Tag Futebol

Manchester United just about managed to salvage a share of the points away at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Rasmus Hojlund broke free of his wretched luck in front of goal in the Premier League to rescue a 1-1 draw.

The Cherries were hanging onto their 1-0 slim lead after Evanilson saw red on the 70th minute mark and must have thought United’s wastefulness in attack was going to be their saving grace, only for the usually misfiring Dane to level the game right at the death.

Whilst the 22-year-old was the unlikely hero come the full-time whistle, a draw might still be deemed as an unsatisfactory result based on the away side’s lack of composure up top ,robbing them of a much-needed victory.

Man United's wasteful attackers vs Bournemouth

In total, Ruben Amorim’s men would notch up a hefty 25 shots on the Cherries’ goal, with Hojlund’s effort amazingly the only one that ended up beating the consistently switched-on Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Away from accumulating a stunning seven key passes to try and set up his teammates for opportunities, Bruno Fernandes will feel irked that he didn’t manage to beat Kepa like his Danish teammate, with three efforts unfortunately passing him by on the South Coast.

Likewise, Hojlund will feel somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t pick up a whole host of strikes, with the goal-shy number 9 failing to get involved in the contest for large portions of the 90 minutes, leading to his only effort on the day being the golden one that trickled in.

But, there was a far worse culprit than both of these attackers when it came to squandering chances against Andoni Iraola’s open hosts, with Amorim now clamouring for Wolverhampton Wanderers superstar Matheus Cunha’s signature even more so off the back of this underperformer lacking a clinical edge.

5/10 Man Utd could soon be replaced by Cunha

Whilst United’s wastefulness reared its ugly head once more during the 1-1 draw, Cunha showed off his spellbinding ability in attack again for Wolves at the weekend, with the ex-Atletico Madrid ace picking up a goal and two assists in his side’s convincing 3-0 takedown of Leicester City.

With it reported that the Brazilian could be on his way to Old Trafford, Fernandes would likely not be sacrificed for Cunha to take up a first-team spot.

As a result, his comrade in the attacking positions in Alejandro Garnacho could be the casualty, with his showing against Bournemouth leaving a lot to be desired.

As is outlined above, Garnacho is now up to a dire 14 big chances missed this season, with his game in the forward areas against Iraola’s men screaming of an attacker low on confidence when the heat is ramped up.

The South American forward ended the game having been handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst and it was unsurprising to see why.

He fired a mammoth eight shots at the Cherries net without ever beating Kepa, meaning his goal count for the season in the Premier League is stuck at a paltry five. Furthermore, he won just four of his seven duels and gave away the ball 13 times, once every 3.7 touches.

Games played

33

29

Goals scored

5

15

Assists

1

6

Expected goals (xG)

7.02 xG

7.86 xG

Goalscoring frequency

411 mins

156 mins

Big chances missed

14

2

Big chances created

3

12

Whereas, moving back to Molineux, Cunha finds himself on a mightily impressive 21 goal contributions for the campaign from 29 clashes, with Amorim well aware that the Brazilian’s arrival onto the scene would see Garnacho instantly drop out of the XI.

It remains to be seen whether United can win their desired man away from rampant speculation, but if they are successful in their pursuit, he could be one piece of the jigsaw that enables Amorim’s Red Devils to recapture their former glories.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: Man Utd are in talks to sign a "monster" CM

Manchester United could land a star who would be perfect for Matheu Cunha this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 25, 2025

Arsenal are preparing for a first Champions League semi-final since 2009 after defeating defending European champions Real Madrid.

The Gunners were 3-0 up from the first leg thanks to Declan Rice’s double and Mikel Merino’s strike, and sensationally won 2-1 at the Bernabeu after a late winner from Gabriel Martinelli.

Their reward is a tie against Paris Saint-Germain, with the winner heading to Munich to face either Barcelona or Inter.

The last week or so has seen Arsenal add to their prestigious list of memorable European nights, with their first-leg victory over Los Blancos arguably the greatest night the Emirates Stadium has ever seen.

With that in mind, here is a look at the best European matches in the club’s illustrious history.

What happened to the Arsenal team that beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu?

Arsenal will be looking to emulate these heroes from 2006.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 15, 2025 11 Roma 1-0 Arsenal (6-7 on penalties) 2008/09 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

After securing a 1-0 win at home, Arsenal went to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in 2009 hoping to finish the job without any major issues.

However, the Gunners fell behind pretty quickly, with Juan levelling the aggregate scoreline inside 10 minutes.

