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Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship as interim Celtic manager, but for how much longer will he be at the helm?

The 73-year-old has led the Hoops into the League Cup Final, ousting Rangers 3-1 at Hampden, while also enjoying back-to-back 4-0 victories in the Premiership, most recently hammering Kilmarnock 4-0 on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman returned to Glasgow 20 years after departing, having won three Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and the League Cup during his first stint in charge, also leading the Hoops to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003, beaten by José Mourinho’s Porto in Seville.

When he was appointed in 2000, this was seen as a bit of a risk, considering O’Neill had little top-level experience at the time, achieving promotions with Wycombe Wanderers and Leicester City, before winning two EFL Cups in charge of the Foxes.

So, could the Celtic board return to the English Football League for their next appointment, a quarter of a century on from O’Neill’s arrival at Parkhead?

Latest on Celtic's manager search

From the moment the dust settled following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation as Celtic manager on 27 October, Kieran McKenna has been among the front-runners for the job.

A report last week suggested he had emerged as the No.1 target to fill the vacancy, with speculation suggesting that he does have an affiliation to Celtic.

However, it was also noted that getting McKenna out of Ipswich will be no easy take, considering he is under contract at Portman Road until 2028, and the Tractor Boys, currently seventh in the EFL Championship, will not allow their most prized asset to leave without a fight.

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Thus, as they search for alternatives, a report by the Daily Record claims that Celtic have held internal discussions at boardroom level about the possibility of appointing Brian Barry-Murphy – with interest in McKenna said to have ‘waned’.

The report indicates that Celtic chiefs are currently conducting interviews, with a new figure potentially in line to be in place for the Premiership clash away to St Mirren on Saturday, November 22.

As for Barry-Murphy, his father Jimmy was a Gaelic footballer and hurler, winning multiple major titles, thereby considered to be among the most legendary figures in the history of all Gaelic games.

Now, Brian is making a name for himself as a football coach across the Irish Sea, so could he soon swap South Wales for Glasgow?

What the next O'Neill would bring to Celtic

Following the Bluebirds’ relegation last season, thereby finding themselves outside England’s top two tiers for the first time since 2003, Barry-Murphy was appointed Cardiff City manager in the summer.

Well, up until very recently, Cardiff had been top of EFL League One, before back-to-back away defeats at Blackpool and Bolton have seen them sink down to fourth.

Nevertheless, they have reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, set to face Chelsea next month, and their league statistics this season are impressive.

Points

26

4th

Goals scored

22

3rd

Goals against

14

2nd

Big chances

41

1st

Big chances missed

30

1st

Possession

62.1%

1st

Accurate passes

407.5

1st

Shots per 90

14.4

2nd

Shots on target pet 90

4.9

2nd

Clean sheets

6

2nd

As the table documents, Cardiff lead the division when it comes to big chances missed, suggesting they’re playing well but have not earned as many points as they may deserve.

Meantime, the Bluebirds are in the top two for goals against and shots, while ranked first in the division for possession and accurate passes, evidence of Barry-Murphy’s style of play.

Before taking the Cardiff job, the Irishman had been in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, overseeing plenty of success with the Sky Blues, which is very much where he honed his craft and playing philosophy.

Now, his work in South Wales is earning rave reviews, labelled a “very talented coach”, while Benedict Ferraby of EFL World has praised his ‘impressive start’ to life in the Bluebirds’ dugout as well as his ‘exciting’ style of play.

Of course, considering he has only ever managed Rochdale, Man City’s youth teams and now Cardiff for just 22 matches, appointing Barry-Murphy would be a risk, but one reminiscent of the hiring of O’Neill, a similar age at the time, back in 2000.

With no obvious candidate for the job, and Rodgers’ resignation coming out of nowhere, the Celtic board are targeting a younger ‘project’ manager.

Well, while McKenna appears perfectly suited to this role, securing his signature may not prove ascertainable, but Barry-Murphy could well be the ideal alternative.

