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Manchester United are a club who have been known to possess one of the best academies in world football – often producing a conveyor belt of elite-level talent.

Arguably one of the best to ever come out of the Red Devils youth ranks is winger Ryan Giggs, with the winger coming out of the academy and making an immediate impression within the first-team.

The Welshman spent 23 years at Old Trafford, subsequently becoming a one-club legend, whilst also racking up 632 Premier League appearances – the most of any Welshman in the division’s history.

Giggs also won 13 Premier League titles during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, forever cementing himself as one of the best ever players to operate in England’s top-flight.

However, in the present day, Ruben Amorim has his own crop of talented teens who could emulate the attacker’s success should he hand them the chance to thrive at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd’s most promising youngsters in 2025/26

Numerous youth players have constantly been on the fringes of United’s first-team squad over the last couple of years, but none more so than centre-forward Chido Obi.

The Dane joined the Red Devils from Arsenal last year and made an immediate impact at youth level, subsequently scoring 17 goals in just 21 appearances across various age categories.

He was rewarded with eight senior outings under Amorim at the back end of last season, but is yet to score his first senior goal – something which will no doubt come in time given his tender age of just 17.

However, Obi isn’t the only youngster who could make the jump in the next few months, with winger Shea Lacey undoubtedly champing at the bit to become a first-team regular.

The 18-year-old made 13 appearances across all competitions last campaign, netting just twice, but he’s already matched such a tally in his first three outings of 2025/26.

Like Giggs, Lacey is a left-footed forward who loves to drive at the opposition and cause carnage within the final third – potentially emulating such success at Old Trafford in the years ahead.

However, despite the promise generated by the aforementioned duo, the club could well have another gem on their hands in the form of one other academy prospect.

The United star who could become the next Giggs

Youngsters making the jump into the senior ranks at United hasn’t been alien to fans over the last few years, with numerous players making an impression on the fanbase.

Alejandro Garnacho ended up making 144 appearances for the Red Devils over a three-year period at Old Trafford – scoring 26 times and registering 19 assists.

However, his attitude often came into question under various managers, which resulted in the Argentine forward departing in a £40m deal to join Chelsea this summer.

Marcus Rashford matched Garnacho in making the jump up from the youth ranks, even scoring a double on his debut in the Europa League against Midtjylland back in February 2016.

Like the aforementioned star, he’s been out of favour under Amorim, subsequently leaving on loan during the off-season to join Barcelona until the summer of 2026.

However, the supporters may have another young star to back in the coming years, with forward JJ Gabriel, a player who has been touted with a huge future at Old Trafford.

He may be just 15 years of age, but he’s already a regular within the club’s U18 ranks – taking to the age group like a duck to water over the last couple of months.

Gabriel has scored seven goals in just six outings, a run of form that has allowed him to be called up to the England U15 setup – highlighting his rapid development at Carrington.

Man Utd – Youngest PL players

Player

Age

1. Angel Gomes

16y 8m 20d

2. Shola Shoretire

17y 19d

3. Chido Obi

17y 2m 18d

4. Mason Greenwood

17y 5m 7d

5. Federico Macheda

17y 7m 14d

6. Alejandro Garnacho

17y 9m 28d

7. Nicky Butt

17y 10m

8. Kobbie Mainoo

17y 10m 1d

Stats via Transfermarkt

Given his tender age, expectations will no doubt need to be managed, but one insider has already claimed that the teenager is “already better than Premier League players”.

It’s unclear how close to the first-team Gabriel is, but it’s rapidly become apparent that boss Amorim is a huge admirer of the youngster and sees him as a future gem for the Red Devils.

In recent days, the 40-year-old boss has included Gabriel in his first-team training sessions – something which is often unheard of for a player of his youthful years.

Generational talents very rarely come around in the modern game, but the club already have a star on their hands, but the staff behind the scenes desperately need to keep his feet on the ground.

His early form in 2025/26 is nothing short of remarkable, with Gabriel having the chance to emulate the success of former academy star Giggs if given the chance in the not-too-distant future.

