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BBC pundit Carlton Palmer has admitted that he thinks it is absolutely the ‘right decision’ for West Brom to allow Andy Carroll to leave the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Carroll set to depart

The 33-year-old first arrived at the Hawthorns on a free transfer in the January window following the expiration of his short-term deal with fellow Championship rivals Reading.

He made 15 appearances for the Baggies, scoring three goals during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

The forward’s current contract with West Brom is set to expire at the end of June, and since the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, it’s been reported that Steve Bruce will not be offering Carroll new terms, meaning that he has already played his last game for the Midlands outfit.

The Latest: Palmer backs West Brom decision

When asked whether or not the club made the right choice to part ways with the nine-cap international, Palmer told Football League World ‘what’s happening’:

“Absolutely right decision.

“I mean, I think I always thought that Andy Carroll was a short-term fix to try and help them out, doesn’t play enough games and doesn’t score enough goals.

“I mean, he’s, he’s been a good player, a very good player, but he’s, he’s at the end of his career now.

“So teams will take him in, I mean I’m sure Andy Carroll is still earning decent money, but teams will take him in on short-term gigs now, and that’s what’s happening.”

The Verdict: A true professional

Carroll definitely made an impact during his short stint with the Baggies, adding a different dimension up top with his physical presence, standing at a staggering 6 foot 3.

It doesn’t come as any surprise to see the striker being let go though, especially considering that the club had a disappointing end to the campaign, having missed out on a top-six place.

Bruce will now be looking to bolster his ranks hopefully with younger players rather than renewing contracts of older, more experienced individuals if he wants to make a serious push for promotion next season.

The £720k-rated veteran is now likely to find himself skipping around multiple clubs on short-term deals after his imminent Hawthorns departure which should take him to the end of a very successful football career.

In other news… a journalist has backed a West Brom shot-stopper to be their new first-choice keeper next season.

Having already ticked a few significant boxes at just 21, he has made quite an impression with the bat and ball in the Duleep Trophy

Srinidhi Ramanujam06-Sep-2025At 21, Nishant Sindhu has already ticked a few significant boxes. He was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2022, got picked by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL the following year, and was signed by Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy semi-final, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder delivered the kind of performance that demands attention.After bowling 47.2 overs across two long days in humid conditions at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence ground – more than any other spinner in the match – Sindhu picked up five wickets for North Zone to wrap up South Zone’s massive 536-run total on Friday. His first bowled 12 overs on the trot, then three separate spells of eight overs each finished with an 11.2-over spell.And on Day 3, with North Zone in early trouble and Ayush Badoni falling six overs before lunch, leaving the team at 101 for 3, it was Sindhu who steadied the innings alongside Shubham Khajuria. He took his time, punished the loose balls and controlled the tempo. The highlight was a beautifully timed slog-swept six off Tanay Thyagarajan in the 56th over, a quiet flare of aggression in an otherwise composed innings of a 148-ball 82.Related

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“I was trying to take it till the end,” Sindhu, who got dismissed late on Saturday after a rash upper-cut off left-arm quick Gurjapneet Singh, said. “But unfortunately, I couldn’t do it. Let’s see tomorrow.”Sindhu believes in sticking to his strengths, even if that means doing the “same thing in every match”.”[It’s about giving] 100% for the team,” he said about his preparation. “In any field, whether it’s bowling, batting or fielding. I try the same thing. When I feel I am weak or have a problem in a match, I work on that more during practice.”His transition to senior cricket was quick after the 2021-22 Under-19 World Cup, where he picked up six wickets in five matches and scored an unbeaten 50 against England Under-19 in the final. He made his debut for Haryana across formats in 2022. In his first Ranji Trophy against Tripura, Sindhu made an unbeaten 93 at No. 7 and picked up two wickets. In a first-class career spanning 29 matches, he has scored six centuries and six half-centuries. In the Duleep quarter-final against East Zone, he made scores of 47 and 68.But he’s been making an impression at the domestic level even before getting to the senior level. In the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy in 2019, he scored 572 runs in seven matches including two hundreds and four half-centuries. He also led Haryana to victories in Vinoo Mankad Trophy (Under-19 one-dayers) in October and then the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy (four-day competition) in April 2022. At the senior level, he was part of the Haryana side that clinched the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2023.Shubham Khajuria and Nishant Sindhu put up a century stand in the Duleep Trophy semi-finals•PTI That progression has been made smoother by the support around him, especially from the Haryana Cricket Association and his coaches, he says. He was initially trained by his father Sunil, who is a state-level boxer, before joining Shri Ram Narain Cricket Club in Rohtak, run by former Haryana first-class batter Ashwani Kumar.”The association has backed us a lot,” Sindhu said. “After the Under-19 World Cup, I came straight away to the Ranji Trophy. They have backed us a lot from there. That’s the reason. When someone backs you so much, like Ashwani [Kumar] sir, I try not to let them down.”Sindhu’s evolution from impressing in age-group cricket to becoming a mainstay in Haryana’s setup has been fast. Though he’s been part of CSK and GT at the IPL, he’s yet to play a single game. But he said it gave him a window into the mental side of the game, how the top players prepare, manage pressure and keep it simple.”I’ve spoken to players like Virat [Kohli] about how they handle pressure situations,” he said. “I get knowledge from there, and I try to apply it in my game.”Senior players have told me, ‘Work on small parts. If you feel that you are weak, work on that in practice and in the nets.’ In the match, you should not think that you are weak. You have to express yourself. I try to play my natural game.”He’s determined to keep impressing to reach his ultimate goal: (I just want to play for India). Step by step.”