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Nov 13, 2025

Eight wickets down, 32 runs still to get, and a WTC final spot at stake; there were more than a few jangling nerves at SuperSport Park

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Rabada and Jansen were already doing that. Rabada hit the second and eighth balls he faced for four, Jansen was five off six at the break and together, they had put on 17 runs. They had started to steady a collapse that started when Bavuma walked despite not inside-edging Mohammed Abbas and resulted in four wickets falling in the space of 12 balls. Bavuma retreated to the bathroom but Jansen and Rabada had to keep things going on, and they settled on their plan early.”I came in and I said to him, I’m going to look to be positive,” Rabada said. “Without any hesitation, he (Jansen) said, ‘okay.’ And he had his own game plan. I didn’t tell him how to bat. His main thing was one ball at a time, play it on his merit and that’s what he did. He was a bit more orthodox. I was a bit more unorthodox.”Post-lunch, Rabada took the first risk, when he drove away from his body and edged Abbas but the chance fell short. “I was going after the drive and it felt like I could get nicked off, and I did,” he said. “And it bounced short. So I’m thankful for that.”It didn’t stop him from playing his shots. In the next over Naseem Shah offered it short and wide, Rabada got up on his toes and cracked the shot over cover, just as he planned to. “I said to myself, ‘just give me a cut, give me a cut, I’m setting up for the cut’,” Rabada said “And then he gave me a cut. I set it up nicely and connected it.”For Conrad, who sat stony-faced on the dressing room balcony, “there were little visions of Brian Charles (Lara) at times,” as he watched Rabada bat. Bavuma was still in the bathroom. He only dared to emerge an over later, when Jansen had crisply hit Abbas through cover and South Africa needed 15 runs. “I could hear the guys clapping and Kyle Verreynne shouting. The way he was shouting, it was positive shouts, so I thought, ‘okay, let me come show my face’,” Bavuma said.Still, Rababa and Jansen were not so sure. They knew Pakistan’s bowling quality, they had seen their top and middle order blown away and they understood that they were the last pair South Africa could rely on. “I just kept thinking, I’m not going to leave it to Patto (Dane Paterson),” Rabada said. “Not that I don’t have any faith in him but sometimes there’s two voices in your head: the one voice says, you’re not going to do this. And the other one has to overpower it.”The first ball Rabada faced off Aamer Jamal was a no-ball and he took a single off it. Thirteen needed. He had to wait until the penultimate ball of the over to face again, after Jansen ducked, watched one down leg, defended and then cut him for one. Rabada smoked the final ball of the over back over Jamal’s head and then creamed the last one through the covers to leave South Africa one hit away. But it was only after he got Jansen back on strike and South Africa needed two to win that Rabada believed South Africa had it.The South Africa players did a lap of honour after sealing a spot in the WTC final•Gallo Images”Before that, I just kept thinking, ‘don’t drop the ball, just keep with your processes’. The main thing I was thinking was, continue to stay positive,” he said. “If I looked to get into my shell, and I got out trying to do that, then I would have been more upset. If I got out being positive, I would have accepted that.”Bavuma may not have. By then, he was fully invested in Rabada getting the runs. “How he did it. I couldn’t care, to be honest,” Bavuma joked. “It’s weird with him. You never know what type of KG is going to come out with the bat: it’s the one who wants to play all correct, and then there’s the other guy who played the way that he did today.”In the end, Rabada finished with the third-highest score by a No.10 in a successful chase and called it “without a doubt” the best Test innings of his career. “With a lot of pressure on, it’s the one innings that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”He won’t be the only one. Bavuma emerged from his self-imposed exile to see Rabada bat and then saw him down at the stairs and “jumped on him with joy”, so much so that he “found myself to be taken aback by the emotion.” In the moment Conrad was left speechless. “I don’t think we can put into words what that was. You can’t script that,” he said. And for the 3,600 people who were in the ground and the many, many others watching on television screens, it sent a message about what to do when your team is under pressure. As Bavuma and Conrad and Rabada and Jansen did: be yourself.

The fast bowler has fronted up to bowl the difficult overs and emerged as the leader of the current NZ pace pack

Deivarayan Muthu08-Nov-2025Fast bowler Jacob Duffy had figures of 8-1-40-3 across the first two T20Is against West Indies in Auckland – a big plus for New Zealand on the small straight boundaries at Eden Park.Opener Brandon King tried to access the small boundary over mid-off in the first over of West Indies’ chase of 208 in the second T20I, but Duffy denied him with an outswinger that wasn’t full enough and found his outside edge. When Shai Hope, the half-centurion from the first T20I, attempted the same, Duffy got the ball to move away further and beat the outside edge.Duffy’s first nine balls in the powerplay were all dots after which a fumble in the infield allowed a single. In his third over in the powerplay, Duffy almost had Alick Athanaze chop an inswinger pitched on an in-between length back onto his stumps.Nothing full. Nothing wide. Swing both ways. And the deliveries that went straight on were so tight that batters couldn’t take liberties against them.On most days, Duffy’s new-ball spell might have been enough for New Zealand to defend 207. But on Thursday, West Indies’ power-hitters mounted a late charge. Duffy was needed again at the death.When West Indies required 30 off 12 balls, Duffy conceded back-to-back boundaries to Rovman Powell in dewy conditions at the start of the 19th over. But he managed to regroup and conceded just four runs off the last four balls. A bumper flew past Matthew Forde’s head while a yorker was squirted to short fine leg for a single.Related

