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Rishabh Pant broke a number of records during the course of his century at Headingley

Sampath Bandarupalli21-Jun-2025

Rishabh Pant hit six sixes in his century, the most by a visiting batter in a Test innings in England•Getty Images

7 – Hundreds for Rishabh Pant in Test cricket. He now holds the record for most Test hundreds as a wicketkeeper for India, going past MS Dhoni’s tally of six.3 – Test hundreds for Pant in England. No other visiting wicketkeeper has more than one hundred in the country. England’s Les Ames in the West Indies and Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower in India are the only visiting wicketkeepers to score three Test hundreds in a country apart from Pant.147 – Shubman Gill’s score at Headingley is the second-highest by an India batter on captaincy debut behind Vijay Hazare’s 164* against England in 1951.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 – Previous instances of three (or more) India batters scoring hundreds in a Test innings away from home. The last of those was back in 2007 against Bangladesh in Mirpur. This is the first time India had three (or more) centurions in a Test innings since 2018.2 – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gill and Pant became only the second India trio to score hundreds in a Test innings in England. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were the first, and that was also at Headingley, in 2002.Related

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6 – Sixes hit by Pant, the most by a visiting batter in a Test innings in England. His six sixes are also the joint-second-highest by an India batter in a Test innings away from home, behind Hardik Pandya’s seven against Sri Lanka in 2017.134 – Pant’s score in this Test match is the second-highest by a wicketkeeper at Headingley, behind Jonny Bairstow’s 140 against Sri Lanka in 2016.3 – Instances of Pant bringing up his hundred with a six in Tests, all against England – against Adil Rashid at The Oval in 2018, Joe Root in Ahmedabad in 2021 and Shoaib Bashir in Leeds. Among Indians, only Sachin Tendulkar (six) and Rohit Sharma (three) have brought up centuries with sixes in Test cricket as many or more times than Pant.Since 2002, no batter has hit a six to complete his hundred more often than Pant. Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Kumar Sangakkara, Rohit and Kusal Mendis have also done it three times during this period.

India’s Test selectors are likely to keep a close eye on these five promising batters and one tireless quick

Shashank Kishore23-Jun-2023With India set to begin their new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with the two-Test tour of the West Indies in July, here’s a look at six players who could come into the mix over the next two years.Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz has had to fight with perceptions that he isn’t “cricket fit”, but when you churn out the kind of runs he has, season after season for three years now, there can’t be much weightage to that argument. As things stand, his first-class average is second only to Don Bradman, among batters who’ve played at least 50 innings; he averages 79.65, with 13 hundreds and nine half-centuries.For all his proficiency, however, Sarfaraz hasn’t had the best of numbers for India A. There are also some technical flaws that coaches have been working on – especially his game against the short ball. Where he scores points, though, is in his consistency, and his ability to dig in and put a price on his wicket even if he has to look ugly. At 25, he still has plenty of time to take the next step up.Related

Abhimanyu Easwaran: 'Very few people are this close to being picked for India. That gives me confidence'

Jaiswal a far cry from Dravid and Pujara, but can make No. 3 his own

Yashasvi Jaiswal: 'I just want to go out and express myself'

How Mukesh Kumar went from small-town Bihar to Delhi Capitals

Easwaran: 'I think: if I get picked for India, can I make a difference?'