With no further goals on the night, a shootout was required, and despite Eduardo’s miss for the visitors, Manuel Almunia saved from Mirko Vucinic and Max Tonetto blazed over to send Arsene Wenger’s side through to the last eight.

10 Arsenal 2-0 Juventus 2005/06 Champions League, quarter-final first leg

Arsenal delivered one of their finest results in the Champions League when seeing off Juventus in the first leg of their quarter-final in 2006.

Buoyed by eliminating Real Madrid in the previous round, the home side went ahead through Cesc Fabregas, who slotted past Gianluigi Buffon just before the break.

Thierry Henry then scored against his former club to double Arsenal’s advantage and cap a magical night at Highbury, with the Old Lady held to a goalless draw in the second leg in Turin.

From Cole to Wilshere: The best 11 players to come out of Arsenal's academy

There have been plenty of stars to come out of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy.

ByBen Browning Feb 14, 2025 9 Arsenal 3-0 Anderlecht 1969/70 Fairs Cup, final second leg

It feels strange to put a final so low on this list, but 55 years on, Arsenal’s victory against Anderlecht in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup to secure their first European trophy would be worth a mention in any case.

Down 3-1 from the first leg, Ray Kennedy’s consolation in Belgium would set up a superb comeback at Highbury.

Eddie Kelly got the ball rolling in north London, before two goals in two minutes from John Radford and Jon Sammels handed the Gunners the trophy.

Bertie Mee’s side would go on to win the league and cup double the following season.

8 Arsenal 1-0 Porto (4-2 on penalties) 2023/24 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

Arsenal had been out of the Champions League for six seasons before their long-awaited return in 2023/24, with their wait for a quarter-final stretching back to 2010.

So when they went 1-0 down late on against Porto in the first leg, history looked like repeating itself, with Arsenal’s last seven Champions League campaigns ending at the last-16 stage.

Leandro Trossard put Mikel Arteta’s side in front on the night, but there were no more goals on a tense night in north London.

Thankfully, the Gunners were faultless from the spot, with David Raya’s save from first-leg hero Galeno sparking wild celebrations at the Emirates.

7 Milan 0-2 Arsenal 2007/08 Champions League, round of 16 second leg

Arsenal were underdogs heading into their clash in the San Siro to face reigning European champions Milan, but came away with one of their best results on the road in Europe.

A goalless draw at the Emirates meant a score draw would be enough to send the Gunners through without the need for extra time, but if anything, it looked as though another 0-0 was on its way.

Six minutes from time, Cesc Fabregas picked the ball up in the centre of the field and unleashed a shot from 30 yards, which somehow found the corner to all but seal the result for Arsenal.

Emmanuel Adebayor scored late on to put the icing on the cake.

6 Inter 1-5 Arsenal 2003/04 Champions League, group stage

Rather incredibly, Arsenal’s heroics against Milan may not even be their greatest in the San Siro.

While their victory over Inter was only in the 2003/04 group stage, it probably trumps their win over the Rossoneri for the fact that a win was vital, and that the scoreline remains stunning to this day.

Arsenal had a horrendous start to their group campaign, earning one point from their first three matches, and required a win in Milan to stay alive.

That meant beating a team that had thumped them 3-0 at Highbury just two months earlier.

Fortunately, Thierry Henry was in red-hot form, and hit a brace to help smash an Inter side that fell apart in the second half, with Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires all getting in on the act before the final whistle as Arsenal smashed their opponents on their way to winning Group B.

5 Arsenal 1-0 Parma 1993/94 Cup Winners' Cup final

Arsenal’s most recent European trophy was secured 31 years ago, when an unfancied Gunners side saw off favourites Parma in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Copenhagen.

George Graham’s side, who were also without the suspended Ian Wright, took a surprise lead through Alan Smith’s volley in the first half.

Parma’s stars, including Gianfranco Zola, Faustino Asprilla and Tomas Brolin, had plenty of chances either side of Smith’s effort, but the defence remained resolute to bring the trophy home.

4 Villarreal 0-0 Arsenal 2005/06 Champions League, semi-final second leg

Arsenal were 90 minutes away from their first Champions League final after a 1-0 success in Highbury’s final European game against Villarreal.

The surprise package in the Champions League that season, Villarreal were hoping to overturn their deficit to set up an all-Spanish affair in the Paris finale.

And just when Arsenal looked like seeing it out, the hosts were awarded a soft penalty in the final moments, with extra time now looking like a certainty.