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While operating with the new ball is Duffy’s stronger suit, he can also do a job at the death. With a number of New Zealand’s first-choice fast bowlers on the sidelines, including Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, Duffy displayed skill and composure to spearhead a young and inexperienced attack. Since April 2024, Duffy has been New Zealand highest wicket-taker, with 36 strikes, and second-most economical bowler for a minimum of 200 balls bowled in the format. Mitchell Santner, the most economical New Zealand bowler during this period and the captain, was impressed.”Duff has been excellent in the last two years,” Santner said after the first T20I against West Indies. “He has taken every opportunity that has gone his way and he’s probably the leader of the pack at the moment, especially in T20 and even in white-ball with Matt Henry as well. I mean three in the powerplay is never a tough gig but he made it look easy. You come up against very strong power-hitters – Rovman Powell, [Romario] Shepherd and [Jason] Holder…”Mitchell Santner: “Duff has been excellent in the last two years”•AFP/Getty ImagesDuffy, 31, made his international debut in December 2020 in a T20I against Pakistan, also at Eden Park, eight years after his maiden T20 appearance for Otago under Brendon McCullum. More recently in August this year, he made his Test debut in Zimbabwe, more than 13 years after his first first-class match for Otago. Duffy reckons his long and hard toil in domestic cricket has steeled him for the challenges of international cricket.”I’ve played a lot of cricket, albeit not at international level but domestically,” Duffy said. “So, that definitely helps. It’s the same game but just that you’re playing against better players, so that is good. I think we all get along very well as a bowling unit and at the same time, we’ve got very different skillsets.”Whenever you look at me, KJ [Kyle Jamieson], Foulkesy [Zak Foulkes] and Smudge [Nathan Smith] on the sidelines, we all do quite different things and we help each other out in our own way. But, at the end of the day, the boys are going to put their own game plan into place but, no, we are all feeding off each other and we’re all helping each other out.”The collective effort from New Zealand’s bowlers helped defend 207, despite West Indies scoring 87 in the last five overs. Duffy stood out, fronting up to bowl the difficult overs in the powerplay and death. It’s not for nothing he was the No.1-ranked T20I bowler until recently. He is strengthening his case for next year’s T20 World Cup – with or without some of the senior quicks.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has heaped praise on head coach Vincent Kompany ahead of their Champions League clash against Arsenal on Wednesday. The English lynchpin is highly impressed with Kompany's coaching standards and has highlighted that the Belgian's "fearless" approach is assisting the players to develop a better understanding of the game.

• A 'top of the table' continental clash

  After humbling Freiburg 6-2 in the Bundesliga last Saturday, Kompany's Bayern are all set to face Premier League heavyweights Arsenal in their fifth Champions League tie on Wednesday evening. The Bavarians have been in sensational form this season, losing just once across all competitions, while maintaining a 15-game winning record at the start of the season, a first for any European club. As they travel to the Emirates Stadium, they will be eager to conjure some magic to emerge as a strong obstacle against Mikel Arteta's army.

  The Gunners have not conceded a goal in the Champions League so far and sit level on points and goal difference with the German giants at the top of the Champions League table. However, Kane believes his side are in the right "mindset" heading into the clash with his former north London derby rivals thanks to the impressive methods of their Belgian coach.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane impressed with Kompany's approach

  The former Tottenham striker said at a press conference: "The way we play, the way we train, the way he treats the team, the way he goes forward, the way you should behave. These are qualities. He is fearless. We press, stand high, that's the mindset. He gives everyone a lot of self-confidence. Not only me, but also others have improved under him, understand the game better now. I'm impressed." 

  In the 2025-26 season, Arteta and his coaching staff have focused on utilising the set-pieces by turning them into a dangerous goal-scoring threat. As of late October, they had already scored 11 goals from such movements. "Football is developing. Arsenal are very strong at set-pieces. As always, we have prepared, looked at where they are strong and how we can prevent that. We simply have to avoid set pieces. If they do surrender, we have to defend well," opined the Englishman.