Yashasvi Jaiswal
How can you ignore someone with a first-class average of 80.21 across 26 innings? Jaiswal has taken the domestic circuit by storm for his ability to attack bowlers while also having a solid technique. It isn’t quite Bazball but Jaiswal in full flow has the ability to dominate bowling attacks, glimpses of which he has shown in the IPL, in the company of Jos Buttler at the top of the order for Rajasthan Royals.Jaiswal’s most recent first-class knocks came in the Irani Cup, where he made 213 and 144 for Rest of India against Madhya Pradesh. That aggregate of 357 in the match was the most for any batter in an Irani game. Jaiswal has the ability to not just open but also bat at No. 3 if required.Abhimanyu Easwaran averages 47.85 after 150 innings in first-class cricket•Bangladesh Cricket BoardRuturaj Gaikwad
Much of his recent success has been in white-ball cricket, but Gaikwad’s solidity, and his penchant to play late have led many to compare his talent with that of a young Rohit Sharma when he broke through in 2005-06. Gaikwad’s red-ball numbers aren’t hugely impressive just yet, as an average of 42.19 after 28 first-class games would suggest, but they are improving; 2022-23 was the first time he averaged above 50 in a Ranji Trophy season. Since 2021, meanwhile, he has shown in the IPL that he can mix it against top-quality attacks.Stephen Fleming, his coach at Chennai Super Kings, was drawn in by how quickly Gaikwad picked length, his understanding of his limitations, and his ability to not let that affect his thought process.Tilak Varma
“Typical Hyderabadi flair.” That was Rohit Sharma describing one of many knocks Varma played during the IPL for Mumbai Indians. He missed the 2022-23 Ranji season due to injury, but his temperament and technique have come in for plaudits from several experts, including Sachin Tendulkar.He doesn’t have a lot of experience in first-class cricket yet, but there have been flashes of brilliance, like for India A against New Zealand A at home last year where he brought up his only first-class hundred so far. At his best, Varma can make batting look easy. There will be sterner tests, but the signs are promising.Abhimanyu Easwaran
Perhaps the oldest in this current batting group at 28, Easwaran has been a proven performer for India A for a while now. He has based his game around a sound technique that has brought him success in challenging conditions. Having made his first-class debut in December 2013, he has risen to be among India’s next-in-line as far as red-ball openers go over the last three years. Easwaran’s overall first-class numbers are formidable: 6556 runs in 150 innings at an average of 47.85, with a best of 233.And like Jaiswal, he can also tailor his game to bat at No. 3, a role he has played on an off for India A. Unlike the others in this list, Easwaran doesn’t have an IPL contract, but he has been cutting his teeth on tough surfaces in the Dhaka Premier League, Bangladesh’s primary List-A competition, for the past four years, apart from stints in club cricket in England when not playing domestic cricket.Mukesh Kumar is a key component of the pace attack that helped Bengal reach the Ranji Trophy finals in 2019-20 and 2022-23•PTI Mukesh Kumar
Having modelled himself on Josh Hazlewood, Bengal’s Mukesh Kumar has gained a reputation for being a tireless workhorse whose robotic consistency and minute deviations off the pitch have troubled the best of batters in domestic cricket. Having been an India A regular for two seasons now, elevation to the Test squad only seems natural.Mukesh’s body of work in first-class cricket is stellar. He has 149 wickets in 39 games at an average of 21.55, and has been part of a three-pronged pace attack, alongside Ishan Porel and Akash Deep, that has hauled Bengal to two Ranji Trophy finals, in 2019-20 and 2022-23. His India A record is just as impressive, with his 18 wickets coming at 17.50 and including five-fors against New Zealand A and Bangladesh A.

Smart thinking, consistent selections, and a wider range of go-to players have enabled the side to reach the top four