But Jens Lehmann had other ideas, diving to his left to keep Juan Roman Riquelme’s spot-kick out and send the Gunners through.

3 Arsenal 2-1 Barcelona 2010/11 Champions League, round of 16 first leg

While this tie eventually ended in controversial defeat, the first leg of Arsenal and Barcelona’s last-16 tie in February 2011 can still give fans goosebumps.

Led by Pep Guardiola, tournament favourites Barca took the lead through David Villa’s first-half finish, only for a late Gunners comeback to send the visitors home defeated.

Robin van Persie levelled an absorbing tie after catching out Victor Valdes at his near post, before an incisive breakaway saw Samir Nasri find Andrey Arshavin free in the box to slam home the winner.

2 Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid 2024/25 Champions League, quarter-final first leg

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal came of age when they came up against the European champions at the Emirates Stadium, with a second-half blitz seemingly putting the tie beyond their opponents.

A close tie exploded into life in the second half when Declan Rice curved a superb free-kick around the Madrid wall to draw first blood, before repeating the trick with an arguably better strike just minutes later.

Makeshift striker Mikel Merino then rounded off a super move to give Arsenal a golden chance of defeating their fancied opponents and make the semis for the first time in 16 years – a chance they didn’t pass up.

9 of the greatest Arsenal free-kicks of all time

Declan Rice’s heroics against Real Madrid have got to be among the best.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 9, 2025

They are a competitive side that has continued to improve

Ian Chappell29-Jun-2024Afghanistan beating Australia and eventually reaching the semi-final of the T20 World Cup constituted a major upset but it wasn’t a surprise.Afghanistan is a competitive side that made their intentions clear in the 2010 Caribbean T20 World Cup. “We are not here to make up the numbers,” they said and then lived up to that lofty claim. Afghanistan has continued to improve and they are mentally strong.In addition to producing some world-class cricketers, Afghanistan continues to challenge the better teams. This is not always the case with minnows or even some Test-playing nations – take Bangladesh, for instance.Related

Afghanistan women request ICC to help set up a refugee team in Australia

Not just another piece of content, Afghanistan have been a headline-grabbing act

Dwayne Bravo: Afghanistan have everything a T20 team needs

India vs South Africa at the T20 World Cup final: all you need to know

For South Africa, and those who know what they know

Bangladesh have threatened improvement at times but they regularly fail at the big hurdles. You could never accuse Afghanistan of being overawed by their opponents.Australia has refused to play Afghanistan in the past because of their Taliban rules, especially regarding women, which would only add to the satisfaction of beating the former T20 World champions. It also doesn’t help that Australia has a reputation for succumbing against good spin bowling. This is an unwanted flaw that is quickly understood by opposing teams.Afghanistan then produced a magical win over Bangladesh, albeit clouded by controversy, to make the semi-final. The controversy concerned a player’s cramp and brought into focus the position of the coach, in this case former England player Jonathan Trott.A persistent concern of mine around the position of coach is that they can favour their own interests (retaining a coaching contract) over those of the team’s priorities. This appeared to be the case when team captain Rashid Khan made clear his displeasure with the Afghanistan player’s antics.The important thing was the result, as Afghanistan earned their semi-final spot.However, the integrity of the tournament was flawed from the moment it was decided India was playing the second semi-final in Guyana whether they finished first or second in their group. This blatant scheduling bias accommodated the morning start time of the second semi-final, which favoured Indian prime time television.This was further confirmation – if any was needed – that the bottom line is a major deciding factor among cricket’s administrators. Cricket’s financial integrity will continue to be a problem as long the imbalance remains, with India providing at least 70% of the finances.Afghanistan’s magical run came to a sudden halt when South Africa avoided their trademark World Cup semi-final meltdown by producing a bowling masterclass. They dismissed Afghanistan cheaply and then batted sensibly to enter the final.