Related It's not Mainoo: Man Utd may have found the new Pogba in "phenomenal" star

Manchester United already have another talent who is on a similar trajectory to Paul Pogba.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025

Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund 5 days ago Castro could be "excellent" addition to Villa's attack

Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

Middlesbrough – 22/23

Pre-Carrick

Under Carrick

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

Stats via Transfermarkt

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

Related Southampton can hire big Eckert upgrade with move for "world-class" manager

Southampton can hire an even better manager than Tonda Eckert by making a move for this free agent boss.

Posts ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

Marnus Labuschagne credited Steve Smith’s influence for helping him rebuild his game after he was dropped from the Australian Test team.Labuschagne took a major step towards reclaiming his berth for the first Ashes Test by top-scoring for Queensland on Monday in their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Allan Border Field.Related

• Labuschagne launches with a century: 'Nothing else matters but runs'

• Weibgen feels wait was worth it: 'I've got to know my game'

• Renshaw, Khawaja, Labuschagne pile up runs against Tasmania

While his 160 was not perfect, Labuschagne clearly won round one of the informal Shield bat-off for top-order spots ahead of the Ashes opener from November 21 in Perth.After a mammoth first innings of 612, Queensland were well-placed at stumps on day three, with Tasmania 62 for 1 in their second innings and trailling by 171.Labuschagne was dropped for the Test series in the West Indies after Australia’s World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa in June. While he starred in the Bulls’ Shield opener, on the other side of the country incumbent Test opener Sam Konstas notably failed again for NSW in their match against WA.Labuschagne said after Monday’s play that Smith had loomed large in his thinking after he lost his Test berth.”It’s always nice to score a hundred and to get the team in a position where we can win the game on day four, it’s always a good thing,” Labuschagne said. “I felt good out there. It felt like I was reading the conditions well. I took the game on at certain times.”I feel like I’ve really stripped it back and my focus is just scoring runs – it’s not really too technical … just what I need out there to score runs. The nice thing is, over the last six or seven years, I’ve played with one of the best players in the world and learned a lot from him.”So having a technique that’s adjustable and something that I can just use, rather than work out what’s the exact, perfect way to play – just going back to find a way to score runs.”Labuschagne also scored a domestic one-day century last month.National selector George Bailey was present in Brisbane as Labuschagne flourished after taking 12 balls to get off the mark.His big innings was not flawless – he was dropped on 61 and nearly blew his century with a wild swipe on 98. Labuschagne went down the wicket to spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan and wicketkeeper Jake Doran could not take the chance. It was either a dropped catch or a missed stumping. The ball ricocheted off Doran’s glove and landed clear of Jackson Bird at first slip.Soon afterwards, Labuschagne brought up his 33rd first-class century with an all-run four. Labuschagne hit 17 fours and two sixes and only faced 206 deliveries.Queensland took control with their huge first innings, with opener Matt Renshaw also putting his hand up for a Test recall and current opener Usman Khawaja impressing.The pick of the Tasmanian attack was legspinner Nikhil Chaudhary, the Indian-born allrounder who plays for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. Making his first-class debut, he finished with 5 for 108.He found out only two days before the match that he was playing. “Nothing can get better than having a five-for on debut,” Chaudhary said.

Nacho Monreal has sung the praises of Myles Lewis-Skelly, saying the youngster will "make a lot of appearances as an Arsenal player" amid talk he could leave the club. There has been mounting speculation that the 19-year-old will seek a move away from north London in search of more game time ahead of next summer's World Cup. Lewis-Skelly was omitted from Thomas Tuchel's most recent England squad.

• AFP
  

  Monreal judges current Arsenal left-backs

  In an interview with GOAL, in association with BetMGM, Monreal gave his opinion on Arsenal's current crop of left-sided defenders. The former Spain international made more than 250 appearances for the Gunners from the left-back position, spending six seasons at the Emirates Stadium from 2013 to 2019. 