Ravindra Jadeja also joins elite list among Indian spinners at the World Cup

Sampath Bandarupalli05-Nov-202349 Number of centuries for Virat Kohli in ODIs, equalling the world record held by Sachin Tendulkar.119 Fifty-plus scores for Kohli in ODIs, the second most after Tendulkar’s 145. Kohli surpassed Kumar Sangakkara’s 118 fifty-plus scores on Sunday.Sachin vs Kohli – Innings per century in ODIs•ESPNcricinfo Ltd83 South Africa’s total is the second lowest by a team against India in the men’s ODI World Cup, after Sri Lanka’s 55 all out on Thursday.It is also South Africa’s lowest total at the men’s ODI World Cup, and their joint-second lowest in men’s ODIs.4 ODIs in 2023 in which India have dismissed their opponents for less than 100, the most by a team in a year in men’s ODIs.Quinton de Kock will have to wait for his fifth ODI century of this World Cup•ICC via Getty Images138 Runs conceded by India in their previous two ODIs – 55 vs Sri Lanka and 83 vs South Africa, the fewest runs conceded by a team in successive men’s ODIs. West Indies’ 152 runs in 1992-93, when they bowled Pakistan out for 81 and 71 in consecutive ODIs, was the previous lowest.243 South Africa’s margin of defeat against India is their biggest by runs in men’s ODIs.Related

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5 ODI wins for India by a margin of 200-plus runs in 2023. No other team has won more than three men’s ODIs in a year by a margin of 200-plus runs.2 Ravindra Jadeja is only the second Indian spinner to take a five-wicket haul at the men’s ODI World Cup. Yuvraj Singh was the first, with 5 for 31 against Ireland in 2011.2 Batters with a century on their birthday in the men’s ODI World Cup before Kohli. Ross Taylor’s 131* against Pakistan in 2011 came on his 27th birthday, while Mitchell Marsh scored 121 against Pakistan on his 32nd birthday last month.

Also, how big a role did the change of ball play in the outcome of the match?