Cricket’s financial integrity will continue to be a problem as long the imbalance remains, with India providing at least 70% of the finances

In the other semi-final India proved to be far too strong for England, as skipper Rohit Sharma led the team with a typically brave batting performance. The spin bowlers, with the revived Kuldeep Yadav displaying his vast improvement, then dismantled the England batting and India were safely into the final.The India versus South Africa final is a battle of two unbeaten sides and most importantly the best teams in this competition.The hope in a major tournament is that the final will feature the two best teams and they then provide a spectacle worthy of the occasion. South Africa have blatantly focused on T20 cricket lately, so they’ll claim this is vindication of that policy but they still have to overcome their bad habit of wilting in major World Cup matches.If that South African trait continues, India will win comfortably. Nevertheless South Africa maintain that this team is a different proposition and its captain, Aiden Markram, has already experienced World Cup success, albeit at the Under-19 level in 2014.India, on the other hand, has plenty of World Cup big-match experience and a captain in Rohit who has a pedigree of success. Both teams have well balanced pace attacks, but India’s spin bowling is superior.A lot will depend on the way South Africa reacts to the pressure of a final. In the compressed nature of T20, a mistake can be terminal and judging by South Africa’s previous World Cup history, India is the team most likely to be lifting the trophy.

The Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai Indians bowler talks about how he developed his craft to become a jack of all spin trades

Shashank Kishore01-Jul-20225:17

Kumar Kartikeya: ‘One big thing I’ve learnt is: when bowling, don’t go by the batter’s reputation’

“It was on April 1, 2013, that I left my home in Kanpur. That’s nine years, two months, and some days. I can’t wait to go home and give my parents a hug.”It’s as if Kumar Kartikeya has a counter in his head reminding him of his self-imposed exile: he vowed to go back home only “after becoming something in life”. It’s unlikely he will have imagined he would accomplish that goal as quickly as he has, though.”Whatever I expected, I’ve achieved somewhat,” he says. “I’ve not yet reached where I ultimately want to, but I’ve come to a certain point, where people recognise me now.”Related

• 'He hadn't eaten lunch for a year' – The sacrifices of Kumar Kartikeya Singh

• 'I couldn't take my eyes off Rohit Sharma' – Kumar Kartikeya Singh lives the IPL dream

• High-flying Kartikeya believes Madhya Pradesh have the ability to 'go all the way'

• Six stars from Madhya Pradesh's Ranji Trophy winning season

He made his first-class debut in 2018, bowling traditional left-arm spin, but it wasn’t until Mumbai Indians signed him midway through IPL 2022 and he switched to bowling left-arm wristspin with an array of variations, that his career hit another gear. In the four games he played in the tournament, Kartikeya’s confidence and skill, much of it self-taught, stood out.When he returned to Bhopal, where he lives, from the IPL, an airline official recognised him and gave him a ride home. It was a small validation of the notion that he had indeed become “something”.The IPL might have brought Kartikeya recognition, but the pinnacle of his career so far came last week in first-class cricket, when he scripted a fairy tale, bowling Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title with his left-arm spin. He ended up taking 32 wickets in the season, finishing in second place on the wicket-takers’ table.The red-ball success was massive because it proved he isn’t a one-trick pony.Kartikeya with his coach Sanjay Bharadwaj: “Where he stands for me, nobody else does. He is everything for me,” Kartikeya says•Sanjay BhardwajNext up on the agenda is a tour of England with his IPL franchise, where he will be pitched against top T20 club sides.But while his homecoming will have to wait, his family has been in his thoughts. In his hour of glory, as he lifted the Ranji Trophy, he missed his grandmother most.”My grandmother didn’t like my [father’s older brother] naming me Kartikeya,” he says. “She asked him if he knew who Kartikeya was. He said, ‘Yes, I know, he’s Lord Shiva’s son.’ She said, ‘Not that. Kartikeya always stayed far from his father. If you give him such a name, he’ll have the same characteristic.'”My grandmother kept telling that it was because of the name he gave me that my life turned out in such a way that I needed to be away from home.”She always wanted to watch me on TV. She did see me in a Ranji match but passed away last year.