  Monreal was effusive in his praise of the young Englishman, saying he prefers to watch Lewis-Skelly over Mikel Arteta's current first choice, Riccardo Calafiori. 

  While the Spaniard was clear that he rated Calafiori highly, he was cited Lewis-Skelly's technical ability and willingness to step into midfield as traits which make him a "special" player. Monreal was clear that he views Lewis-Skelly as a long-term prospect for the Gunners, despite his lack of game time and the player's desire to force his way back into Tuchel's plans for the 2026 World Cup.

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• 'Special' Lewis-Skelly must stay in north London

  Monreal said: "I really like Lewis-Skelly. I think he’s one of the best left-backs. When he plays, when I see him, he’s something special. Of course, he’s not playing because Calafiori is playing so well.

  "This is nothing against Calafiori, but Lewis-Skelly is different. When you see him play, you will see him most of the time in the middle of the game. He’s not a typical left-back. If I compare myself with Lewis-Skelly, I was more in the left side, go to the side, but he comes often into the middle. He’s really good technically, how he receives the ball, how he turns, how he’s always playing forward.

  "So I don’t know if he’s going to be in the squad for the World Cup, because obviously if you want to be in the squad you need to play in your team. He’s not playing right now, but if we are talking only about his level, yes, he’s a top, top left-back. He’s going to make a lot of appearances as an Arsenal player, 100 percent."

• Arteta prioritises Calafiori's physicality over technical Lewis-Skelly

  Despite his many admirers in the game, Lewis-Skelly has struggled for minutes this season.The youngster became a key part of Arteta's side during the run-in last term, appearing in 23 Premier League games, making 15 starts. This year, the 19-year-old has yet to start a league game, making seven appearances from the bench.

  Arteta has prioritised physicality in his Arsenal side this term, deploying four players that can play at centre-back across his first choice back four in Calafiori, William Saliba, Gabriel and Jurrien Timber.

  The Arsenal manager has praised Lewis-Skelly for his maturity in light of fewer opportunities, and expressed sympathy at his disappointment in being left out of Tuchel's squad to face Albania and Serbia. 

  Speaking ahead of the Gunners' recent trip to Sunderland, Arteta said: "We are here to support and to help each other and give a good perspective of the situation.

  "When you look at his age, what he's already done, he's just remarkable. So don't look at the one [bad] moment what is happening for you because maybe it happens for the right reason and today you cannot see it."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next for Lewis-Skelly?

  Reports coming out of north London suggest that despite Arteta leaning towards Calafiori over the past few months, the club has no intention of letting the young England international leave. With Tuchel telling Lewis-Skelly that being "a good citizen" would not be enough to get into his squad, time will tell whether the 19-year-old pushes for more minutes or a loan move away to realise his World Cup dreams.

The Australian opener of the 1960s and ’70s was a tenacious batter who could also hammer the bowling when required

Ian Chappell02-Dec-2024Australia lost one of its great team men when Ian “Redda” Redpath died this weekend aged 83.Redda had a genuine team mentality. The selectors had often unwisely left him out of a few Australian sides but fortunately chose him in the squad to travel to New Zealand in 1974. We were struggling in the opening spot when I went to Redda, telling him he’d be in the Test side no matter where he batted, but I’d appreciate it if he’d bat at the top of the order. Without a second’s hesitation Redda said he’d be happy to open.He was also tenacious. When he was incorrectly given out caught off the bowling of “Deadly” Derek Underwood on a damp pitch in the 1974-75 Ashes, he sat with his pads on by his locker in the dressing room. After what seemed like an eternity he suddenly leaned forward and spat on his bat. That was the extent of a Redpath protest.Following the 1974-75 series Redda, who had been a stalwart as an opener, informed me that unfortunately he couldn’t afford the time away from his antiques business in Geelong. Knowing we were a better side with the much-loved Redpath in the team, I asked if he had anyone who could look after the business if he travelled with the squad. He replied that he had a bloke whom he trusted, who would look after his business for A$40 a week. When I approached an Australian Cricket Board member to try and get Redda selected in the 1975 touring party, he replied “No, as it would set a precedent.” What precedent? I wasn’t going to tell anyone and only one ACB member knew about the proposal.Despite being a fierce competitor, Redda was one of the soft-spoken members of our team. Imagine my surprise in the 1974-75 Test against England when I came back into the SCG dressing room after the toss to find ACB secretary Alan Barnes pinned to the dressing-room wall by Redpath.

