في المباريات الماضية.

ومنذ أواخر الموسم الماضي، يعيش رودريجو أيامًا صعبة رفقة ريال مدريد وخاصةً على صعيد المشاركة الأساسية أو المساهمات التهديفية.

كانت آخر مشاركة لـ روديجو رفقة ريال مدريد أمام جيرونا في بطولة الدوري الإسباني حيث شارك بديلًا في الربع الأخير من المباراة وأثار جدلًا بلعبته أمام الخصم بسبب عدم احتساب الحكم لركلة جزاء.

واستضاف ملعب “مونتيليفي” مباراة فريقي ريال مدريد وجيرونا، في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإسباني 2025/2026.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد اهتمام ليفربول وبرشلونة.. أسطورة ألمانيا ينصح لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند بعدم الرحيل

وانتهت المباراة بالتعادل الإيجابي بنتيجة 1/1 وخسر ريال مدريد صدارة الليجا إذ جاء في الوصافة برصيد 33 نقطة، فيما تصدر برشلونة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 34 نقطة.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، فإن رودريجو عادل ثاني أسوأ سِجل انقطاع عن التهديف في تاريخ ريال مدريد.

وأفادت أن الدولي البرازيلي قضى 30 مباراة متتالية دون تسجيل أي هدف (إستمرت السلسلة 1339 دقيقة وما زالت مستمرة).

وذكرت أن رودريجو تساوى رقمه القياسي مع ماريانو دياز، الذي قضى 30 مباراة (986 دقيقة) دون تسجيل أي هدف مع ريال مدريد.

Manchester United’s tactical imbalances have seen Ruben Amorim caught in a headwind as he fights to lift the club back into the title contention in the Premier League.

For now, inconsistency reigns, with the draw against West Ham United at Old Trafford at the weekend marking just one win across five league fixtures. Amorim’s side are 12th, four points behind fourth-place Crystal Palace, who they beat at Selhurst Park only one week ago.

Flashes of progress are dimmed by an inability to play with the balance and gusto that is needed for true success in the English top flight, and it’s clear that INEOS need to prioritise the signing of a new centre-midfielder

Why Man United need a midfielder

Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Old Trafford has become a flashpoint for an outfit struggling for consistency. Many fans are perplexed at Amorim’s decision to keep him on the fringes, given the defects within the United engine room.

Casemiro is getting on a bit, and Bruno Fernandes does not boast the deep-lying profile needed to establish fluidity and work in conjunction with a tough-tackling anchor.

This is where Adam Wharton comes in. The England midfielder has been in fine fettle since joining Crystal Palace in January 2024, and the Mirror report that United have learned they will need to pay £70m to bring him to the Theatre of Dreams in 2026.

Wharton is attracting interest from numerous suitors, but the Red Devils have made him their top target, and that follows claims from the 21-year-old’s agent that his client has ambitions to star in a Champions League-competing squad.

Why Man United should sign Adam Wharton

Wharton is still young and relatively inexperienced at the highest level, but there’s no denying his quality and potential for further growth.

Hailed as a “passing machine” by journalist Henry Winter, he has been instrumental in the trophy-winning Oliver Glasner era, and his is a technical profile that has caused a stir within many elite offices across England and Europe. United need to win this race, and making Wharton a priority will help them in their bid to sign a star midfielder, someone who would eclipse Mainoo and end the malaise around the Carrington prospect’s name.

It would be negligible to pull Mainoo’s data from the current Premier League campaign, so far on the fringes he’s been, but he excelled during a 2023/24 breakout season in Erik ten Hag’s team, and from here we can see that Wharton would be an exciting upgrade on Mainoo in his finest form.

Premier League – Mainoo (23/24) vs Whaton (25/26)

Stats (* per game)

Mainoo

Wharton

Matches (starts)

24 (24)

13 (13)

Goals

3

0

Assists

1

2

Touches*

49.0

48.2

Pass completion

87%

81%

Big chances created

0

6

Key passes*

0.6

1.5

Dribbles*

1.3

0.5

Ball recoveries*

4.0

4.5

Tackles + interceptions*

2.9

2.6

Duels won*

5.0 (52%)

3.5 (52%)

Stats via Sofascore

Though Wharton is less precise with his passing, this is principally because he is an inherent playmaker, looking to break lines and influence while protecting the backline behind him.

Wharton ranks, moreover, among the top 13% of Premier League midfielders this season for through balls and the top 16% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Less of a dribbler than Mainoo, Wharton’s stable and dynamic midfield came would provide Amorim with the style he is searching for, and it could have quite the ripple effect in giving rise to wider tactical green shoots.