• Kompany claims facing Arsenal is the hardest task

  While Arsenal have not won much silverware in recent times, their prosperity under Arteta's mentorship has already stunned opposition teams. For Kompany, Arsenal are a hard nut to crack. He said: "It's probably the hardest task at the moment to play against Arsenal. But we're happy about that, that's why we're here." 

  While the Belgian tactician might be happy to arrive at the Emirates as the table toppers, they are a side who have struggled in set-pieces, and will take on a side adept at such actions. He claimed: "We haven't shown our normal strength in the last few games. That doesn't mean that you're not good, but you have to do better in these situations now. We have analysed this. I don't like to think too much about defence, but how we can play our game. It will be difficult to score our goals. We have to be better defensively at set-pieces, just as we are offensively. At some point, the defenders simply have to head the thing away."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane's record against Arsenal

  Before shifting base to Munich, Kane was a key player at Tottenham. To date, he has faced the Gunners 21 times, emerging victorious on eight occasions, losing seven, and drawing the remaining six. He notably has 15 goals against Arteta's side and will teammates like Lennart Karl and Michael Olise he will aim to add to that tally on Wednesday.

  "I've won and scored many goals here. Hopefully [on Wednesday] too," he said. "Arsenal has more experience than when we last met. They're harder to break down defensively now. They've improved. This will be a good test for us."

Australia have now chased 200-plus targets most number of times in T20Is

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Jul-20256 Instances of Australia successfully chasing down a target of 200 and more in T20Is, the most by any team in the format. India and South Africa have five successful chases of 200-plus targets.West Indies have now lost six times while defending a 200-plus target, which is a T20I record. They went ahead of South Africa, who have failed to defend a target of 200-plus runs on five occasions.37 Number of balls Tim David needed to bring up his century in the third T20I against West Indies, the fastest in T20Is for Australia, bettering Josh Inglis’ 43-ball ton against Scotland last year.David’s fifty came in only 16 balls, which is also an Australian record. The previous fastest was off 17 balls, by Marcus Stoinis against Sri Lanka in 2022 and Travis Head against Scotland in 2024.ESPNcricinfo Ltd11 Number of sixes David struck during his unbeaten 37-ball 102. Only Aaron Finch hit more sixes in a T20I innings for Australia – 14 against England during his 156 in 2013 at Southampton. David had hit ten sixes in his first 26 balls; only three other batters in all T20s have hit ten or more in their first 26 balls.128* Partnership between David and Mitchell Owen for the fifth wicket during the chase. It is the highest stand for Australia for the fifth or a lower wicket in men’s T20Is. It is also the highest by any pair for the fifth or a lower wicket in a T20I chase.Related

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1 David also became the first Australian batter to score a hundred while batting at No. 5 or lower. All the previous 11 hundreds for Australia in men’s T20Is have come while batting in the top four.He is only the second batter to score a hundred in a successful chase while batting at No. 5 or lower, after Mark Chapman, who made 104* against Pakistan in 2023.ESPNcricinfo Ltd16.1 Overs that Australia needed to complete the 215-run chase against West Indies. It is the fourth-fastest 200-plus target chase in terms of overs taken in T20Is. All three quicker chases than Australia have come in 2025 only.146 Numbers of runs Australia scored in the middle overs (7-16) during the chase, the most they have scored in that phase in T20Is. It is also the sixth-most runs scored by any team in the middle overs in men’s T20Is. David alone scored 94 of those 146 runs, the third-most by any batter in a men’s T20I. (where ball-by-ball data is available)1 Australia registered their maiden T20I series win in West Indies by going 3-0 up in the five-match series. Australia previously played three T20I series in the Caribbean and won only two of the eight matches across those series.2 Number of players with centuries in all three formats in international cricket for West Indies. Shai Hope joined Chris Gayle in the elite list, following his maiden T20I ton on Friday against Australia.102* Hope’s score against Australia on Friday. He is the first wicketkeeper-captain to score a hundred in T20Is. Scott Edwards’ 99 against Oman in 2024 was the previous highest score by a keeper-captain.