I was upset when I joined Redpath with Australia not making quick progress. In no uncertain terms I told him to get on with it and he blasted 32 off the next over

Barnes had upset all the players when, after our agitation for better pay and conditions, he was quoted in the paper as saying; “Five hundred thousand would play for Australia for nothing.” After pinning Barnes to the wall Redpath firmly told him: “Of course 500,000 would play for nothing but they wouldn’t be a very good side.”Redpath especially enjoyed his time with the strong Australian team in the seventies. The “desperate dozen” was his nickname for the players, and he was a great contributor to the team’s success.Redda wasn’t just a very good cricketer. He was also an accomplished Australian Rules footballer and an extremely keen golfer. I got to know him properly in 1966-67 while playing golf with him in East London, South Africa. We’d play 18 holes in the morning and then follow the South African Open golf in the afternoon. Despite our vastly different personalities, we had a terrific time.The South Africans regarded Redpath as technically Australia’s best batter. In addition to being technically correct, he could also hammer the bowling.As stand-in captain during a tour game against Orange Free State in 1969-70, I’d promised to move the game along quickly to ensure an early finish. Consequently I was upset when I joined Redpath with Australia not making quick progress. In no uncertain terms I told him to get on with it and he blasted 32 (four sixes and two fours) off the next over. That put Redda into – for scoring most runs off an over by Australian – and I took great delight in winding him up by claiming a part in his achievement.Redpath bats on the 1968 Ashes tour. In 23 Tests in all against England, he scored 1512 runs at an average of 38.7, with two hundreds and ten half-centuries•PA Photos/Getty ImagesI only played one club game against Redpath but it was a memorable match. I was playing for North Melbourne on a wet pitch at South Melbourne’s home ground. As the opposing captain, Redda brought himself on to bowl while I was facing. I was desperate not to be dismissed by him but one ball spat off a good length and just flicked my glove on the way through to the keeper. Redpath, a notorious appealer, only uttered an aborted squawk. At the end of the over I confessed to him that the ball had just flicked my glove and, with his typically wry sense of humour, he chastised me for not walking.Redda played many fine and important innings for Australia but two really stand out in my mind.In 1973-74 he made a marvellous 159 not out in Auckland, carrying his bat on a tricky pitch. Despite his being known for his solid defence and ability to survive tough conditions, he still managed to hit 20 boundaries.Then in 1975-76 on a stifling hot day at the MCG against a strong West Indies attack, he batted virtually the whole first day to score a stubborn century. It was Redpath at his technical best – defying the bowling and the heat to score his third century of the series.Just before he passed away I spoke to Annabel, one of Redda’s daughters, and said, “Could you please tell your father it was a privilege to play with him and to be his friend.”

The baseball world suffered a huge loss Monday when Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg died at the age of 65 following a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer.

Sandberg played 16 years in the majors, with the final 15 of those coming with the Cubs. He was a legend in Chicago and fans were rightfully heartbroken over the news.

On Tuesday, Sandberg's longtime double-play partner, Shawon Dunston, shared that he and some other former teammates had special conversations with Sandberg before his death.

"The last couple of days, he wanted to speak to me, Andre [Dawson] and Mark Grace," Dunston said during an emotional appearance on the MLB Network. "He told us that he loved us and he loved all you fans too. Go Cubs."

Here's that segment:

The Cubs will celebrate Sandberg with a patch on their uniforms for the rest of the season. The team will be back home at Wrigley on Friday, which will likely be an emotional day for a fanbase and a city that lost a former player that they all loved.