Sreshth Shah19-Apr-20212:58

Stephen Fleming: Moeen Ali has been ‘instrumental’ in us getting big scores

Did change of ball change the game?
On Sunday, KL Rahul, the Punjab Kings captain, had said after his team’s defeat that for teams bowling in the second innings, the dew-drenched ball gets very difficult to handle. He said he had requested the umpires to change the wet ball at various stages but was denied. Rahul ended by suggesting that games would be more equal if the team bowling second got an opportunity to change the ball.Tonight, Jos Buttler hammered a good-length ball from Ravindra Jadeja in the tenth over for a six over deep midwicket. The ball went so deep in the stands that the umpires had to get a replacement ball. The moment MS Dhoni got hold of the fresh (though not new, strictly) ball, he told Jadeja that the dry ball would turn.In his next over, Jadeja got a length ball to turn across Buttler’s bat to peg his off stump back. He then got a ball to turn in to trap Shivam Dube lbw. From the other end, Moeen Ali made full use of that ball to get David Miller, Riyan Parag and Chris Morris out. The Royals crumbled from 87 for 2 to 95 for 7, and the pendulum shifted significantly.”The wet ball was spinning a bit, so the dry ball would turn even more,” Dhoni explained in the post-match show on Star Sports. “That’s what I told Jadeja.” Buttler might have brought about his team’s downfall by sending that wet ball as far as he did.ESPNcricinfo LtdShould Super Kings look beyond Gaikwad?
After two single-digit scores in the first two games, Ruturaj Gaikwad was dropped off the first ball on Monday. He was eventually out for a 13-ball 10.The Super Kings have the lowest run rate (6.96) in the powerplay since IPL 2020, and for a team that bats so deep, that’s unusual. The Super Kings are not utilising their first six overs to the best of their potential, especially with two batters in Faf du Plessis and Gaikwad who have similar strike rates, just under 130, in T20s.So the Super Kings have two options to consider: replace Gaikwad with Robin Uthappa, someone who enjoys being a powerplay dominator. That will also allow du Plessis to play the role of an anchor.The other option is pushing Moeen Ali as an opener and getting K Gowtham in the XI. The Super Kings have Dwayne Bravo carded in at No. 9, Shardul Thakur at No. 10 and Deepak Chahar at No. 11, so they bat very deep. They can afford to play an extra bowler while still ensuring everyone in the XI can swing the bat. It might just add that extra dimension in their batting approach.There’s a third option too, slightly left field, but one that could be considered: Cheteshwar Pujara as an opener. But then, MS Dhoni doesn’t like chopping and changing. So it needs to be seen how long a rope Gaikwad gets.2:47

‘Sam Curran should have batted ahead of Dhoni and Jadeja’

Should Curran have batted ahead of Dhoni?
Dhoni no longer bats at No. 4 or 5 for the Super Kings. That means if things are going well for his team, he will most likely be coming out to bat in the last quarter of the innings. In that phase, it’s important to get off the blocks quickly.Dhoni, on average, has scored 11.4 runs in his first ten balls since April 2020. Sam Curran has scored 14.4 in his first ten in the same period. Add Curran’s current form from the India series, and his 15-ball 34 against the Delhi Capitals in their season opener, and Curran is much better suited to utilise the few deliveries left in an innings.The only time where Dhoni is better off coming ahead of Curran is if he needs to arrest a collapse. Dhoni gets going after playing out a few balls, and when he’s not attacking, he can be tough to dismiss. However, when you need to maximise your total – especially while batting first, and in an XI that bats so deep – your best option is to give more balls to the one who starts off quicker. As it turned out, Dhoni scored 18 in 17 balls, Curran made 13 in six. If it wasn’t for Bravo’s eight-ball 20 in the last two overs, the Super Kings would’ve struggled to breach 180.Sending Curran ahead of Dhoni is something that both Dale Steyn and Ajit Agarkar agreed with on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out show.”You’ve got to get Curran up higher, we said it games ago,” Steyn said. “You can just see that Jadeja and Dhoni are not themselves right now. Their heads were up in the air, they were trying to just muscle it, their eyes were not focused on the ball.”And then Curran comes in and hits the second ball over extra cover for six. You know he’s in form, and when a guy is in form, get them in early and let them bat.”Indeed, Dhoni said after the game that the first six balls he had faced – in which he scored just one run – could well have cost his side a match on another day.

Veteran reliever David Robertson is signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of

Robertson, who turned 40 earlier this year, conducted a workout for multiple teams on Saturday in Providence, R.I. The workout yielded a deal for the rest of the season with Philadelphia that will pay him $6.22 million (prorated from $16 million) according to Mark Feisand of MLB.com.

Robertson has not pitched this season, but spent 2024 with the Texas Rangers, where he posted a 3.00 ERA with 99 strikeouts and 27 walks. This will be Robertson's 17th MLB season and his third stint in Philadelphia.

Robertson is hoping to help stabilize a contending Phillies club that ranks 23rd in the major leagues in bullpen ERA.