****

Kartikeya’s dreams first took wing when he was a 16-year-old new to Delhi, under Sanjay Bhardwaj, the Dronacharya Award-winning cricket coach who runs the famous LB Shastri Cricket Club in the city. Bhardwaj was convinced of the boy’s talent after one net session. And when he learned about how Kartikeya travelled 80km a day to train, while holding down a day job as a mechanic at a tyre factory, he was struck by his dedication and offered to train him for free and to take care of his day-to-day needs.Imitation game: Kartikeya built up his repertoire of spin deliveries watching clips of the world’s top spinners on YouTube•BCCI”The first day I met him, he told me that whatever expenses I had, shoes, clothes, whatever is needed for your cricket, I will provide,” Kartikeya says. “I started weeping. Who does this in Delhi? He said, ‘Just think that I’m like your father.’ I got very emotional then. Since I had come to Delhi, everyone just wanted to take from me. ‘Give me this much and I’ll do this for you.’ He spoke only about giving. I felt so nice. Even now, where he stands for me, nobody else does. He is everything for me.I was not the only one – he did it for a lot of players. Some 70 players have played with him, of whom 30-35 have played the Ranji Trophy, 10-12 have played in the IPL, and a few have played for India, like Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma. Among the women, Reema Malhotra. Whichever player he thought was hard-working and honest in his work, he helped them with everything he had.”When Kartikeya had put aside some savings from his cricket earnings, he wrote a cheque out to Bhardwaj – who refused to take it. “I had told him that whatever I earn throughout my life, I’ll give you 30%,” Kartikeya says. “When I first offered it to him, he didn’t accept it,” he says. Then I said, ‘Sir, there are many kids like me who come to you. This will help them.’ That is when he accepted the money.”It was Bhardwaj who impressed upon Kartikeya the need to be different to stand out. That drove his transition from left-arm orthodox to left-arm everything, especially in T20 cricket.”In the T20 game, if I bowl normal left-arm spin, there is a greater chance of being hit,” Kartikeya says. “But if I bowl deliveries that batsmen can’t read which way it’s turning, then it’s not so easy to hit.”He learned by spending hours and hours on YouTube, picking up the mechanics of the carrom ball from watching Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and developing his googly off what he saw Akila Dananjaya and Rashid Khan bowl. Likewise, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa were the templates for his left-arm wristspin. The flipper was taught to him by former India and Madhya Pradesh bowler and one-time national selector Narendra Hirwani.Against Punjab, Kartikeya picked up six wickets in the second innings to see MP through to the knockouts of this year’s Ranji Trophy•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I studied their grips and fitted them to my action with the same grip,” he says, demonstrating. “I can bowl with the normal grip but that will be easy for batsmen to pick. So now I bowl left-arm spin, legspin, googlies, carrom balls, all with the same grip.”I have one thing, with regards to bowling – my mind is sharp. I can pick some things up very quickly.”After watching his role models intently, he put what he picked up into practice, bowling marathon sessions in the nets. “I’ve practised for this a lot. I mean, I over-practised,” he says. “When the IPL started, I had done six months of practice with legspin and carrom balls. I used to do single-wicket practice for three-four hours daily. I would bowl six variations in six balls and continue that for three-four hours.””I spoke to my coach also several times, because at the back of my mind I did have doubts that if I try these variations, it could spoil my left-arm spin. But he told me, ‘Left-arm spin is in your blood. You’ve been bowling it for ten years. If you bowl legspin for a couple of months, nothing will change. So if you think you can bowl it, do it.'”When he told me that, I felt more secure. Earlier when I used to practise this on the ground, several people told me not to do it, that my left-arm spin will get ruined. They said I was established in the Ranji Trophy team, and asked why I wanted to try this.”I kept all this to one side and kept the belief in myself that I can do it. I used to speak to my coach, and he told me that there’s nothing that I cannot do. If I decide to do something, I will do it. So whenever I thought it’s not happening, I would speak to him for ten minutes. It would give me a kick.”Kartikeya played four games for Mumbai Indians in the 2022 IPL, having made the side as a late addition after the season got underway•Mumbai IndiansKartikeya takes great joy in narrating his experiences, and he writes about them as well – in journals he keeps. Chances are, even this interview might find its way into an entry. “If I fumble, we can retake, right?” he asks with endearing earnestness, before talking about his writing habit.”If someone tells me something, I write it down in a diary. I have three-four diaries, and one of them is for noting down who has told me what. In one of them, I note down the good things people tell me – if there’s something motivational that I want to always remember. Then there is one diary in which I write down what happens in my life. Everything that has happened to me so far is written there.”I don’t write every day but at intervals.”Has he written about particular challenges he has overcome?”Of course,” he says, and gives the example of facing MP team-mate Venkatesh Iyer in their first meeting in the IPL.A few days before the game, Iyer ribbed him with, “Pray to God that I don’t play the match.” “I told him, ‘It’s fine,'” Kartikeya says, laughing. “‘I’ve got my planning done for you.’ He said he wouldn’t spare me, and I said, ‘We’ll see.'””I’ve always felt that on a good wicket, he can easily hit me. So I had it in my mind that I can’t let him smash me, and I need to bowl a delivery he wouldn’t understand. I bowled legspin to him. The first ball was a carrom ball and it went for four from the outer edge. Next ball, I bowled a googly and he hit me for six. Then I bowled a legspinner. He thought it would be a googly and he got a top edge and got caught.”So long, bro: Kartikeya celebrates the wicket of friend Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL•BCCIIyer and he get along well, Kartikeya says. “When I did well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali [domestic T20s] this year, he told me that I’m such a bowler that I can play at a higher level anytime, but I need to concentrate on my fitness and diet.” Iyer said that he needed to stop giving in to his sweet tooth if he wanted to play top-level cricket.”I don’t eat sweets now,” Kartikeya says. “When I go home now, I’ll tell my mother in advance that I can’t eat , because right now it’s more important that I play! As long as I’m playing I won’t eat sweets. Yes, it will be difficult to tell her, of course. But if she insists on making it, I’ll tell her to make it sugar-free.”Does his diary include entries about tongue-lashings endured from his MP coach Chandrakant Pandit? You bet.On the last day of their Ranji season opener against Gujarat, MP were defending just 196. Pandit thought Kartikeya had been overconfident and conveyed as much without mincing his words. Kartikeya took it in his stride but left the meeting saying, “Sir, don’t be tense. I will win this game for you. If I don’t, you can leave me out of the side.” He picked up 5 for 34 in his side’s 106-run win, which set the tone for their campaign.Kartikeya is clear he has miles to go before he can dream of resting on his laurels. Bhardwaj’s first message when he returned from his first IPL season was, “You have one blue jersey [Mumbai Indians] now. The main blue jersey [India] is still left. Don’t think you have achieved something big. This is just the start. You have a ladder, climb it. Always respect the game.”Recently a Bollywood film-maker approached Kartikeya with an offer to make a film about his life and career, much like the recent Pravin Tambe biopic. Kartikeya politely refused. “There is so much to achieve still,” he said. “Let’s see after I become ‘something’.”