The hosts will be without three first-choice players in Wellington, where they have lost their last two Test matches

Vishal Dikshit09-Dec-2025

Big PictureWest Indies came to Christchurch having lost each of their last five Tests, and having last won a Test in New Zealand in 1995. They seemed set to lose again. Then came the most audacious of efforts: they batted for 26 minutes shy of 12 hours – or nearly two full days – in their second innings, even raising hopes of chasing down an unthinkable 531 against a depleted New Zealand attack, despite having reeled at 277 for 6 at one point.West Indies will have their tail up going into the second Test in Wellington, where New Zealand have lost their last two Tests by big margins: by 323 runs to England and by 172 runs to Australia, both in 2024. The hosts have a long injury list, with Matt Henry and Nathan Smith out of the rest of the series and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell out of the second Test, with Mitchell Hay set to debut on Wednesday. They have, however, been bolstered by the returns of Glenn Phillips and the now-fit Daryl Mitchell, while Kyle Jamieson gets closer to Test-match fitness in the Plunket Shield.As their rejigged pace attack tries to find its bearings in Wellington, New Zealand will also hope their batters can fire as a collective. Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra scored centuries in the second innings in Christchurch when the conditions had flattened out, and Kane Williamson returned to Test cricket with a 52 in the first innings, but there were no other 50-plus scores in either innings. New Zealand would especially want their less-experienced batters to also step up and not leave all the heavy lifting to the big names.West Indies have even less experience, with only three members of their squad – Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Kemar Roach – having played more than 30 Tests each. But they’re making something of a habit of throwing surprise parties on the road. Their lower order did it in Multan earlier this year, Shamar Joseph (currently injured) did it at the Gabba in 2024, and debutant Kyle Mayers did it with a double-century in Chattogram in early 2021.Christchurch only continued that trend. Can West Indies sustain that magic through the rest of this three-match series?Form guideNew Zealand DWWWL (last five matches, most recent first)
West Indies DLLLLIn the spotlightTwenty-five-year-old Mitchell Hay from Canterbury will get his New Zealand Test cap on Wednesday, having already debuted in T20Is and ODIs over the last 13 months. He has an ODI 99* against Pakistan to his name as well as the T20I record for the most dismissals in an innings, with five catches and a stumping against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. He boasts a first-class average of 48.58, with 1895 runs in 29 games including a century and 17 fifties. If he can bring that level of performance to the top level, New Zealand will have the ideal back-up for Blundell, who turned 35 this year.In his last match before this tour, John Campbell scored his maiden Test hundred in Delhi, a second-innings 115 full of authoritative sweeps and slog-sweeps. He has endured a difficult time on this tour so far. He followed scores of 4, 4 and 26 in the ODIs with a 68 in the warm-up game before the Tests, but he only managed 1 and 15 in Christchurch, where he was caught in the slips in both innings. West Indies will hope for more from the opener in Wellington.New Zealand are set to replace Michael Bracewell, who bowled 55 second-innings overs in Christchurch, with Glenn Phillips•AFP/Getty Images