Harry Brook conceded his side had been “hammered” by New Zealand, with the white-ball captain at a loss to explain England’s struggles in the format.For the first time during Brook’s tenure as captain, he failed to hide his disappointment after England slipped to a sixth ODI series defeat in seven and the second of his brief captaincy career.For all the talk of wanting to entertain, Brook’s disappointment was tangible as he responded to a question as to whether the result in Hamilton was the first time he had been frustrated with his players.”It’s disappointing, isn’t it,” Brook said. “You go round every single player there and you think, ‘bloody hell, there aren’t many teams that they don’t get into in the world’. It’s disappointing we haven’t performed as well as we could. It happens. They’ve played well and sometimes you’ve got to hold your hand up and say they’ve been the better team.”England were bowled out for 175 in the second ODI, three days after they had fallen to 234 all out at Mount Maunganui – a total saved by Brook’s own superb 135.It is a concerning trend for an England side who have been bowled out in seven of their eight away ODIs this year. In a remarkable statistic that was raised on the podcast, in 2025 they have failed to reach 250 in any innings where Joe Root hasn’t made a half-century himself. Furthermore, their commitment to “going hard” is borne out by the fact that when batting first this year, they have either made 350, or failed to bat their overs.Related

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For years, England had the excuse of their frontline players rarely competing in the ODI format, and the consequent difficulties that players face when adapting back to the format. That excuse doesn’t hold this year, with a settled batting line-up who have been available throughout. Furthermore, with five of England’s ODI top six also in the Test squad, the theory is that their natural attacking game should be well suited to the rhythms of one-day cricket, although this has also failed to be the case.”It’s not too dissimilar to the way we play Test cricket, really,” Brook said of the difficulties of switching formats. “We play aggressively in Test cricket and it’s not too far off. Obviously we haven’t played much one-day cricket in the last however many years. I can’t quite put my finger on why we haven’t batted well enough. It’s just one of those things. You come to play the second-best team in the world on their own patch and they’ve hammered us.”Brook also refused to be drawn on losing both tosses against New Zealand, where the chance to bowl first in the opening ODI at Mount Maunganui would have been a significant advantage.”That’s just an excuse,” Brook said. “I haven’t won many tosses, I’d have liked to have had a bowl today [in Hamilton] but that’s just an excuse. Everybody in that batting line-up is good enough to be able to face a swinging and seaming ball, cope with that and score runs against that.”There was one promising sign for England during the second ODI, with Jofra Archer returning to England colours for the first time this winter and producing a fantastic display of bowling where he claimed three for 23 from his ten overs.Having only arrived in the country a few days previously, Archer’s speeds were high as he averaged 88mph across his first spell. There was one moment of concern, when Archer appeared to injure himself diving for a ball in the outfield, but it later transpired that he had merely winded himself heavily, and he returned soon after to bowl out his remaining overs.”He’s gone back-to-back five-over spells there, after just getting off the plane a few days ago,” Brook said. “So hopefully he recovers alright. But thankfully he did run in for me. That’s all I asked from him and he was bowling wheels. He’s going to be good to touch for the rest of this winter.”England will hope to respond to the series defeat in a similar manner to how they bounced back in their last ODI against South Africa in September, where they put on 414 for 5, a game which Brook hopes they can take confidence from.”It’s disappointing for the fans, who want to watch us, we entertain people, because they know that we play such an exciting brand of cricket.”It was only a couple of games ago against South Africa in the summer when we got 400, so we’re not a million miles away. It’s just about a couple of scores here and there and then we nail it down and hopefully we do find that template.”

As Shubman Gill fronted the press pack in Perth, with the picturesque Swan River behind him, several locals passing by looked on curiously as if they could not quite pinpoint exactly who he was.Gill, clearly, does not yet quite have the global stature of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. But that should soon change, with him holding the top leadership posts for India in Tests and ODIs. As the new poster boy of Indian cricket, Gill and his counterpart Mitchell Marsh are plastered on the marketing signs around the city to promote the ODI series opener between Australia and India at Optus Stadium.It represents a transition for India as they start building towards the 2027 World Cup, a tournament where they will hope to end a 16-year wait for the title.Gill, 26, has cut a relaxed figure so far on tour, appearing undaunted about stepping into the hot seat and following in the footsteps of Rohit and Kohli. He is perhaps encouraged by the successful start to his Test reign but, unlike in that format, there is the added intrigue of him now captaining these larger-than-life cricketers he grew up idolising.Related