His ability to ‘run the show’ is something that the Red Devils simply don’t boast in the way that Amorim needs to establish full throttle, and given his obstinacy in not giving Mainoo the playing time he and the fanbase are desperate for, Wharton would provide the missing link, the tonic for all that has been inconsistent at Man United in recent times.

Related A new Amad: Man Utd could sign "one of the best LWs in Europe" in swap deal

Manchester United are plotting a sensational deal for this exciting winger who could be Ruben Amorim’s next Amad Diallo.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Dec 7, 2025

Crystal Palace are now “determined” to end the “speculation” and tie down one of their key players to a new contract.

Palace stars attracting interest from top clubs

With Palace punching above their weight so far this season, currently sitting in the Champions League places, it shouldn’t be surprising that some top clubs are lining up to sign their key players, and Real Madrid are now preparing a £35m January bid for Marc Guehi.

Oliver Glasner has already confirmed Guehi is set to leave in 2026, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, saying: “The club wanted [Guehi to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, ‘No, I want to make something different.’ And that’s normal.

“And for us, it’s how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And that’s all about how we are talking together.”

The Eagles will still be holding out hope of retaining some of their other key players, however, and they are in a strong negotiating position when it comes to Adam Wharton, with the former Blackburn Rovers man under contract until 2029.

Daichi Kamada has also been a vital player this season, featuring in 21 matches in all competitions, and former scout Mick Brown has now revealed that Glasner is a big fan of the midfielder, with Palace very keen to tie him down to a new deal.

In an interview with Football Insider, Brown said: “From what I’m told, the management and coaching staff rate him very highly, and that’s always a positive when they have that sort of relationship.

“Palace are determined to recognise what he’s brought to the team, and to keep hold of him because of how impressive he has been.

“They’ll want to have him tied down before the end of the season to put an end to any speculation, so now it’s up to them to see if they can reach an agreement.”

Crystal Palace eyeing January move for goal-scoring star with 13 G/A in 2025

The Eagles have identified a new target, ahead of a potential winter move.

ByDominic Lund 6 days ago Palace must tie Kamada down to new contract

The Japan international is on big money at Selhurst Park, reported to rake in £150k-a-week, but with his current deal set to expire in the summer, it is very important Palace agree a new contract.

The 29-year-old has started every game he’s been available for in the Premier League, since overcoming a knee injury, winning the Player of the Month Award in both September and October.

Glasner has also singled the former Lazio man out for praise in the past, describing him as “excellent” after putting in an impressive performance against Brighton last season.

With Guehi set to leave and Wharton attracting major interest, it is important there is not a mass exodus at Selhurst Park in the summer and Palace keep hold of their important players, so they should look to secure Kamada’s future very soon.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sport e Fortaleza se enfrentam neste domingo (26), pela Copa do Nordeste. A bola vai rolar a partir das 18h (de Brasília), na Arena Pernambuco, em Recife (PE), com transmissão do ESPN, Star+, Nosso Futebol, SBT e DAZN.

continua após a publicidade

Confira todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Guarani e Paysandu (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Sport x Fortaleza
Copa do Nordeste- Semifinal
🗓️ Data e horário: domingo, 26 de maio de 2024, às 18h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Arena Pernambuco (PE);
📺 Onde assistir: ESPN, Star+, Nosso Futebol, SBT e DAZN.
🟨 Árbitro: Caio Max Augusto Vieira, de Natal ;
🚩 Assistentes:Jean Marcio dos Santos (RN) e Luis Carlos de Franca Costa;
🖥️ VAR: Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro.

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES:

Sport: Caíque França; Pedro Lima, Rafael Thyere, Luciano Castán e Felipinho (Dalbert); Felipe, Fabricio Domínguez e Lucas Lima; Chrystian Barletta, Gustavo Coutinho e Romarinho.

continua após a publicidade

Fortaleza: João Ricardo; Tinga, Kusevic, Titi e Bruno Pacheco; José Welison, Matheus Rossetto (Hércules) e Pochettino; Yago Pikachu, Lucero e Moisés.

Tudo sobre

Copa do NordesteFortalezaSport

Mitchell battled fitness issues en route to a 118-ball 119 on a two-paced pitch, taking New Zealand to a total beyond West Indies’ reach

Alagappan Muthu16-Nov-2025 • Updated on 17-Nov-2025

Everyone climbed onto the struggle bus in Christchurch, even Daryl Mitchell whose seventh ODI century cost him a little bit of his good health. A groin injury left him inside the dressing room for the entirety of the second innings, which wasn’t the worst thing ever. He could put his feet up and watch New Zealand pull off a seven-run victory.A two-paced pitch that offered sideways movement throughout the day made batting a distasteful exercise. Mitchell seemed immune initially but soon he was battling not just a disciplined West Indies attack but also his own body breaking down from the stress. The fact that he was able to ride those challenges – and take New Zealand to a total of 269 – made the innings all the sweeter.Mitchell must have felt it too. As soon as he reached his hundred, he whipped his helmet off and roared the word “yes” with so much emotion even the veins on his shaved head were popping all over the place. Performances like these were once the purview of Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor, two all-time Black Caps legends. Increasingly though, Mitchell has been putting himself up on their level, this 119 off 118 a prime example. No one else was able to make even half of those runs with Sherfane Rutherford’s 55 off 61 the next best score. Conditions at Hagley Oval on Sunday were not for the faint of heart.West Indies suffered in their chase, the help that was already available in the day now exaggerated under lights. Keacy Carty spent most of his 67 balls as a crash test dummy. He would’ve been fine if it was just swing or just seam or just bounce. But all three kept combining at the behest of New Zealand’s quicks and all the West Indian No. 3 could do was steel himself for the body blows. The first 10 overs produced just 32 runs. The next nine 27. There were 30 balls in between when only seven scoring shots were possible. And this was the change-bowlers – Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes – in operation.Matthew Forde helped West Indies start well with the ball•Getty Images

Shai Hope (37 off 45) and Rutherford fared a little better and New Zealand shelled a series of catches in the back end, but West Indies had fallen too far behind to capitalise.They came into this game with five changes – three spinners out, three seamers in. The best of them was Matthew Forde who was on a hat-trick in the seventh over, removing Rachin Ravindra for 4 and Will Young on his 50th ODI for a golden duck.That’s when Mitchell walked in and immediately flipped the game on its head. Till then, New Zealand’s batters were trapped in the crease and Forde was given the leeway to do whatever he wanted. Mitchell, though, walked at the fast bowler, trusting his reflexes to deal with the speed of the ball – which on average was only 122 kph – and negating the biggest thing that Forde had going for him – sideways movement, particularly into the right-hander. West Indies tried to stop that by bringing the wicketkeeper up but that only slowed Mitchell down. It didn’t uproot him.Mitchell was 33 off 37. He needed 24 deliveries to get to fifty. New Zealand were 91 for 2 in the 18th over. Only two of the next 16 would go for even a run a ball. Five of them almost became maidens. West Indies were remarkably tight, particularly Roston Chase, who harnessed the wind blowing across the ground to appear unhittable (just one four from his 10 overs) and mask the loss of Romario Shepherd (4-0-23-0) to a hamstring injury.Kyle Jamieson picked up 3 for 52 on ODI return•Getty Images

It was a small miracle the offspinner only ended up with one wicket – that of Michael Bracewell – because he created enough opportunities – three against Bracewell alone – to be driven to exasperation. “Jeeeesus,” Chase said when Hope missed a straightforward stumping.New Zealand were 192 for 5 in the 42nd over, but of greater concern was Mitchell pulling up in the middle of running a single and needing repairs to his left leg. He was 78 off 92 at that point, just starting to cut loose. Now, he was hampered running between the wickets and left to just stand and deliver. Good thing he’s six feet and change of pure muscle. Mitchell belted out those straight hits that he’s renowned for, thundering to his seventh ODI century, an innings that had so many phases.The initial acceleration, where he showcased a mutant pull shot, bringing the cross-bat up high and then whirling his wrists on impact with the ball to generate pace and find the boundary in front of square. The slowing down (from 33 off 37 to 56 off 77) because he knew he had to be there till the end. The injury (78 off 92) complicating things. The will to keep going. And the power to finish strong (41 off 26).West Indies could have had Mitchell for 19 and 67 but Chase at point and Jayden Seales at long-on put down two tough catches. New Zealand also benefited from Devon Conway’s persistence at the top of the order, where he scored 49 off 58 despite looking far from his best.Having specialist fast bowlers helped as well. Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Duffy all produced standout spells (29-4-146-4). They had the pace and the faith to go short, generating extra bounce. That was a clear a point of difference. West Indies got none of that, a drawback perhaps of having allrounders making up the majority of the seam attack. Justin Greaves, Shamar Springer and Shepherd stuck to the basics and were tidy (21-0-136-1) but in conditions that were often unplayable tidy doesn’t cut it.

Oliver Peake, the left-hand batter, played a key innings in the 2024 final against India and has since represented Australia A

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2025Victoria batter Oliver Peake will captain Australia Under-19s at next year’s World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe as they look to defend their title.Left-hand batter Peake was the youngest member of the side that defeated India in the 2024 final, where he made an unbeaten 46, and has already represented Australia A, and travelled with the Test squad to Sri Lanka earlier this year as a development player.He made 92 against Sri Lanka A in Darwin in July and guided Victoria to victory in their first Sheffield Shield game of the season with a composed 70 not out against South Australia. He is also contracted to Melbourne Renegades for the BBL but the World Cup means he will miss the second half of the tournament.Peake is the only player from the previous World Cup to be part of this edition.The Australia squad includes three uncapped players: Naden Cooray, Nitesh Samuel and William Taylor, who are all from New South Wales. Samuel was Player of the Tournament at the recent U-19 National Championships where he was the leading run-scorer with 364 at 91.The squad will be coached by Tim Nielsen, the former Australia head coach, with support from Luke Butterworth and Travis Dean.”We’re delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup,” Nielsen said. “Our focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success in tournament.”The players named have impressed with their performances during the U-19 series against India in September and at the recent National U-19 Championship in Perth.”It’s an exciting group, some have already experienced senior training environments, while others are progressing rapidly through our pathway. The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the world.”From Australia’s 2024 U-19 World Cup squad, Sam Konstas has already played Test cricket while fast bowler Mahli Beardman has been part of ODI and T20I squads.Australia’s most recent one-day series saw them lose 3-0 to India in September. They have been grouped with Ireland, Japan and Sri Lanka for the first round of the World Cup.Australia Under-19 World Cup squadOliver Peake (capt), Kasey Barton, Naden Cooray, Jayden Draper, Ben Gordon, Steven Hogan, Thomas Hogan, John James, Charles Lachmund, Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Hayden Schiller, Aryan Sharma, William Taylor, Alex Lee Young

Sri Lanka’s batting imploded in the face of a disciplined Zimbabwe attack, as they fell to a 67-run defeat in the second match of the men’s T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi. They were bowled out for 95, chasing a target of 163. For Zimbabwe, it was the perfect response to their opening game defeat to Pakistan.The wickets were spread among each of the six bowlers used by Zimbabwe. Richard Ngarava was excellent picking up figures of 2 for 15, but he was outdone by the ever-reliable Brad Evans, who ended with match best figures of 3 for 9.For Sri Lanka, only Dasun Shanaka, the stand-in skipper, produced an innings of any promise, during a backs-to-the-wall 34 off 25. The only other player to reach double digits was Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who struck a pained 11 off 18 playing his first T20I since January.Zimbabwe, who had been put in at the toss, had a much better time with the bat, led by Brian Bennett (49) and Sikandar Raza (47). It wasn’t a perfect innings as they limped to the finish, but it proved to be more than enough in the end. Wanindu Hasaranga picked up innings-best figures off 3 for 32, while debutant Eshan Malinga also impressed with 2 for 27.

Bennett and Raza set the tone

Bennett, as he has been doing increasingly of late, gave Zimbabwe a fast start inside the powerplay as he and Tadiwanashe Marumani put on a 26-run opening stand in a little over three overs. Sri Lanka though struck back, through Maheesh Theekshana and Malinga, to share the opening period with Zimbabwe on 46 for 2 after six oversSikandar Raza added 61 off 44 balls with Brian Bennett•Pakistan Cricket Board

However, Raza pushed himself up the order, likely in response to how their innings had fallen apart against Pakistan two nights ago, and together with Bennett set about putting up a 61-run partnership off just 44 deliveries.While Bennett fell for 49 for a second game running, the pair had ensured a solid platform as Zimbabwe’s 100 came up inside the 14th over. Raza continued on unbothered, on his way to 32-ball 47, inclusive for three fours and two sixes. With Raza at the crease, 180 was on the cards, and it would take a fantastic running catch in the deep from Shanaka to end his innings.With Bennett and Raza both back in the dugout, Zimbabwe’s innings closed out with a relative whimper; they struck 22 runs in the final three overs to sneak past the 160-mark. Malinga added to his impressive debut with a double-wicket penultimate over, while Dushmantha Chameera also gave away just 12 runs bowling two of the final three overs.

Sri Lanka’s house of (batting) horrors

Chasing 163, after the powerplay Sri Lanka had found themselves on 25 for 2, their lowest powerplay total in 14 T20Is in 2025. Zimbabwe’s combination of tight lines and lengths, and solid plans, had short-wired the thinking of the Sri Lankan batters.Pathum Nissanka had chipped one to midwicket in the opening over and Kusal Perera skied one to short fine leg in the next, but what followed was truly calamitous.Dasun Shanaka walks back after being dismissed•Associated Press

The returning Rajapaksa and Kusal Mendis ate up 26 deliveries in their 19-run stand, and such was the pressure being built by the likes of Ngarava, Tinotenda Maposa and Evans during this period, that the Lankan batters were starved of boundary deliveries and forced to take ever more risky singles.It was one such ill-fated run that brought an end to the partnership, as Rajapaksa struck one straight to cover before setting off on a non-existent single. By the time he looked up to realise his partner still at the other end, Rajapaksa was already halfway down. Not even a wayward throw to the wicketkeeper could save Kusal Mendis, who had made a belated dash for safety.An over later, Rajapaksa was at the non-striker’s end turning down a fairly straightforward single and nearly had Shanaka run out – a wicket spared only by a truly horrendous throw to the keeper.It wasn’t long before Rajapaksa himself was dismissed, clean bowled looking to hit out. It meant Sri Lanka had lost their top four inside the opening 10 overs – it was five midway through the 11th when Raza snuck one past Kamindu Mendis. Only Shanaka showed some defiance, but when he edged one behind from Ryan Burl, Sri Lanka’s faint hopes went with him. The rest of the batting dragged the game to the death, before Evans cleaned up the innings off the final delivery.

Bernardo Silva has warned Manchester City stars that they face being "killed", in a sporting sense, if they fail to win trophies in 2025-26. Under Pep Guardiola, the Blues have grown accustomed to collecting major silverware. They missed out on the grandest of prizes last season and are aware that more tough decisions will be made if they come up short again.

• Man City trophy hunt: Blues competing on multiple fronts

  City did lift the Community Shield ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, but that was as good as it got on the trophy-hunting front. Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title, while Paris Saint-Germain were crowned champions of Europe. Guardiola’s side also came unstuck at the FIFA Club World Cup.

  Arsenal’s bright start to the current campaign had many suggesting that City would miss out on a domestic title once again – having won four-in-a-row between 2020 and 2024 – but the odd wobble from the Gunners and a run of three successive top-flight victories for the Blues has lifted them to within two points of rivals from north London.

  Positive progress has also been made in the Champions League, while Brentford will soon be faced in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals and another FA Cup quest will get underway in January when lining up against League One outfit Exeter.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Kill or be killed: Man City expect to win major silverware

  Silva, who has been with City since 2017 and has claimed 17 pieces of silverware with the club – including a Treble triumph in 2022-23 – is aware of the need to keep on winning. The Portugal international says exits are inevitable in upcoming transfer windows if the Blues end the current campaign empty-handed.

  Silva told when asked if City can restock their trophy cabinet this season: "That’s the aim. It would mean a lot because at this club it’s not acceptable to not win. If you don’t win, the club will make decisions again and it’s normal, it’s part of the business.

  "Either you kill or you get killed, and that’s the way it is. That’s good, that’s good. If you want to play for Man City, you need to win. If you don’t win, you don’t deserve to be here. So that pressure, that’s on us, it’s a good one and we take it."

  Quizzed on whether City are better prepared to compete for major honours than they were 12 months ago, Silva added: "I think we’re much, much better, you cannot compare. Like, if you said to me last season with no injuries, last season was a very, very good squad, but with all the injuries we had and all the problems that we had, I would say that right now we’re much more prepared to fight for titles, yeah."

• Retirement plan: Will Silva become a manager?

  Silva is determined to enhance his own CV as he will be out of contract next summer. He is far from being finished, at 31 years of age, but is already giving some thought to what path he will tread when reaching retirement.

  Pressed by on whether he will remain in professional football, the 107-cap Portugal international said: "I don’t know if, when I finish my career, I will miss football or not. I think I will. Football brings a load of travel and energy that is difficult. With 20 years, or more with the youth years I gave to football, I will want to spend time with my family. I will want to travel with my wife. I will want to give time to my children.

  "I don’t know if I will want to give that time back to football after I finish my career. But without a doubt, if I return it will be as a coach, and I think I will have the ability to do it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  World Cup quest: Silva will compete with Portugal as a free agent

  Silva does have vast experience to pass on, having worked under the likes of Guardiola and alongside five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. After chasing down domestic and continental honours with City, his attention will turn next summer – when hitting free agency – to a World Cup title bid with Portugal.