Team newsNew Zealand will be forced to make at least three changes to their XI, with Blundell, Henry and Smith all out injured. They have called up right-arm quicks Kristian Clarke and Michael Rae to their 14-man squad, which also includes the returning Phillips and Mitchell, who fielded as a substitute in the first Test but wasn’t available for the whole game. Captain Tom Latham has confirmed that Phillips will come into the XI for Michael Bracewell, who sent down 55 overs in the second innings in Christchurch. Mitchell, meanwhile, could slot in for Will Young in the middle order while Blair Tickner and either Clarke or Rae come in for the injured fast bowlers.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Will Young/Daryl Mitchell, 6 Mitchell Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell/Glenn Phillips, 8 Zak Foulkes, 9 Kristian Clarke/Michael Rae, 10 Blair Tickner, 11 Jacob Duffy.Shai Hope had an issue with his eye in the first Test and is “back to normal,” according to West Indies captain Roston Chase. West Indies may not feel the need to tinker too much with their combination, though they could bring in the tall Anderson Phillip for Johann Layne, who went for 127 runs in his 24 overs in the first Test.West Indies (probable): 1 John Campbell, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase (capt), 6 Justin Greaves, 7 Tevin Imlach (wk), 8 Kemar Roach, 9 Johann Layne/Anderson Phillip, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Ojay Shields.Pitch and conditionsThe Wellington track is known to offer movement and bounce for the quicker bowlers, particularly early on. “There have been times when it’s been challenging to bat here first,” New Zealand captain Latham said on the eve of the Test. The team winning the toss at the Basin Reserve has opted to bowl first in each of the last 17 Tests here; the last side choosing to bat was New Zealand against Pakistan back in January 2011. Chilly weather is expected through the Test with temperatures ranging between 13 and 19 degrees Celsius. Clear skies and sunshine are expected through all five days, with minimal chance of rain.Stats and trivia The Christchurch Test was the first draw in New Zealand since November 2019, ending a streak of 21 matches with a decisive result. New Zealand will play a highly inexperienced attack in Wellington. The last time they fielded a Test XI in which no bowler had 50-plus Test wickets was the 2012 Kingston Test against West Indies. It was the first Test match featuring all three of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. West Indies have not lost the opening match of an away Test series only twice since 2014 (17 away bilateral series outside of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe). Those two series are the current one and the one in England in 2020, which they lost 2-1 after winning the first Test. Shai Hope has made 140, 56 and 103 in his last three Test innings. Before this run, he had not scored a fifty in 31 Test innings over six years. He scored 505 runs in those 31 innings at an average of 16.83, with a top score of 48.Quotes”Yes, they haven’t necessarily had the results from a Test point of view but any international cricketer can front up on any day and we certainly saw that over the last couple of days at Hagley [Oval] where whatever we threw at them, they just had an answer for.”
“The guys have settled well. The Test match that we played is going to give us a lot of confidence going in the series, knowing that we can actually compete and [having] come close, almost having a chance of winning the first Test match. So the spirits are high and very, very, very, very believing right now.”

Arsenal have announced that teenage starlet Max Dowman has been dropped from their Champions League squad and will not be eligible to play in the competition again until February 2026. The Gunners have replaced Dowman in their European squad by calling-up fit-again striker Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian is back in action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Teenage debutant made history

Dowman made history earlier this season when he featured for Arsenal in their Champions League game against Slavia Prague in November. The wonderkid became the youngest player ever to feature in the competition at the tender age of just 15 years and 308 days, breaking the record previously held by Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko. Dowman played 18 minutes of the 3-0 win and drew praise from manager Mikel Arteta afterwards. He told reporters: "What he's done on the pitch is that he comes in, the first ball he takes, he takes people on, he starts to dribble, and gets a foul. That's personality, that's courage and that you cannot teach that. You have it or you don't, and it doesn't matter what his passport says. You throw him in this context and he's ready to adapt and have a good performance. So, I'm really happy with that."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArsenal drop Dowman from European squad

However, Dowman will now have to wait for another appearance in Europe's premier club competition. Arsenal have confirmed that the teenager can not play again in the tournament until next year. A club statement read: "Gabriel Jesus has replaced Max Dowman on our UEFA A list with immediate effect. Therefore, Gabby is eligible to play in our match against Club Brugge in Belgium on Wednesday night. Max, who picked up an ankle injury playing for our under-21s on Saturday, will be added to our UEFA B list in January, but will not be permitted to play in any UEFA competitions for 60 days from today (February 6)."

The teenager's injury will be a blow as he has been making waves this season. The 15-year-old has already made five first-team appearances for Arteta's side in all competitions and has been likened to Barcelona star Lamine Yamal by team-mate Cristhian Mosquera.

Jesus on the comeback trail at Arsenal

The update means that Jesus is now eligible to play for Arsenal in their next Champions League match against Club Brugge on Wednesday in Belgium, although it remains to be seen if he will see any minutes in the game. The Brazil star has not played a competitive Champions League match for the Gunners for a year due to injury but was in action at the weekend for the Under-21s in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United at St George's Park. Jesus has spoken out recently about his long spell out and desire to get back out on the pitch. He told Arsenal's matchday programme: "I'm feeling great, my knee is responding very well. I'm looking forward to being around the team again soon, to come back to do what I love to do. It's been too long … this one is the biggest injury I've had in my life. An injury like this, one that is so long, you split up the recovery periods into smaller timings. So now I'm at the stage where I need to hold myself back a little bit because I'm doing great work off the pitches, but it's tricky because I need to not rush myself too hard over the line. When you can see the end it's important you don't push too hard, keep my feet on the floor, and then as soon as the time comes, I will be ready."

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Getty Images SportClub Brugge in crisis ahead of Arsenal visit

Arsenal head to Club Brugge aiming to bounce back from a last-gasp defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday. Yet the Gunners will come up against a club plunged into crisis ahead of the match as head coach Nicky Hayen was dramatically sacked on Monday after a run of two wins in seven games. Arsenal have been perfect in the competition so far, picking up five wins from five games, and will be favourites to maintain their 100 per cent record on Wednesday night.

Things are looking up for Chelsea.

Despite a couple of poor results earlier in the season, Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League, with a chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then on Tuesday night, they showed the continent just how dangerous they are by beating Spanish champions Barcelona 3-0.

One of the stars of that game, and of Chelsea’s season, was Estevao, and so fans should be excited about reports linking them to someone who could be seen as the original version of the wonderkid.

Chelsea target the original Estevao

The transfer window is still over a month away from opening, but that has not stopped Chelsea from being linked with a host of potentially game-changing signings.

Transfer Focus

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For example, Nottingham Forest’s man-mountain Murillo has been touted for a £79m move to Stamford Bridge, as has Athletic Bilbao’s £62m Nico Williams.

However, as talented as those two are, neither one can accurately be described as the original Estevao, unlike Vinícius Júnior.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are one of a couple of teams interested in signing the Real Madrid superstar.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that should the Brazilian be up for sale in the summer, the Blues will be one of the frontrunners for his signature, alongside Manchester City.

However, the report has confirmed that, even though he’d have just a year left on his deal, Los Blancos would demand a fee of around £80m.

Even so, Vini Jr is a genuinely world-class player and someone Chelsea should be happy to break the bank on, especially as he’s the original Estevao.

Why Vini Jr is the original Estevao

Now, when it comes to the similarities between Vini Jr and Estevao, there are a few that are quite obvious and somewhat surface-level.

For example, they’re both exciting wide players, they’re both Brazilian, and now they’ve both played for the national team.

However, what makes the Madrid star the original version of the Chelsea star is how they were both spoken about prior to their big-money moves to Europe.

The Blues ace, for example, was labelled a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson a few months before his deal was agreed.

Likewise, when the 25-year-old arrived in Spain over seven years ago, president Florentino Perez said: “He’s a player who is already considered one of the great hopes of Brazilian and world football.

In short, the West Londoners’ new prospect looks to be following in the footsteps of the former Flamengo ace, and they’ll certainly hope he continues.

After all, despite having a slow start to life in the Spanish capital, the São Gonçalo-born monster has now amassed 340 appearances for the biggest club in the world, during which he has scored 111 goals and provided 89 assists.

Appearances

340

Starts

267

Minutes

24,291′

Goals

111

Assists

92

Points per Game

2.15

Moreover, he’s helped the club win everything there is to win in the game, including two Champions Leagues, three La Ligas and one Copa del Rey.

Finally, he also has some sensational underlying numbers to his name, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with all that in mind, it’s hard to disagree with Ronaldo’s assertion that Vini Jr is “the best player in the world,” and therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign him next year, especially as he could help Estevao’s development.

Chelsea have already signed another exciting star who's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become another Estevao for Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025