The Guardians did it. Somehow, they actually did it.

With a 5–2 win over the Tigers on Tuesday night, Cleveland completed an improbable comeback and tied Detroit atop the American League Central. A team that was eight games under .500 and 15.5 games out of the division race in early July now has a 56.3% chance of winning it.

Conversely, the Tigers, who held baseball's best record on July 8, have fumbled it. An epic collapse has seen them fall into a deep slump that’s snowballed into a complete September collapse.

How did this happen? Let's go inside the numbers to get a better look.

40 — Wins for Cleveland on July 6, 88 games into the season. They fell eight games below .500 on that date after being swept at home by the Tigers.

45 — Wins for Cleveland since July 7, a 45–24 record (.652), second best in baseball behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

15.5 — Games the Guardians trailed the Tigers by on July 8.

10.5 — Games the Guardians trailed the Tigers by on Sept. 1.

9.5 — Games behind the Tigers on Sept. 10.

3.96 — Team ERA for the Guardians on July 6, 18th in baseball.

3.30 — Team ERA for the Guardians since July 6, best in baseball.

2.9 — fWAR for Jose Ramirez since July 6, tied with Cal Raleigh for fifth in the American League. Ramirez is slashing .264/.358/.528 over that span with 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, 57 runs scored and 18 stolen bases, with a wRC+ of 136.

1.3 — fWAR for rookie starting pitcher Parker Messick since his debut on Aug. 20. That ranks fifth in baseball during that time. He's 3–0 with a 2.08 ERA and 31 strikeouts against five walks in 34 2/3 innings.

2.39 — ERA for starter Gavin Williams since July 6. He's 7–1 since then.

1.25 — ERA for starter Tanner Bibee in three September starts. He's 2–0, with a 0.65 WHIP and 21 strikeouts against three walks in 21 2/3 innings. That includes a complete game shutout two-hitter against the White Sox on Sept. 12.

59 — Tigers wins on July 8, most in MLB. They were 59–34, good for the best record in baseball and a 14-game lead over the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals in the AL Central. The Guardians were 15.5 games back.

26 — Tigers wins since July 8. They're 26–38 (.406) in that time, the sixth-worst record in baseball.

5 — Tigers wins in September. They are 5–14, the second-worst record in baseball behind only the 4–16 Colorado Rockies.

3.46 — Tigers team ERA on July 8, third-best in baseball.

4.80 — Tigers team ERA since July 8, sixth-worst in baseball.

106 — Detroit's team wRC+ on July 8, seventh in baseball.

95 — Detroit's wRC+ since July 8, 20th in baseball.