Khary Pierre, the left-arm spinner who is yet to play in Tests, has also been called up

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025West Indies have dropped former captain Kraigg Brathwaite from their 15-member squad for the two-Test series in India beginning on October 2, while Alick Athanaze and Tagenarine Chanderpaul have been recalled with an emphasis on players well equipped to play spin.Brathwaite, a veteran of 100 Test caps, lost his place in the XI in the final Test against Australia earlier this year, a series which West Indies lost 0-3 and resulted in an emergency meeting which involved the likes of Clive Lloyd and Brian Lara. Also missing from the squad against Australia are Keacy Carty, Johann Layne and Mikyle Louis.Khary Pierre, the left-arm spinner who is yet to play in Tests, has been called up too. Pierre is the second specialist spinner in the squad alongside vice-captain Jomel Warrican, and has been selected after taking 41 wickets at an average of 13.56 in the West Indies championship. Gudakesh Motie, meanwhile, has been rested “given the demands of the upcoming limited-overs schedule,” according to a CWI release.”The return of Tagenarine Chanderpaul is to help transform our fortunes at the top of the order given the recent struggles, with Alick Athanaze being added for his strengths and qualities against spin bowling,” head coach Daren Sammy said in a statement. “Khary is included for the first time as our second spinner in what we expect to be helpful conditions.”ESPNcricinfo LtdAthanaze’s last Test appearance was in the subcontinent against Pakistan in January. Chanderpaul, who last played a Test in January 2024 on the tour of Australia, is likely to partner John Campbell at the top. Kevlon Anderson, who has a first-class average of 42.05, keeps his place in the squad. The other batters are the captain Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach and Brandon King.The spin contingent will be led by Warrican, Pierre, and Chase. The seamers are Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales.West Indies are set to arrive in Ahmedabad on September 24. Only four players – Chase, Hope, Alzarri and Warrican – were part of the West Indies squad that last toured India in 2018-19. The first Test is set to be played in Ahmedabad and the second one in Delhi from October 10.West Indies have a busy season ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in February-March. Later this month, they play Nepal in Sharjah for three T20Is, then play two Tests in India before flying to Bangladesh for a multi-format white-ball tour in October-November. They close out the year with an all-format tour of New Zealand from November 5 to December 22 comprising five T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests.West Indies Test squad for India series
Roston Chase (capt), Jomel Warrican (vice-capt), Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales.

Leeds United fans have been blessed with some outrageous attackers to cheer on over recent years.

The obvious names that immediately spring to mind here are the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Raphinha, but Pablo Hernandez is also deserving of equal levels of adoration from the Elland Road masses for the magic he regularly conjured up during his time in West Yorkshire.

Hernandez would notch up a stunning 36 goals and 39 assists for the Whites in the Championship during Marcelo Bielsa’s heyday at the helm, with the much-loved Leeds boss even going out of his way to laud his Spanish playmaker as a “silent leader” who can “harm the opponent” at a moment’s notice.

Unfortunately, though, the silky attacking midfielder would only go on to collect a measly two assists for the West Yorkshire titans in the Premier League.

Noah Okafor has already matched that same amount of goal contributions for the newly promoted Whites in the here and now, as the electric Swiss international attempts to go down in his new club’s history books as a similarly entertaining spark.

Okafor's promising Leeds start

Much like Hernandez, too, Okafor has already been showered with plenty of lavish praise when pulling on Leeds white.

Leeds-based content creator Oscar Mario has dubbed the ex-AC Milan attacker as a “difference-maker” for Farke’s side, with the two goals that he’s already confidently put away this season, undoubtedly placing him in the same bracket as the captivating Spaniard before him.

With Okafor also constantly looking to bomb forward with pace to carve out an opening – as seen in him ridiculously completing six successful dribbles versus Wolverhampton Wanderers – it’s very clear that he could go on to be a fan favourite in the same ilk as Hernandez, only this time, with the talent to be a success in the top-flight.

Yet, with no assists next to his name as of the time of writing, he hasn’t quite hit the same creative peak as the former Leeds number 19 just yet, with an unexpected creative force elsewhere in Farke’s camp perhaps more in line to be viewed as a Hernandez-type talent, with the star in question boasting league-best numbers in this regard.

The Leeds star showing shades of Hernandez

While Hernandez was known for firing home an audacious strike or two during his five-season stint in England, he is definitely more commonly remembered as an ace who could “change the course of a game” with an “exceptional” assist, as former Leeds player Noel Whelan once put it.