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“These are the kind of players I used to idolise when I was growing up. The kind of hunger that they had used to inspire me,” Gill told reporters. “It is a big honour for me to be able to lead such legends of the game. I am sure there would be so many moments in this series where I would be able to learn from them.”If I get in a difficult position, I wouldn’t shy away from taking advice from them.”With Rohit remaining in the team despite being stripped of the captaincy, there has been innuendo over how seamlessly the leadership baton will be passed on. However, Gill said he has already leaned on Rohit’s experience.”The narrative that goes on outside is different. There’s nothing like that between us – things are just as they were before, ” Gill said of his relationship with Rohit. “He is very helpful. And whatever he has learned from his experience, or if I think I need some help, I ask him what he would have done in a particular situation.”I like to know everyone’s thoughts and then decide as per my understanding of the game. In that respect, I have a great equation with both Virat and Rohit . Whenever I have a doubt, I go to them and take their suggestion, advice, and they also don’t hesitate in sharing [their knowledge].”Shubman Gill addresses the press in Perth•AFP/Getty Images

The three-match ODI series in Australia will be the first glimpse of what type of style and combination Gill wants for his team. What has been seemingly answered, having scored five tons from 13 innings since taking charge in the Test format, is that Gill is a cricketer who thrives with the added responsibility.His Test average has risen noticeably, though that might be difficult to replicate in ODI cricket given his average currently stands at 59 from 55 matches.”I like it when I have the additional responsibility. The pressure brings out my best,” he said. “I enjoy that responsibility, though I feel when I go out to bat, I take the best decision when I think as a batsman and do not think too much about being a captain and thinking like one.”When I do that, then I put myself under extra pressure. As a batsman, I think what the team needs the most at that moment. So I try to take decisions as Shubman Gill the batsman rather than taking that additional responsibility of scoring all the runs or finishing the match.”While the ODI series is likely to be a celebration of Kohli and Rohit, as they bid farewell to a country where they have had countless battles, Gill is set to emerge into prominence in Australia where he is unlikely to fly under the radar again.”Definitely, very exciting,” he said about his debut as ODI captain. “It’s very big shoes for me to carry the legacy that Virat and Rohit have left.”How they converse and what kind of communication or messaging they had with the players is something that helped me get the best out of myself. That’s the kind of captain I would want to be, where all my players feel very secure in the job they have to do.”

With the World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at how the U.S. squad might look next summer after a November camp proving no spot is guaranteed and depth runs deep.

If it wasn’t clear before, it certainly was after Mauricio Pochettino’s postgame press conference following the win over Uruguay. he said – over and over, each time with a bit more fire. No one is guaranteed anything, no player is above or below another, and no one in a U.S. men’s national team shirt should count themselves safely in or out. Pochettino believes in the power of this player pool. In his mind, it’s time the rest of the world caught up.

November, by and large, backed him up. The U.S. were missing names, sure, but they weren’t missing much of anything in terms of performance. They beat Paraguay 2-1, then smashed Uruguay 5-1, showing real strength in depth. Those games proved that this player pool isn't made up of just a certain group that can compete at a high level, it's made up of dozens of players who have earned the right to believe they can go to a World Cup. It's also put those who weren't in camp on high alert. No one is safe, and everyone who puts on the jersey is just as much a USMNT player as the next guy, no more or no less.

Ultimately, Pochettino will have some tough choices when it’s time to make that call. It’s a good problem to have, in truth. Over the past year, he’s elevated this USMNT player pool to an entirely new level, raising both the team’s ceiling and its floor in a massive way. The days of worrying about one or two individual absences feel long gone; now there’s competition everywhere, and no one is being placed above – or protected below – anyone else in that fight for spots.

But, when the big decisions do come next summer, what will they look like? Who could be in the USMNT World Cup squad? GOAL takes a look at where the U.S. stands after the November camp…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  GOALKEEPERS

  GOAL's picks: Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Matt Turner

  At the top of the depth chart, the goalkeeper spot seems pretty straightforward. Freese has now started the last 12 USMNT games and 13 of the last 14. Barring anything crazy, it seems that it's his job and will be for the foreseeable future. That doesn't mean it's guaranteed, though, as a lot can still happen between now and summer, but Freese's spot is looking pretty good.

  For the others, it gets interesting. Despite being left off the November roster, Turner remains an experienced player and, in reality, is probably the best option outside of Freese, given his 2022 World Cup resume. There's a battle going on for that third spot, though, and, with Freese starting every game essentially, there's little clarity from the coaching staff on what that battle is looking like at this moment.

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  DEFENDERS

  GOAL's PICKS: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally

  There's a lot to unpack here, largely because these positions are all very fluid. We've seen traditional four-at-the-back systems. We've seen five-at-the-back systems. We've seen fullbacks as centerbacks. Versatility will be key here. So, too, will fitness.

  On that fitness note, we'll start on the left, where Antonee Robinson is this team's biggest question mark. If he's fit, he's fantastic, but he hasn't been fit at all this year. Is there a reason to be concerned for next summer? Possibly, but the good news is that there are capable understudies. Arfsten has grown by leaps and bounds. Dest can switch over, too, and someone like Tim Weah can play that spot if needed. With or without Robinson, the USMNT should be fine, which would feel crazy to say a year ago.

  The right side, meanwhile, feels pretty secure. Dest is Dest – no concerns there. And Freeman has blossomed into a two-way contributor, highlighted by his goals against Uruguay. He also has the physical tools to compete at the highest level, so there’s not much worry on that front either.

  As for center back, there's still some shaking out to do after Richards. Ream seems safe, as does McKenzie following his captain recognition against Uruguay. That leaves the rest of the group fighting spots, with that group including Scally, who remains the wild card on this backline.

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  MIDFIELDERS

  GOAL's picks: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Gio ReynaCristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman

  There have definitely been some shakeups in this group following the November camp.

  Reyna, of course, is the headliner and, at the moment, he's probably in. It all depends on his fitness, yes, but when he is healthy, he's too good to leave at home. He showed that this camp, despite his lack of minutes on the club level. What could he look like, then, if he did get some run with Borussia Monchengladbach?

  Berhalter, ironically, also boosted his stock massively. His performance against Uruguay was fantastic, but it also showed what he could bring to a team in a tournament setting. Most teams in the world could use a guy who fights like there's no tomorrow and delivers elite-level set pieces. Berhalter is that type of guy, and, for now, that has him in the team.

  Those two were the big winners from this camp. As for the rest of the midfield, it’s mostly filled out by familiar faces. But the big question remains: who starts? Adams is likely locked in – but who earns the spot next to him going forward?

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  FORWARDS

  GOAL's picks: Folarin Balogun, Diego Luna, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright

  Balogun continues to score, and that fact will almost certainly carry him to the starting gig at the World Cup. There's competition alongside him, of course, and striker selection is often based on form. Because of that, Pepi and Wright, who have played well with the USMNT during this Pochettino, will have a chance, too, while Agyemang and Sargent will know that a good run in the Championship could make all the difference.

  In terms of the attacking midfield role, several are listed in the category above, players like Tillman, Reyna, and McKennie, who could play next to Pulisic. Luna is in that mix, too, as are Aaronson and Zendejas, who are both right on that bubble for spots in the squad.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is believed to be a huge admirer of one PSG star, as the Gunners and sporting director Andrea Berta lead initial talks for his signature ahead of January.

After a near-£270 million spend on new signings last summer, Arsenal are already in dreamland.

Arteta’s side sit pretty atop the Premier League table, boasting the best defence in Europe’s top five leagues with just three goals conceded in all competitions.

They’re also top of the pile in England for goals scored from set pieces with 11 so far.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

While some critics are bemoaning this statistic and lambasting Arsenal’s ‘boring’ style of play, Arteta and supporters alike won’t care in the slightest if they get to celebrate the club’s first league crown in 22 years at the end of 2025/2026.

So far, that looks like a very serious possibility, with current champions Liverpool currently on a torrid run of form and Arsenal looking like the team to beat.

Whichever way you look at it, the fact Arsenal haven’t conceded a single goal in all competitions since their dramatic 2-1 win at Newcastle is quite simply astounding.

The arrivals of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie in the summer have also ensured that Arteta has quality cover for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes — who are two of the best centre-backs in Europe — if one or both of the duo succumb to injury.

Mosquera has impressed when called upon by Arsenal in Saliba’s stead, and depending on the latter’s fitness status, Berta’s recruit is potentially set for another run in the team.

Make no mistake, Arsenal are shored up defensively, but the same cannot be said for other areas of the squad.

With the long-term futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard uncertain (both of their contracts expire in 2027), Arsenal are believed to be weighing up the possibility of signing a left-winger in the near future.

In centre-midfield, Arsenal are one serious injury to Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi or Mikel Merino away from a potential problem, with Christian Norgaard not there for the long-term by his own admission.

Arsenal hold 'preliminary talks' over PSG star Fabian Ruiz

According to reports in Spain, Berta and co are targeting PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz as an option for the engine room.