The Chicago White Sox welcomed the Arizona Diamondbacks to the South Side's Rate Field on Wednesday afternoon as they trudge through their disappointing 2025 season, and in the middle of the second inning pinch-hit Austin Slater for one of their best bats in Luis Robert Jr.

Was a trade on the horizon? It would certainly make sense given not only Robert's value on the market, but also MLB insider Bob Nightengale's recent report that the chances of him being shipped out are "just about 100%."

While it was ultimately relayed by the team that Robert was removed from the game due to hamstring tightness, that didn't stop fans from speculating about his departure from Chicago. Here's a look at some of the top reactions from White Sox faithful across X (formerly Twitter):

While Robert is batting just .185 this year, he's second on the White Sox with 31 RBI and has hit eight home runs. The 2025 MLB trade deadline is set for July 31 at 6:00 p.m. EST.

Bangladesh have their T20I captain back with Litton Das returning to the squad for the first two T20Is against West Indies in Chattogram next week. Litton had missed Bangladesh’s last five T20Is after suffering a side strain during the Asia Cup last month. He missed two matches in that tournament as well as the 3-0 win over Afghanistan in Sharjah, where Jaker Ali led the side in his absence.Litton is back in the squad now at Mohammad Saifuddin’s expense. The 28-year-old allrounder bowled superbly in the third T20I against Afghanistan, taking 3 for 15 in three overs.The Bangladesh selectors also left out Soumya Sarkar, who had technically been part of the squad against Afghanistan but did not get to play since he did not get his visa for the UAE, with Parvez Hossain Emon replacing him. Soumya’s non-selection for the West Indies T20Is comes on a day when he scored an 86-ball 91 in the third ODI in Dhaka.The core of the squad that beat Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Netherlands and Afghanistan in consecutive bilateral series remains in place for Bangladesh. Litton will have Saif Hassan, Parvez and Tanzid Hasan for compant in the top-order, withTowhid Hridoy, Jaker, Shamim Hossain and Nurul Hasan in the middle-order.Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan will make up the spin attack, with Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam forming the customary four-man pace attack.The three T20Is will be played in Chattogram on October 27, 29 and 31.

Bangladesh squad for first two T20Is against West Indies

Litton Das (capt & wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam.

Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus was forced to sit out their last match in the Champions League after picking up a knock, with supporters understandably hoping that he doesn’t also miss their crunch clash with Man United this weekend.

It is perhaps the worst time to face Ruben Amorim’s side right now, with the Red Devils winning three out of their last four Premier League games and starting to look fairly solid after months of topsy-turvy form.

Spurs’ face-off against United will be the first time both sides have met since the Lilywhites’ historic Europa League final triumph in May – a match which gifted Tottenham their first piece of major silverware since 2008 and granted them a pathway into Europe.

The stats heavily favour Thomas Frank, with the north Londoners standing out as United’s major bogey team of the last 24 months.

Tottenham have won five and drew two of their last seven meetings in all competitions, and if they beat them again on Saturday, it’ll be the first time any Spurs side has won three consecutive league games against United since the 1959/1960 season.

That being said, Tottenham’s home form is a real cause for concern right now. No side has lost more Premier League home games than Spurs in 2025 (9), and Frank’s team is currently ravaged by injuries.

Kudus, who’s dazzled as their key attacking star since joining from West Ham for £55 million in the summer, even drawing comparisons to Mousa Dembele, joined their extensive absentee list earlier this week after missing training prior to Tottenham’s 4-0 rout of FC Copenhagen.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Not having the winger available for their looming clash with United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be a bitter blow for Frank, but they’ve now been handed a positive update.

Tottenham given Mohammed Kudus update after four-word Man United statement

The African was left out of Spurs’ squad to face Copenhagen but was in attendance to watch his side triumph, and he was questioned about his condition in the mixed zone after full-time.

When asked if he would be fit to face United, via Standard Sport, Kudus replied:

This comes as a very encouraging update as Kudus strongly suggests that he could be ready for selection, but Frank will provide an even more definitive update in his pre-match press conference.

The Ghanaian has been a revelation under Frank, averaging more successful takes-ons per 90 than any other player in the top flight according to WhoScored, with Kudus chalking up five goal contributions to boot.

The 25-year-old is poised to play a key role for Tottenham as they chase more major silverware and Champions League qualification this season, and having him return could be vital as Frank looks to put last weekend’s dismal home performance against Chelsea behind him.