His 2018/19 offering in the second tier for Bielsa’s Whites saw the quick-witted midfielder create a mammoth 16 big chances in total, with Sean Longstaff potentially heading towards the same jaw-dropping numbers in the Premier League for Farke’s men this campaign, if his early scintillating form in the tough division is anything to go by.

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

27.1 (85%)

Key passes*

2.0

Big chances created

5

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

5.0

Indeed, Longstaff has looked a man reborn since leaving boyhood employers Newcastle United behind this summer for a modest £12m, with five big chances already created by Leeds’ new star man, putting him at the very top of the list of the Premier League’s most effective playmakers.

If he can keep this unbelievable run of form going, he could give Hernandez’s Championship peak a run for its money.

The “outstanding” number eight – as Farke has also already lovingly labelled him – further has the necessary bite in his game to be a long-term success at the very pinnacle of English football, with tackles and duels also won aplenty this season, when looking at the table above, away from just offering up an incisive pass.

Ultimately, Farke will just want all of his troops to come together and battle hard to ensure relegation is staved off.

But, with Longstaff in the same conversations as Bruno Fernandes in what he offers going forward, he will hope his unbelievable start in West Yorkshire can be kept up, as he strives to be the driving force that pushes his new side way away from the relegation zone come next May.

Farke has found a new Dallas-type player in “unbelievable” Leeds star

Daniel Farke has now stumbled upon Leeds United’s next Stuart Dallas-type figure in this unbelievable star.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been forced to explain some big selection calls, with Mohamed Salah named among the substitutes again for the Reds’ Premier League clash with Sunderland. The Egyptian superstar failed to make it off the bench in a welcome win over West Ham – ending a run of featuring in every match under Slot. He was involved against Sunderland, but was only introduced at half-time.

Salah's Liverpool records: Goals and appearances

Salah, who has netted 250 goals for the Reds through 420 appearances, failed to inspire Liverpool as they dropped more precious points in a 1-1 draw with the Black Cats. He is unaccustomed to filling an impact role, having become a talismanic presence at Anfield.

The 33-year-old is, however, having to make peace with rest and rotation in 2025-26, with bench duty being seen in domestic and Champions League competition. Slot has mixed things up in a bid to rediscover the kind of consistency that brought another top-flight title to Merseyside last season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy Salah was benched by Liverpool vs Sunderland

Explaining the decision not to include Salah in his starting XI against Sunderland, Slot told : “I play the same team, it's a balance between continuity and freshness. It's obvious and clear we need the full squad tonight because a few who start aren't able to play a full 90 again. More than ever, we need more than 11 players tonight. All the players have a chance to come in, Mo is definitely one of them. It's a good thing we have players like Mo available on the bench.

“We haven't had a long conversation. We spoke a lot after the Frankfurt game, and now not as much. He reacts like you want, a top professional. He trains really good and is positive towards his team-mates. He's an example when he plays, and now he's an example of how to act when you don't play.”

Transfer inevitable? Salah sees Anfield exit mooted

While Slot has talked up Salah’s reaction to being dropped, ex-Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes that a parting of ways – a matter of months after signing a lucrative contract extension through to 2027 – is becoming inevitable.

Redknapp said: “He's a Premier League legend, a Liverpool icon and that's why I don't think this is going to end well. It will be a tricky situation now because the manager, when you've got someone who is so talented, so vital to the team, in and around the changing room and how they behave and perform in training. He's not going to want to warm the bench, he hasn't signed this contract to wind down his career. He wants to play consistently, week in, week out.

“I'll be gobsmacked if he fulfils the last two years of his contract, or year and a half. I don't think this aids the situation one iota. Nothing in football would surprise me – whether it's in January or perhaps in the summer.

“If the right club were to come along… a lot will be determined by this man. He's earned that privilege. And if he says: 'Look, if I'm not going to be a starter for you, I'm not one of those players who is going to linger. I will go wherever it takes.' I still believe he will want to play in Europe.

“The first thing we're all going to say is he'll go to Saudi – he's obviously a legend in that part of the world – or he'll want to go to the US, but this for me now is a real breaking point in the relationship. He'll feel let down and, like you say, maybe even blamed for what's going on. But while the team is winning without him… I saw those stats and they're pretty good when he doesn't play. No one is indispensable, time waits for no one, and it's going to be difficult now.”

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Getty ImagesLiverpool fixtures: Will Salah start against Leeds?

Liverpool are languishing eighth in the Premier League table, 11 points adrift of leaders Arsenal. They will be back in action on Saturday when heading to Leeds, with Slot admitting that he has “an idea who will start” at Elland Road but “won’t say” if Salah is in line for a recall.

Sunderland have now made a decision on Granit Xhaka’s future, amid interest from Juventus ahead of the January transfer window.

The Black Cats have surpassed all expectations so far this season, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table after collecting 19 points from their opening 11 games, and Regis Le Bris & co deserve major credit for the work they did in the transfer window.

It was a summer of change for the Championship play-off final winners, bringing in new additions all over the pitch, including at centre-forward, with Brian Brobbey getting off the mark courtesy of a dramatic late equaliser against Arsenal before the international break.

However, arguably Le Bris’ best addition has been Xhaka, with the central midfielder’s importance underlined by the fact he has played every minute in the Premier League so far this season, receiving plaudits from former defender Micky Gray after impressing against West Ham United.

Gray described the Swiss maestro as “absolutely incredible”, before going on to add: “You could see him trying to speak to everybody and calm everybody down. And when the ball came to his feet, he wasn’t rushing his passes. He was slowing everything down. So that experience is absolutely huge.”

Juventus eyeing January move for Sunderland star Granit Xhaka

As such, it will come as no surprise to learn that the 33-year-old is attracting attention ahead of the January transfer window, with a report from TuttoSport (via Sport Witness), revealing Juventus are now eyeing a shock winter transfer.

The 142-time Switzerland international’s agents are said to be seeking a move, given that their client has made a fantastic start to the campaign, with the report bizarrely also claiming the Black Cats are willing to sanction a January move if he asks to leave.

Sunderland have done extremely well to be competing at the top end of the Premier League table, and they are already nearly half-way to the magic 40-point mark, but they are not out of the woods just yet, so it would, of course, be a mistake to cash-in this winter.

The Basel-born midfielder has contributed one goal and three assists in the Premier League this term, with Wayne Rooney suggesting he could be the signing of the season, given his experience and leadership qualities.

The former Arsenal man has also impressed at international level during the current break, scoring a penalty and making a number of other key contributions as Switzerland ran out emphatic 4-1 winners against Sweden on Saturday.

Granit Xhaka’s statistics against Sweden

Number completed

Accurate passes

65/77 (84%)

Ground duels (won)

4 (3)

Aerials duels (won)

2 (2)

Accurate long balls

5

In all honesty, it was a major coup for Sunderland to even sign Xhaka in the first place, and given that he remains under contract until 2028, there is no need to cash-in this January or in the summer.

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Manchester City are now ready to snap up a “superstar” Champions League player, with the same agent as two members of Pep Guardiola’s squad.

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After putting together a solid run to re-establish themselves as Premier League title contenders, Man City have endured a dip in form over the past week, losing 2-1 at Newcastle United on Saturday, before succumbing to a 2-0 home defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.

It was a new-look defence for City, with Guardiola making wholesale changes to his starting XI, bringing in Abdukodir Khusanov to replace Matheus Nunes at right-back, despite the 27-year-old impressing in that area this season.

However, given that both Khusanov and Nunes aren’t natural full-backs, the Blues remain keen on bringing in another option, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now told TEAMtalk that Man City will be ready to sign Livramento if the opportunity presents itself, saying: “He’s happy at Newcastle, he is in a good position, he wants to push the limits of a new contract. But equally he knows he could secure a big transfer if he really wanted it.

“City have respect for his situation and have had to wait for him to decide what he does next. If he looks to leave, they are right there and will snap him up.”

"Superstar" Livramento could be perfect for Pep

Of course, any player in a Guardiola system must be comfortable in possession of the ball, and the Newcastle defender, who has the same agent as Stones and Nathan Ake, has averaged an 85.4% pass completion rate per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 87th percentile compared to other full-backs.

Once referred to as a “superstar” by Newcastle content creator Kendall Rowan, the three-time England international is also proven in the Premier League, having reached the 100-game mark in his side’s 2-1 win against City, during which the full-back made three clearances, two interceptions and two tackles.

Having been ranked as one of the best right-backs in the world, ahead of the likes of Nunes and Khusanov, Livramento could be a real upgrade for Pep at right-back, but a deal could be on the expensive side…

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Newcastle value Livramento at the £80m mark, which would make him one of the most expensive signings in Man City history, and given that Nunes has been impressing this season, it is questionable whether they should spend that much on another right-back.