The former Napoli star was a firm regular of Luis Enrique’s treble-winning side last season, making 61 appearances in all competitions whilst bagging eight goals and 11 assists to boot.

His brace against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup helped PSG to the final, before they lost to Chelsea, with Ruiz maintaining his place in Enrique’s side this season before picking up a groin injury.

Ruiz has missed their last six matches as a result, but while the Spain international sits on the sidelines, Arsenal are believed to be plotting a move.

Arteta personally “dreams” of signing the 29-year-old, as per this latest murmur from the continent, and it is also claimed that Arsenal have held “preliminary” talks over signing Ruiz.

With the midfielder’s contract expiring in under two years, PSG have set a price tag of around £44 million — which could be obtainable from Berta’s perspective.

That being said, Enrique definitely won’t be keen on losing a player who’s one of the key cogs in his midfield machine.

The left-footed ace can play as a defensive anchor, a traditional centre-midfielder and in the number 10 role — adding to the appeal — but a lot will depend on Ruiz’s stance when it comes to leaving the champions of Europe.

Mikel Arteta shares what's impressed him most about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut

New Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has urged his players to be ambitious and set their sights on winning the Scudetto this season. The Italian tactician, who replaced Igor Tudor at the helm, emphasised that the players will be the driving force behind any potential turnaround, insisting that their mentality and commitment will determine how far the team can go.

• Spalletti appointed as Tudor's successor

  Spalletti has succeeded Tudor as Juventus head coach after the club decided to act following a poor run of form. Tudor was dismissed after Juventus went winless in eight consecutive matches, a stretch that included five straight draws and three defeats, leaving the club frustrated and far from their ambitions. The Croatian had initially taken over last season as an interim replacement for Thiago Motta and was later made permanent when Juventus failed to secure Antonio Conte or Gian Piero Gasperini. Despite a promising start to the 2025-26 campaign, which saw Juventus win their first three games including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia, the team’s momentum quickly faded. The board initially stood by Tudor, as parting ways with him was financially complicated since the club was still paying Motta’s severance and hiring another coach risked breaching UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.

  Spalletti will now be in charge of turning around Juventus, who currently sit seventh in the Serie A table. The experienced coach’s most recent club role was with Napoli, where he famously guided the team to the Scudetto in the 2022-23 season, ending their 33-year wait for the title. Now leading Juventus, the experienced manager is determined to replicate that success in Turin and guide the club back to the pinnacle of Italian football.

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  Spalletti's Scudetto ambitions

  Speaking at his unveiling, Spaletti believes that Juventus must be ambitious enough to believe they can fight for the title, saying: “I hope we can get back into the title race, why not? That's what we were talking about in the dressing room with the players. Our ambitions must be as high as possible, and the highest ambition right now is to get back into the Scudetto race.”

  Using his vast wealth of coaching experience and knowledge Spaletti believes he can inspire his players to fight hard for the title and then see where they end up when he said “We're only on the ninth matchday, even if I'm almost at the end because I'm an old man. I'll try to put even more effort into it and then we'll see what we've managed to achieve. I have absolute respect for the value of these players.”

  One of the major reasons behind Tudor’s dismissal was Juventus’ failure to score in four consecutive matches, despite boasting a star-studded attack and often fielding two strikers. Spalletti addressed the issue directly, stressing the importance of unity and clarity on the pitch. He said: “Goals are fundamental because they are what win matches. Attacking football is another important quality, but the essential thing is to be a team and a group that understands what we need to do on the pitch in various situations. That will benefit us in every way.”

• Spalletti believes players are they key for success

  Earlier this week, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic urged his teammates to take a hard look at themselves, pointing out that the club has gone through three coaching changes in just a year and a half. The Serbian forward emphasised that such instability points to deeper issues within the team rather than being the fault of a single individual, saying: “We’ve changed three coaches in a year and a half. We need to take a look in the mirror and see where we’re going wrong. I don’t think it’s fair to blame one person; we’re all to blame.”

  Spalletti agreed with Vlahovic’s remarks, emphasising that players are the key component in making the difference. Spalletti said: “Vlahovic's words? It's only right that players realise what they are giving and giving back to a club that believes in them. I know very well that I depend a lot on the players; it's their quality that makes the difference.”

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  Spaletti's first game as Juventus coach

  Spalletti’s first game in charge will see Juventus travel to Cremonese, where the Italian coach will be aiming to secure his first three points and build on the team’s recent victory over Udinese.