Kudus’ creativity, dribbling, close control and one-v-one ability have been a nightmare for opposing full-backs so far this term, with the former Ajax star and Joao Palhinha standing out as the club’s best buys of the summer.

Kudus already boasts one goal and an assist in three total outings against Man United, so Amorim knows all about the threat he poses.

With their striker troubles not going away anytime soon, Everton are now reportedly serious about making a January move to sign a big-money star in January.

Moyes has say on Beto after Man City miss

It was far from a disastrous summer for The Friedkin Group. In fact, it was actually fairly positive. They signed Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyler Dibling among others in an impressive spending spree. Yet, one problem persists. Everton need a consistent, clinical striker.

The Toffees thought they got that in Thierno Barry in the summer, but the former Villarreal man is yet to make his mark and may need at least a season to find his feet in English football. As a result, David Moyes has been forced to turn towards Beto, who has scored just one Premier League goal in eight appearances so far this season.

The towering forward struggled once again last weekend as Everton were made to pay for not taking their chances by a clinical Man City and Erling Haaland. As the best striker in the world dominated at one end, Beto failed to impress at the other in a glaring contrast.

It’s something that Everton must look to solve when January arrives and Moyes will know that more than most.

The experienced manager had his say on Beto’s missed chances against Man City, saying: “I think the one he doesn’t get to, he should get to. The one that was given offside was onside, I think, and ultimately we get a VAR decision if it goes in. The first chance – we’re studs away from getting a goal.”

Not Keane: Moyes can fix Branthwaite blow by unleashing Everton "revelation"

Everton’s star centre-back has suffered a complication in his injury recovery.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 21, 2025

It seems as though Friedkin are also aware of the Toffees’ striker troubles, with those at the Hill Dickinson now reportedly serious about signing a big-money star.

Everton now serious about Ivan Toney move

According to Football Insider, Everton are now seriously interested in signing Ivan Toney in the January transfer window. The Al-Ahli forward reportedly believes that a return to the Premier League is his best chance to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup and particularly wants to work under Moyes.

Toney’s camp reportedly favour a move to Merseyside rather than West Ham United, handing Everton a major advantage ahead of the winter window. The deal, even if on loan, is unlikely to come cheap, however.

The 29-year-old earns a staggering £22m-a-year in the Saudi Pro League, which would instantly make him Everton’s highest earner by more than £10m. It simply looks like an impossible deal unless Al-Ahli pay a percentage of the forward’s wages in a loan deal or Toney takes a pay-cut in a permanent switch.

Hailed as “intelligent” by former manager Thomas Frank, Toney is the type of player who could solve Everton’s striker problem. Whether they can find a way past his big-money salary is another question entirely, though. If the forward wants a World Cup place then he may have to compromise in January.

Dhara Gujjar and Prema Rawat have been added to all three squads, while Yastika Bhatia has also been included in the one-day squad

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2025

Shreyanka Patil has been on the sidelines for a while•ACC

Offspinner Shreyanka Patil and legspinner Priya Mishra have been ruled out of the India A women’s tour of Australia due to injuries.While the pair was initially included in the squad for the multi-format tour – Patil in the T20 and Mishra in the one-day and four-day squad – their participation was subject to fitness clearance. It has now been confirmed that they have not recovered in time and will continue rehabilitating at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.”Both players remain under the care of the BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence and are currently undergoing their Return-to-Play protocols,” a BCCI statemen said.Patil has been out of action for a while now. She had suffered a finger injury during the women’s Asia Cup in July last year but played at the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October. Another injury, however, ruled her out of the WPL 2025. With Patil and Mishra out, Bengal batter Dhara Gujjar and Uttarakhand allrounder Prema Rawat have now been added to the squad across all three formats. Gujjar was earlier part of the one-day and four-day squads, while Rawat was only included in the T20 squad.In addition, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has also been included in the one-day squad. Bhatia played at the WPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians earlier this year and more recently participated in two tour games against ECB Development Women’s XI.India’s multi-format tour of Australia starts with the T20s from August 7 in Mackay, and will run until August 10. That will be followed by the one-day games in Norths on August 13, 15 and 17. The only four-day fixture will be played at Allan Border Field in Brisbane from August 21.Radha Yadav will captain all three sides, which also includes Shafali Verma across formats.India A’s updated T20 squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, D. Vrinda, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (wk), Raghvi Bist, Prema Rawat, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Tanuja Kanwer, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Dhara GujjarIndia A’s updated one-day squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat, Yastika BhatiaIndia A’s updated four-day squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat