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Marseille head coach Roberto De Zerbi has opened up on why he dropped Mason Greenwood from the starting XI in the recent Ligue 1 win over Auxerre. The former Brighton boss was speaking ahead of the club's Champions League clash against Serie A side Atalanta, set for Wednesday night in France, and explained his reasons for keeping the ex-Manchester United man on the bench.

Greenwood snub explained

Marseille managed to beat their opponents 1-0 on Saturday, despite a player from both sides being sent off. Greenwood, who has starred for the Ligue 1 outfit since crossing the channel from England, had an unfamiliar feeling of warming the bench for the match. But De Zerbi claims it was just player management, and that he felt the forward was tired and needed a rest.

Speaking ahead of this week's European action, the Italian head coach said: "I never pick a team with the next match in mind. Atalanta isn't more important than Auxerre. Now, I can think about the match against Atalanta and then I'll think about the one against Brest.

"I felt Greenwood and Paixao were tired and less sharp. Not physically, but less sharp than usual, and less brilliant. That's why I preferred to start Aubameyang and Vaz up front. They should be ready. The Champions League is important, and I'd like to be able to prepare for this match with more options in terms of players."

AdvertisementGettyA new start in France

The 24-year-old left United in 2024 for a fee worth around £27 million, having had a turbulent few months. The ex-Red Devils star's personal life had been clouded in controversy, after he was arrested in October 2022 and charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault. He had previously been shipped out on loan to Spanish side Getafe by the Premier League giants, but still had plenty of interest from Europe after continuing to perform on the pitch. In 2023, all charges against Greenwood were discontinued, but United opted not to reintegrate him into their squad. Instead, he left for France, but not before United could insert a significant sell-on clause into his contract. In the time since, the academy graduate has made 49 appearances for Marseille, scoring 30 goals and notching 10 assists. 

Giants still circling

Despite his past controversies, a number of European giants are believed to be monitoring the England international, with many weighing up a move for the player. However, Marseille president Pablo Longoria will be keen to keep hold of him, after admitting he pushed to get a deal done in the first place, despite facing opposition from the mayor of the city. 

Speaking in a recent interview, he said: "At that moment, you have to think about the decision and what are the values of your club. We took a lot of information from all the clubs he played at and about what was the situation, and what had happened. At that time, you are taking advantage of a situation in the market, because you know he is super talented and you are having this possibility from a circumstance that happened in the past. There was only one person who disagreed at the table.

"Sincerely, for me it was very easy when you are convinced in all the communication strategies. You know you need a communications strategy, so let’s tell the truth. Let’s say why we take this decision, but with transparency, explaining all the processes, explaining why we arrived to take this decision. After that, time will judge."

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AFPEyes on Atalanta

Greenwood will likely return to the starting line-up for the clash with Atalanta. So far in the Champions League, Marseille have only won one of their three games in the competition – a 4-0 win against Ajax. They gave Real Madrid a run for their money, narrowly missing out, with the same happening against Sporting CP. Greenwood will be hoping to add to his goal and assist in the competition when he faces the Italian side this week.

As Liverpool prepare to square off against Eintracht Frankfurt in hope of getting back to winning ways for the first time in four games, a medical expert has provided an injury update on Ryan Gravenberch.

Carragher makes fresh Man City comparison amid Liverpool form

Liverpool were dominant last season as they shocked the rest of the Premier League by stealing the crown in their first year under new manager Arne Slot. Any concerns that they would drop off entirely without Jurgen Klopp were put to bed in emphatic fashion and those at Anfield quickly rewarded Slot for such an impressive debut campaign.

In an unprecedented summer for the Reds, they spent around £400m, broke their transfer record twice, and welcomed the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. On the transfer front, Liverpool couldn’t ask for much more.

Yet, just a few months later, Slot has been left scratching his head wondering just how his super-team have just lost their fourth straight game, against Manchester United at Anfield of all teams. It is the toughest period of the Dutchman’s reign so far and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has delivered his verdict.

Liverpool must hope to bounce back like Man City did in the second-half of last season, but will have to wait for one player to return from injury before they are back to full strength and can begin their return to form.

Injury expert delivers Gravenberch verdict

When it rains it pours for Liverpool. The Reds watched on as Ryan Gravenberch was forced off with injury to compile their misery in a fourth straight defeat in all competitions last weekend.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 21, 2025

The Dutchman, alongside Virgil van Dijk, is arguably the most irreplaceable player in Slot’s squad, but those at Anfield must now figure out how to do exactly that.

Injury expert Physio Scout delivered insight on Gravenberch’s twisted ankle this week, claiming that the midfielder is likely to miss up to two weeks of action in the likeliest scenario, albeit there is another much worse possibility.

“Lateral ankle sprains often look worse than they are if swelling and instability are minimal,” they said. “A Grade 1 sprain and a quick return are most likely… However, any ligament damage confirmed on imaging could see him sidelined for several weeks.”

Grade 1 twisted ankle

Less than 2 weeks (most likely)

Grade 2 twisted ankle

3-4 weeks

Grade 3 / ligament damage

4-6+ weeks

Assuming a Grade 1, this could see the midfielder make a return to action against Real Madrid on November 4 or in the absolute best-case scenario, as soon as Brentford this weekend.

Already ruled out for the Frankfurt game after being omitted from Liverpool’s travelling squad, it’s imperative that Liverpool get Gravenberch back into their side as soon as possible.

Italian refereeing chief Gianluca Rocchi has defended his decision to suspend Maurizio Mariani and Daniele Bindoni following the chaotic clash between Napoli and Inter that saw a controversial penalty reshape the game. Rocchi was left angry at the mistakes made by the referee and his assistant, branding the episode a procedural failure.

Napoli-Inter match derailed by controversy

The Serie A clash between Napoli and Inter turned into one of Serie A’s most contentious nights of the season so far. A dubious first-half penalty awarded to Napoli after Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s light contact on Giovanni Di Lorenzo shifted the game’s momentum. Initially unsure, referee Mariani was urged by assistant Bindoni to award the spot-kick eight seconds after the incident. VAR operator Valerio Marini upheld the call despite minimal contact, and Kevin De Bruyne converted to give Napoli the lead. Inter’s furious protests grew louder after the officials later ignored a handball by Alessandro Buongiorno. The match ended 3-1 to Napoli, but the focus afterwards was firmly on officiating errors rather than the football.

The two referee's were suspended by the Italian refereeing chief Rocchi as he backed his decision claiming that the poor choices made by the on-field officials were illogical and needs to be punished to keep it in check with the broader aspect of the game.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRocchi suspends referee for 'illogical mistakes'

The fallout was swift and public. Serie A’s referee designator Gianluca Rocchi, visibly angered, confirmed the suspension of Mariani, Bindoni, and VAR official Marini.

"There are mistakes and mistakes. We don't intend to suspend anyone, but I get angry when mistakes are illogical because they go against what we agreed upon. If you overdo it, if you let your self-esteem get the better of you, it's not good. We have to focus on the good of the clubs, on the result, and not on ourselves. In those cases, I get angry and suspend someone," Rocchi said in an interview with

The Italian referee was further irked by the decision of the two on-field referees but among the two he believes the assistant referee's adamant stance on it being a clear penalty is something Rocchi can't entertain.

"This episode is very peculiar and involves a procedural issue. The referee may not have seen it, of course, but I must say that we wanted to introduce the assistants to a process so that they can become little referees. What I didn't like at all was the assistant's interference, but they have to intervene in very clear matters in their area of responsibility, and that's not the case here. It's not a penalty; we would have expected an on-field review.

"The fact that there was contact has nothing to do with it; the 'we must not intervene' is not something we want to hear. In this case, I assign a lot of responsibility to the assistant, then to the match director, and then also to the VAR: I've put them on a scale. We have to be very interventionist on penalties that are of a high standard, and this one is below the threshold. I repeat, the procedure is not normal: if this penalty was seen by Mariani, we would have accepted it more, that's it."

The blunders cost the officiating trio their Serie A duties. Reports described Rocchi as “furious” over “too serious errors” that influenced the match’s outcome. Bindoni was immediately stood down, facing possible demotion to Serie B, while Marini was moved off top-flight VAR duties.

The wider fallout of refereeing errors

Rocchi’s criticism didn’t stop with the match between the Scudetto candidates. He dissected a string of contentious calls across Serie A, each revealing a different flaw in refereeing judgment. In Lazio's clash against Juventus, he confirmed Mario Gila’s foul on Francisco Conceicao was a clear penalty but reminded officials that not all contacts are punishable – “if a player lands on another’s foot in a natural motion, it’s dynamic, not a foul.”

Rocchi was further questioned about Rafael Leao's controversial opening goal for AC Milan in the 2-2 draw against Pisa last week. The controversy around the goal mainly relates to offside and refereeing interpretations that were scrutinised after the game. In response to which, the Serie A referee designator said: "It's a borderline decision, but from now on we'll focus on offside: the closer you are, the more impact it has on the goalkeeper: in this case, he's straddling the six-yard box and has an impact. [Zachary] Athekame's goal, on the other hand, is more correct. In short, distance makes the difference; in this case, [Malick] Fofana is further away inside the box. In short, the closer the offside player gets to the goalkeeper, the more punishable he will be."  

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Getty Images SportWhen will officials' suspensions end?

Mariani, who made the first-half error in the Napoli vs Inter clash, was suspended from officiating midweek fixtures but could return as early as the following weekend. Bindoni received a longer suspension, expected to keep him out until the end of November due to his significant role in pushing the incorrect decision. This disciplinary action serves as a strong message emphasising accountability and the need for referees to avoid illogical mistakes that contradict agreed protocols.

Philadelphia weren't perfect, but they ground out enough wins to claim the Shield – and are set up well for playoff success

The confetti has been swept off the field. The grass has been cut. The lines have been redrawn. The beer bottles have been cleaned out of the locker room. It has been almost a week since the Philadelphia Union won the Supporters' Shield. Midfielder Jovan Lukic still claims it was the best day of his life. 

"I wasn't drunk in the moment or something. So I can say that for sure," Lukic told GOAL. This is my first professional career trophy. So for me, you work since the age of six and through the things in all your life for these moments."

That night, last Saturday, after Philadelphia beat NYCFC, 1-0, Lukic stayed out on the pitch long after everyone else had left. The 22-year-old helped the groundskeepers sweep up confetti. He sat there on the Subaru Park turf, taking in the moment. And why shouldn’t he? The Union had clinched the Supporters' Shield. They had collected the most points over the course of a long, grueling season. In most of Europe's top competitions, this would be winning the league. 

For Lukic, that was the pinnacle of soccer. A Serbian-born midfielder, who joined Philadelphia this year, this was the peak of the sport. 

MLS, of course, makes this thing a bit difficult to celebrate. The Supporters’ Shield is a strange concept – a trophy awarded to the team that gets the most points in a league, of which the real “winner” is decided by the unpredictability of knockout soccer in the playoffs. Lukic doesn’t care. Neither do the Union. This has been a deserved thing, a vindication of sorts for a team that didn’t spend in the offseason, pushed towards the top of the Eastern Conference, hung in there, and never let go. 

"It was a celebration, and we're obviously very excited, and we're very happy," midfielder Indy Vassilev said to GOAL. "You know, we did it for ourselves, for our family, for the fans, for the city, and it feels really good." 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Unique to Philly

  This felt all like quite a Philadelphia win, when you think about it. This is, after all, a blue-collar place, one traditionally of grit, hard work. Think Rocky and the Art Museum steps, its history as a manufacturing hub, and cheesesteaks. Somewhere in that, there's room for a soccer team that doesn't really take any stick either. 

  "I don't mind saying we've had a lot of blue-collar wins, just like, f*cking put your feet in the ground and just grind it out," Vassilev said.

  There is a concept in soccer of being "good title winners." You hear it a lot in the European game. Elite seasons are built on comfortable scorelines and topped off by dramatic victories to take a side over the line. And the Union were the very definition of that. They only won five games by more than two goals (two of those came against D.C. United). Their longest winning streak was just four games. They mixed in seven draws. Only three Eastern Conference playoff teams tallied more. 

  Perhaps it's not the most glamorous sentiment in a game that is more finesse-based than ever. But that's kind of the point. They were reliable in a league that is inherently frantic.

  "We kind of go by five or six game blocks," Vassilev explained. "But even within those five or six game blocks, the mentality is the next game. And once you win the next game, you do a review on the next game." 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The big results

  But of course, there were some signature moments here. Every league-winning season needs them. Vassilev and Lukic can refer to any number of performances. Late wins stand out. On May 14, they were down 2-0 to LA Galaxy at home – and not playing particularly well. Yet three second half goals, including a 96th-minute winner from striker Tai Baribo, sealed a season-defining victory. A similar result against Toronto comes to mind.

  "There were many games where we won late. Obviously, there was the LA game where we're down to zero, we ended up winning it late at home. There was a Toronto game where we scored two late goals and we win 2-1 away from home," Vassilev said. 

  Ultimately, that might just come down to certain collegiality.

  "Even if it's not the best in that moment, we fight for each other, then the quality comes again. I think that's the key at the end of the day," Lukic said.

  It helps, also, that the Union have quality all over the pitch. Baribo has bagged 16 goals in the league this year. Kai Wagner might be the best left back in MLS. Olwethu Makhanya, 21, is an elite central defender.

• Imagn
  

  A bit unsteady at times

  There were moments of adversity, too. 

  "There are others where we're up 2-1 against Columbus, and we lose on a corner kick in the last minute of the game. So we dropped two points there," Vassilev said. 

  Still, the point is that the Union were able to rebound.

  "You can nitpick the whole season, where all we could have won points here, or, you know, we shouldn't have dropped points there. But I think credit to the group, because we genuinely did take it as the next game is the most important," he said. 

  If anything, it might just have made them battle-hardened for the tougher moments that followed.

  "You win like four or five games in a row, then you lose like two games in a row. That happened like three times. And I think that helps us, because we reset in our head," Lukic said. "It's the key at the end of the day. I think that bad moments, like the losses and that things, we change in a good way. That's the reason we are on top of the table right now." 

  That makes the difference in this league. There is quality everywhere, especially in a loaded Eastern Conference. Miami have the best player to ever lace up his football boots, and were outside of a spot for home field advantage for long stretches. Even the worst teams have good players they can turn to at any minute. The difference, then, is mentality. And the Union had it. 

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• Getty
  

  What does this thing mean?

  But there are some questions worth asking here. Lukic sees the Supporters' Shield as the pinnacle. It was the type of soccer he was raised on. They won the league, and there is no higher honor than that. But MLS, historically, doesn't tend to value this kind of thing. Supporters' Shield winners are largely forgotten. In the scope of things, it's MLS Cups that stand out. 

  This is an American sports thing in general. Few remember which teams had the best regular season record in Major League Baseball in 2021. They could tell you, though, that the Atlanta Braves won the World Series. 

  Whether or not that's fair is up for debate. 

  "To be like first of 30, not even like in our conference, it's first of 30 teams. For me, that's the biggest success," Lukic said. 

  Yet at the same time, he and the Union understand the importance of playoffs. It's part of the American psyche, and what makes MLS unique in the global sphere.

  "I respect that way of thinking in America. It is like that. Even in the NBA, playoffs are like more fun and everything," Lukic said.

If you could encapsulate Tottenham Hotspur in one week it would be the period of days that have just played out. It’s classic Spurs, it really is.

On Wednesday, everything looked smooth sailing as far as a deal to sign Eberechi Eze was concerned. This was a spectcular signing, a Premier League proven talent capable of taking Thomas Frank’s side to the next level.

Alas, Arsenal swooped in and stole the boyhood Gooner away from their rivals. Eze is now a full-time Gunner, it’s time to forget about that saga.

And boy did Spurs forget about it on Saturday afternoon. The Etihad has been a happy hunting ground for the Lilywhites in recent years and they went to Manchester City this weekend and won again, swatting aside Pep Guardiola’s side 2-0.

It was a complete defensive performance and the inroads Frank has already made in making Spurs more secure at the back is mightily impressive. Yet, they still need new recruits in the market.

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Missing out on Eze is a colossal blow. With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison out, the latter with an ACL injury, Spurs desperately need to find more creativity.

They have sourced that in the form of Mohammed Kudus who has enjoyed a spritely start to his time in white.

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Yet, more is required and it’s required quickly. The window is eight days away from closing and Daniel Levy needs to find that Eze alternative.

Well, a move for Manchester City star Savinho is still on the cards according to reports in Spain.

The Brazilian has been the subject of interest from the north Londoners for a few weeks now but it’s touch and go to know whether City will sanction a sale.

In a bid to do so, Spurs are now prepared to put a club-record £73m on the table to bring the Citizen to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Previously, they had only been willing to put a fraction below £50m forward, but amid the Eze blow, Levy and Co know they must act.

Savinho: Tottenham's answer to Lamine Yamal

Signing someone of Savinho’s quality in the remaining week of the window is a must for Spurs if they are to realise their lofty ambitions this term. They have started with consecutive wins and look good value, having not conceded yet.

Still, extra firepower is required and they’d surely find that in the form of the Man City star. While he’s not so prolific as far as goalscoring is concerned just yet, only bagging three times in 2024/25, he’s one of the best creators in English football, registering 13 assists in all competitions.

Amid those injuries to Kulusevski and Maddison, he could be just the creative hub that Frank is seeking.

Comparisons to Ballon d’Or contender, Lamine Yamal, will also raise excitement levels. Speaking after a dazzling display from the Brazilian last term, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson said: “His decision making is unbelievable. He remins me a bit like Yamal. They can dribble, they dribble at the right time, they pass at the right time. He’s going to be a superstar.”

While taking anything Merson says must be done so with a pinch of salt, there is logic here. Indeed, according to data-led website, FBref, Yamal was the most similar winger in European football to Savinho last term, based on statistics.

Of course, Yamal is a generational talent, but it’s of great intrigue to see where they are most comparable.

Goals

0.05

0.28

Assists

0.41

0.41

Key passes

2.35

2.02

Progressive passes

3.42

5.05

Shot-creating actions

5.66

5.93

Progressive carries

6.99

5.71

Carries into final 3rd

2.30

3.03

From a goalscoring perspective, plenty of wingers in European football are streets ahead of Savinho but we can see here that he’s one of the most creative around.

Over the league season, he registered the same number of assists per 90 minutes as the great Yamal while he also made more key passes.

The Spanish wonderkid was far ahead for progressive passes but in other aspects, notably progressive carrying and shot-creating actions, there isn’t a great deal to seperate the duo.

Based on a number of things, the 21-year-old is still incredibly raw but as Merson said, he looks as though he’s on his way to becoming a superstar. He’s not going to reach Yamal’s overall quality but having someone with those traits in your squad will help a great deal.

Spurs do need more goals but creativity is also on their shopping list. They’d get that and then some if they signed City’s Brazilian star.

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Forget Eze: Spurs preparing move for "unstoppable" star who's like Rodrygo

Tottenham Hotspur have moved on to other targets after missing out on Eberechi Eze’s signature.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 23, 2025

Worcestershire suffer collapse from 102 for 1 to cede control to hosts at Taunton

ECB Reporters Network04-Apr-2025

Kasey Aldridge claimed a five-for for Somerset•Getty Images

Somerset 187 for 4 (Banton 84*, Abell 52) lead Worcestershire 154 (Roderick 58, Aldridge 5-36) by 33 runsSomerset allrounder Kasey Aldridge claimed five wickets in a dramatic Worcestershire batting collapse on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One match at Taunton.From an encouraging 102 for 1, the visitors were skittled for just 154 after losing the toss, tall seamer Aldridge taking 5 for 36 from eight overs and Craig Overton finishing with 3 for 24. Gareth Roderick top-scored with 58, while fellow opener Jake Libby made 30 and Matthew Waite 32 not out.In reply, Somerset stumbled to 39 for 3 before closing on 187 for four, Tom Banton and Tom Abell having shared a century fourth-wicket stand. Abell contributed 52 and Banton an unbeaten 84, off 103 balls, with 17 fours.The toss was staged under overcast skies. But by the time play started the sun was shining and Somerset’s bowlers struggled to make inroads as Roderick and Libby played with assurance.They put together an attractive half-century stand with few alarms, forcing home skipper Lewis Gregory to introduce Jack Leach from the River End. It was the England left-arm spinner who made an important breakthrough with the total on 70.Libby pushed forward to a ball that straightened from around the wicket and edged to slip where Gregory took a smart low catch. Kashif Ali got off the mark in streaky fashion, miscuing a shot off Leach over cover for two, but Roderick looked untroubled in moving to a composed fifty with a square cut boundary off Aldridge.The hundred was brought up in the 26th over and Worcestershire looked to be laying the foundations for a big score. But everything changed when Aldridge bowled Kashif with a ball that hurried through and clipped the top of leg stump.Three balls later Ethan Brookes edged a catch to Overton at second slip and when former Somerset player Adam Hose was bowled by the inspired Aldridge for 4, lunch was taken with Worcestershire suddenly 110 for 4.The procession continued after the interval, with Roderick, having faced 98 balls and hit eight fours, fending a ball from Aldridge to second slip where Overton accepted a routine chance. It was 130 for 6 when Brett D’Oliveira was bowled by Aldridge shouldering arms and 151 for 7 when Tom Taylor was pinned lbw by Overton pushing forward.Waite had batted positively, with three early boundaries and six in all, but was left stranded as Worcestershire could fashion only three more runs. Ben Allison was bowled by Overton on the back foot, Tom Hinley edged the same bowler to second slip and Adam Finch fell leg before to Gregory to end the innings.Only 45.3 overs had been bowled and the last nine wickets had fallen in just 18 for the addition of 52 runs.Somerset were soon in trouble themselves. Archie Vaughan, watched from the boundary edge by father Michael, the former England captain, had made only 12 when nicking Taylor to wicketkeeper Roderick and Tom Lammonby, on 8, edged a loose drive off the same bowler to second slip.Sean Dickson was bowled for 11 aiming a forcing shot to leg off Finch and at tea the hosts had work to do at 53 for 3, still 101 behind. But an evening session played in warm sunshine saw Banton and Abell build a confident partnership that put Somerset firmly in control.Banton, who has worked hard to transfer his impressive one-day batting skills to red-ball cricket, was first to a half-century, off 64 balls, with 11 fours. Abell soon followed with his seventh boundary, having faced 73 deliveries.The pair had added 101 crucial runs, but immediately after reaching fifty Abell fell to a straightforward catch, working a ball from Finch off his hip straight to Taylor at midwicket.Banton went on to delight home fans in a first-day crowd of over 2000 with more meaty boundaries as he and James Rew (17 not out) cemented Somerset’s position.

Glenn Maxwell produced an extraordinary innings, farming the strike and smashing ten sixes in a brilliant 90 off 52 balls, to keep Stars’ BBL season alive after they defeated Renegades in the Melbourne derby.Stars’ finals hopes appeared over at 75 for 7 after they were sent in to bat at a closed-roofed Marvel Stadium due to stormy weather in Melbourne. Maxwell’s thunderous batting flipped the match on its head to lift Stars to 165 and a stunned Renegades fell well short in the chase.After losing their first five matches, Stars have won four in a row to remain a chance of reaching the finals while it was a costly defeat for Renegades (placed at the bottom with a 3-5 win-loss record) in a disappointment for much of the 38,000 crowd.Maxwell puts the cape onStars’ season appeared to be petering out as their powerful top-order fell apart. Opener Ben Duckett had been boom or bust this season, but played himself in as he eyed a significant contribution in his last BBL match before departing for the ILT20.Duckett made 21 off 14 balls before miscuing a slower ball to long-on, while skipper Marcus Stoinis tried to counterattack. He blasted quick Tom Rogers in a mighty blow that almost hit the roof but was caught at long-on. It was a dismissal that even left tennis superstar Novak Djokovic gobsmacked as he watched on in the terraces as Stars slumped further.Glenn Maxwell hit ten sixes in his 52-ball 90•Getty Images

Their hopes rested on Maxwell, who has a knack of producing miracles, and he delivered yet again. There were echoes of his famous World Cup double-century against Afghanistan in Mumbai as he hogged the strike and backed himself to smash sixes.He cracked a personal T20 record of 10 sixes, including a 122-metre strike off quick Kane Richardson over deep midwicket, while he laced Will Sutherland for three consecutive blows into the crowd.Maxwell effectively targeted legspinner Adam Zampa down the ground and also unfurled trademark switch-hits in one of his best T20 innings.In scenes more reminiscent of Test cricket, Maxwell refused singles in a strategy that paid off spectacularly. He added a BBL record eighth-wicket partnership of 81 with Usama Mir, who played something of the Pat Cummins role from Mumbai. Mir was scoreless and faced only five of the 46 balls in the partnership, but held up his end.Maxwell deserved a century, but chopped on to Richardson at the start of the final over to end one of the most surreal innings played in BBL history.Renegades’ attack starts hot before succumbing to MaxwellRogers has painful memories of the last Melbourne derby, played just eight days ago. He was thrashed at the death by Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright as Renegades let a match slip at the MCG.But he got a big boost after being the hero with bat and ball in Renegades’ comeback victory over Perth Scorchers in Perth. His confidence spilled over when he dismissed Sam Harper plumb lbw on the match’s first delivery.Recalled-quick Fergus O’Neill justified his selection with the pivotal wicket of Duckett then nicked off Thomas Rogers for a golden duck. He almost claimed a hat-trick when Stoinis hit just short of a diving Richardson at mid-off.O’Neill cleverly bowled subtle variations to finish with 2-16 from 4 overs and finished his spell before Maxwell’s carnage started. Renegades’ attack were then helpless and rattled by his tactic of declining singles.Sutherland, a youthful captain, has been a revelation in his first season as skipper but a few times did appear asleep at the wheel as Maxwell found singles with ease at the end of overs.In a worry for Renegades, Richardson appeared to injure his hamstring and was unable to complete the final over of the innings.Steketee steps up after wayward startVeteran quick Mark Steketee has taken 11 wickets in four matches since being selected in Stars’ line-up. But he could not find his radar initially with wayward new-ball bowling that threatened to undo Stars’ momentum.Steketee turned it around later in the second over after finally finding a straighter line that led to the dismissals of openers Marcus Harris and Josh Brown. He returned in the eighth over to pick up Jake Fraser-McGurk, who briefly threatened, before left-arm quick Joel Paris tore through Renegades’ middle-over. Steketee added two more wickets at the backend to finish with 5 for 17.Fraser-McGurk misses opportunity, debutant Dixon shows glimpsesIf Renegades don’t make finals, they will rue an inconsistent batting effort. Fraser-McGurk has particularly struggled with his highest score this season being just 26.He looked less manic at the crease on this occasion as he eyed ending his slump. He finally made his move when he blasted allrounder Beau Webster for a six over wide long-on, but it proved a tease as he holed out to end his 17-ball 19.Renegades were in massive trouble at 44 for 4, but they still believed after the Sutherland-led chase against Scorchers. They took the Power Surge, however, Sutherland was bowled by evergreen quick Peter Siddle in the 13th over to effectively end the ‘Gades hopes.Debutant Harry Dixon, an under-19 World Cup winner for Australia, had an impossible task but did underline why he’s highly-touted with several flowing stokes.But the left-handed Dixon, whose elegant style at the crease has shades of Shaun Marsh, holed out on 13 where Maxwell, fittingly, claimed the catch to cap his special night.

Manchester United are now showing an interest in signing a “strong” £38 million defender who has been watched live in action by club scouts, according to a recent report.

Despite the delay in the signing of Bryan Mbeumo, it has been a productive transfer window for the Red Devils so far, as they have added creativity and goals to a team lacking in both. But with still over a month of the window left, United are still looking to be active in the market.

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According to Caught Offside, Man United are now in a race with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Aleksander Mitrovic from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The Serbia international joined the Saudi side in August 2023, and to no surprise, he has continued his excellent goal-scoring exploits. The forward scored 28 goals in 28 league games in his first campaign and then followed that up with 19 goals in 23 league games last season.

Mitrovic is the latest striker to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, as they search for a new number nine after the disappointments of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, who both struggled to make a big impact in front of goal.

Interest in Mitrovic comes after it was confirmed that United maintains an interest in signing Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace. The Red Devils are currently not interested in signing Nicolas Jackson and Ollie Watkins due to their price tags.

Man Utd eyeing Italian defender

Addressing United’s forward line looks to be a top priority for Ruben Amorim, but the Portuguese is also looking at how he can improve his defence. According to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Sport Witness, Man United are among the teams interested in signing Pietro Comuzzo from Fiorentina.

The 20-year-old, who played 33 times in Serie A last season, has now caught the eye of not just United, but Sunderland and Nottingham Forest as well. These three sides from England are showing “strong interest”, but as of yet no one has placed an offer for the centre-back.

Comuzzo, who joined Fiorentina at a young age, is under contract at the Italian side until 2029, and it’s been previously reported that Fiorentina value the young centre-back in the region of £38 million, which is no surprise given his Transfermarkt value skyrocketed from €700k (£600k) to €25m (£21.6m) last season.

The Red Devils may hold an advantage in the race to sign Comuzzo, as it’s already been reported that United sent scouts to watch him live in action earlier this season.

Pietro Comuzzo’s 24/25 Serie A stats
Apps	33
Starts	24
Clean sheets	6
Interceptions per game	0.9
Tackles per game	1.3
Dribbled past per game	0.2
Goals	1
Touches per game	47.4
Passes per game (accuracy)	32.5 (86%)

New Fiorentina manager Stefano Pioli spoke around two weeks ago about Comuzzo, and while he didn’t commit to his future, he did label the Italian a “strong” defender: “Comuzzo? He is a strong player; he is here to play for his place and be a starter.”

But he could be considered for the ODIs in the West Indies and later the Champions Trophy

Mohammad Isam31-Oct-2024The BCB president Faruque Ahmed has said that Shakib Al Hasan is unlikely to play in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sharjah. Faruque stated it was Shakib’s decision to opt out of the Afghanistan ODIs, while also hinting of an emotional element about his failure to play what was supposed to be his farewell Test in Dhaka against South Africa from October 21.Shakib has not played any cricket in nearly a month since the second Test in India and it is expected he will feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for Bangla Tigers to get some game time before the Caribbean tour.After the three ODIs against Afghanistan, Bangladesh will leave for the West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. Shakib has retired from Tests and T20Is so he will be available for the ODIs in the Caribbean and later the Champions Trophy in February 2025. Shakib hasn’t played ODIs since the World Cup in India last year.Related

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“After Shakib couldn’t come to play his (farewell) Test, he wasn’t doing much practice,” Faruque said at a press conference on Thursday. “I think he needs some time to regroup. We haven’t taken a final decision but he looks unlikely to play the next series (against Afghanistan). He is likely to miss the series. He could be playing a T10 tournament soon. I feel he can still play for Bangladesh in the 50-over format. There are three ODIs against West Indies before the Champions Trophy.”Faruque, however, said that the board will consider Shakib for the rest of the ODIs this season, if the selectors feel that his training and franchise tournament is sufficient preparation. “Shakib has played for 17 years and he is part of the generation that plays a lot of franchise cricket. They know the drill. They play, sleep maybe a few hours and turn up for training. So he is geared for such situations.”It is the definitely the best possible thing to train with the team but we will consider him if the selection committee thinks that he can still deliver by training or playing tournaments abroad.”The national selectors haven’t yet announced the Bangladesh squad for the ODIs against Afghanistan starting November 6, as the board president is also going to hold a meeting with Najmul Hossain Shanto who recently expressed his reluctance to lead the side.Meawhile, Faruque said that the decision for Shakib to skip the Dhaka Test last week came from the government, with the BCB not part of the decision-making process.”The BCB wasn’t a part of the decision of Shakib not coming to Bangladesh,” he said. “Our sports adviser informed the media at the time that there’s a problem if he comes. I didn’t have to make a statement. I heard that there was security till 3 or 4pm, and then there were clashes between the two sides.”

If Liverpool’s 4-2 defeat to Milan on Saturday afternoon showcased anything, it’s that the recruitment team are in dire need of signing a central defender.

The reasoning is less about the scoreline but more about the situation Arne Slot’s men find themselves in.

Joe Gomez has flown home from Singapore owing to an injury, which has left Ibou Konate and Virgil Van Dijk as the only fit central defenders.

In fact, Ryan Gravenberch even had to play at centre half on Tuesday.

The obvious incoming would be Marc Guehi. Liverpool have been religiously linked with the Crystal Palace captain right throughout the summer window. A £45m deal could be on the table if Richard Hughes and Steve Parish get talking.

Yet, that’s not where all the excitement is right now. The suspense lies in Alexander Isak’s and Liverpool’s forward line.

What's next for Liverpool in the transfer market

The Reds may have welcomed Hugo Ekitike to Anfield last week, but that hasn’t cooled their interest in Isak.

The Merseysiders are believed to be the frontrunners for the Swede’s signature but would have to make a bid of around £150m before Newcastle United even consider selling their prized asset.

That sort of money could be funded by selling Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez and if they both did depart, another forward feels like they may well be needed.

Real Madrid winger Rodrygo has been linked but that’s not Hughes’ top target according to ESPN.

Indeed, as per Julien Laurens, it’s reported that the club’s sporting director is a huge fan of PSG winger Bradley Barcola.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, it’s unlikely the Champions League winners would be open to selling. That said, just like Isak, every player has their price.

Why Bradley Barcola would be such an exciting signing

Landing Isak this summer would be a remarkable piece of business, something that eclipses the £116m deal to bring Florian Wirtz to England.

Wirtz has become the most expensive player in Premier League history and before too long, Isak looks set to surpass that number.

Many view him as the best striker in the world right now and his haul of 27 goals last term certainly puts him in that bracket.

He’s an electrifying player, someone cut from the same cloth as Thierry Henry, in the words of Eddie Howe.

This isn’t a player Liverpool necessarily need after Ekitike’s arrival but signing someone this good cannot be passed up on. Only Mo Salah scored more than the Newcastle forward last term in the English top-flight.

So, it would take quite the player to be as exciting as Isak but that’s the category Barcola falls into.

The Frenchman proved himself to be “one of the best left wingers in Europe” in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, certainly last season, and he’s only gone from strength to strength since switching Lyon for Paris.

For Luis Enrique’s men in 2024/25, the Frenchman scored 21 goals and also supplied 21 assists for his teammates.

Bradley Barcola's stats pre-Club World Cup.

For context, that’s two fewer assists than Salah managed across the same campaign, a statistic that illuminates the pairing’s ability to create and score on a regular basis.

Like Salah, Barcola is a duel threat from outside and his dazzling ability to beat players in 1 v 1 situations makes him one of the most exciting players on the continent.

Compared to positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year, the 22-year-old ranks among the very best for a whole host of metrics.

Goals

0.58

0.49

Assists

0.41

0.19

Shots

3.06

2.66

Key passes

2.07

2.10

Progressive passes

3.97

4.12

Successful take-ons

1.40

1.99

Carries

35.3

29.2

Progressive carries

5.66

4.04

One of the most creative and progressive wide players around, Barcola would fit seamlessly into this Liverpool team, notably ranking in the top 8% of wingers in Europe for assists, the top 9% for progressive carries and the best 2% for expected goals.

In short, he’s a demon with the ball at his feet and regularly crests goalscoring opportunities not just for teammates but himself.

He also ranks favourably compared to Diaz, the man he’d likely replace, notably in the creative department. While Diaz scored 19 times in all competitions, he only registered eight assists.

Losing the Colombian to Bayern Munich would be a blow, but Barcola is a clear upgrade. Like Wirtz & Isak, he’d be a transformational arrival to Slot’s forward line.

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