Shashank Kishore05-Nov-2020For Royal Challengers Bangalore, the summer of 2016 was special. Not that they won the IPL – they are yet to win despite making three finals – but because they came back from the brink. Having faced the threat of elimination at the halfway mark – with two wins in seven games – they won six out of their next seven to vault into the top two and progress into the final by beating table-toppers Gujarat Lions in Qualifier-1.That resurgence was sparked by the Royal Challengers’ captain Virat Kohli, who struck a record four centuries and 973 runs that season, with ample support from Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. That season also marked the arrival of KL Rahul as a T20 batsman.Although the Royal Challengers lost by eight runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final, the 2016 run should have set the template for the franchise in future pursuits of the title. Instead Kohli’s teams would end up with two last-place finishes in the next three seasons.Along the way, the Royal Challengers replaced their long-standing coach Daniel Vettori with the pair of Gary Kirsten and Ashish Nehra, who were in charge for two seasons before being fired following the team;s bottom-place finish in 2019.Enter Mike Hesson and Simon Katich.”We spent a huge amount of time reviewing our performance last season, in the lead up to the auction,” Hesson said at his first media briefing last year, upon taking over as director of cricket, a role the Royal Challengers carved out in their quest to put in a structure, a word Kohli has used multiple times since.Hesson brought in the former Australia opener Katich as head coach. Katich, a straight talker, came with experience in the IPL as assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders, while Hesson had served as head coach for a season with Kings XI Punjab. Both men understood the challenge they were undertaking – taking charge of a franchise that had been one of the most popular, as well as one that had frequently left its fans distraught, not just with results but also their auction strategies, which had time and again left them with gaping holes in their team composition.The first step for Hesson and Katich was not to overhaul, but instead work with and polish the tools already in the shed. “We spent time identifying players for different positions and the kind of roles they will play,” Hesson said during the briefing, with Katich alongside. “There was a lot of talk on finishing innings with the ball. I feel we can improve on players we have and make them better. They are a year wiser, a year smarter. We want to maximise this playing group. You will not hear us talking of one or two players in particular. We are going to rely on all of them. Players who have not had a massive job in the past have to stand up. And we will back them.”The duo brought with them a methodical coaching philosophy that put the focus on consistency in selection, laying a solid groundwork going into auctions and rewarding X-factor players with a long rope, in contrast to the revolving door that had prevailed in previous seasons.The plan has worked so far, with the Royal Challengers making the playoffs for the first time since 2016. So how did the Royal Challengers script this turnaround?Devdutt Padikkal goes inside out•BCCIInvesting in a young Indian top-order batsmanRahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey (his breakthrough century in 2009 notwithstanding), Sarfaraz Khan, Sachin Baby, Mandeep Singh… the list is long. At different points in this decade, all these players were part of the Royal Challengers line-up before being discarded. While their talent was obvious, the presence of Gayle, de Villiers, Kohli and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who spent three years at the franchise, left them with few opportunities in their formative years.It appeared as if that trend would continue with Devdutt Padikkal, too. He was signed during the 2019 auction, but didn’t play a game that season. Old hands like Parthiv Patel continued to open for the Royal Challengers. Not that Patel performed poorly, but he wasn’t making a big impact.The franchise had to not just plan for this season but also for the future. Hesson had found one player who they could build that future around. Hesson, who happened to be a commentator during Padikkal’s breakthrough Karnataka Premier League season in 2018, trailed Karnataka across the country during their 2019-20 domestic season with one eye on Padikkal. He watched him consistently churn out runs and deliver titles in both the 50-overs and T20 competition for Karnataka.With a combination of fluent technique and bold strokeplay Padikkal has been the best emerging batsman this IPL. Hesson, Katich and Kohli have helped him settle in his role, and even though the Royal Challengers have continued to rely on Kohli and de Villiers, Padikkal has been a key performer.In their last league game against the Delhi Capitals, the 20-year-old eclipsed Shreyas Iyer’s record for most runs by an uncapped Indian in his debut season. He’s now closing in on the 500-run mark.Washington Sundar spins one in•BCCIRole clarity and consistency in selectionPlayers this season have got long runs in the side. After a bit of tinkering across the initial few matches, the Royal Challengers have found roles for key players and allowed them to settle into them. Aaron Finch was asked not just to help Padikkal understand match situations, but also provide robust starts. The Australia limited-overs captain struggled, but the team management did not give up easily.And though he hasn’t looked anywhere near his fluent best, he’s made a reasonable contribution with three half-century stands with Padikkal, and individual scores of 52 and 47, ensuring that the Royal Challengers seldom suffered early damage. It wasn’t until their 12th league match that the Royal Challengers replaced Finch with the less experienced Josh Philippe, whose talent has excited de Villiers among others.Philippe is yet to deliver on that promise, but the franchise is staying patient. The Royal Challengers have only used three opening combinations this season, even fewer than the four they used when they made the final in 2016. In 2018 and 2019, they used six and five opening pairs respectively.The same clarity is evident in the bowling department, too. Offspinner Washington Sundar has become as much a go-to bowler for Kohli as his senior spin partner Yuzvendra Chahal.Sundar hasn’t been straightjacketed as a powerplay specialist, something that limited him last year. If the situation has warranted it, he has bowled in the middle overs too, as he did in the final league match against the Delhi Capitals recently, when it became clear that the Royal Challengers needed to keep their net run rate in mind.Against specific teams, Sundar was given the new ball, like in the Super-Over thriller against the Mumbai Indians against Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, who both like pace on the ball early. Like other key players, Sundar has had clarity with his role, which he alluded to in a media interaction.Navdeep Saini has been another dependable bowler for the Royal Challengers this season. In just his second IPL season, Saini has shown he has not just extreme pace but also the accuracy and the versatility to work out batsmen.In previous seasons, the Royal Challengers have struggled to balance their side, but they’ve managed to do so this year – it’s been a big reason for their good showing through the first 10 matches. That balance has been found courtesy de Villiers doubling up as wicketkeeper. De Villiers, whose back condition has needed constant monitoring in recent years, had last kept wickets for the Royal Challengers in 2013. His taking the big gloves has allowed the team to field an extra batsman or an extra bowler depending on the opposition and ground conditions.Mohammed Siraj takes off in celebration•BCCIFocus on data and match-upsAs important as stability of line-ups is, being rigid serves no purpose as was evident from the Chennai Super Kings’ performance this season. The Royal Challengers have made wise tactical calls, bringing in players based on the conditions.Take the example of Mohammed Siraj, who has played in only eight out of the 14 matches so far. Siraj was brought in specifically when they needed to strengthen their bowling in Sharjah – the smallest of the three venues, where playing an extra bowler has often been warranted.Later in the tournament, in conditions assisting swing in the open-air theatre of Abu Dhabi, Siraj blew away the Knight Riders with an outstanding spell of 3 for 8 in his four overs.Kohli had a big hand in Siraj’s success in that match particularly, where the Royal Challengers captain read the conditions as being favourable for swing bowling, and decided to change the original plan of bowling Sundar in the second over.Another smart tactical call Kohli made was bringing back Saini for an early fourth over in the Royal Challengers’ tournament opener, to go hard at the last recognised pair of Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and try and ensure the Sunrisers had no way back after a middle-order collapse. Saini burst through Kumar and Khan’s defences in the space of three balls. The Royal Challengers haven’t often shown sort of ruthlessness in past seasons, but they’ve shown they’re getting better at winning tactical battles.Chris Morris has been a valuable addition to RCB•BCCIThe Morris factorIn the past few seasons the Royal Challengers have tried a number of overseas allrounders without quite finding the right one for their needs. Marcus Stoinis spent two seasons at the franchise – 2018 and 2019 – without making too much of a noise, and before that there was Shane Watson, whom they used in a middle-order role rather than as opener as the Super Kings did so successfully in 2018. Then there was the spectacular failure of Corey Anderson as a death bowler in 2018.All three were batting allrounders whose failure to make an impact was partly down to a lack of clarity over their role.This time, the Royal Challengers were clear in their thinking. They needed a gun death bowler. They wanted a bowling allrounder and earmarked the South African Chris Morris at the auction, and were prepared to go even higher than the INR 10 crore they eventually shelled out for him. The reason was his death-overs economy rate. In the last four overs, Morris’ economy rate before this season (8.45) was the second-best among fast bowlers who had bowled at least 300 balls in this phase in the IPL, behind Lasith Malinga’s 7.82.Morris has delivered exactly what the Royal Challengers have asked of him. Of all bowlers who’ve sent down at least 30 balls in that phase, Morris (7.03) has the best death-overs economy rate. He’s also been effective in the powerplay, with an economy rate of 6.26 in this phase.Morris hobbled off the field with a hamstring niggle in the Royal Challengers’ final league game against the Delhi Capitals, having bowled just two overs. The team will desperately hope he returns fit in time for the Eliminator.Better communicationWhile the Royal Challengers have improved in many aspects, it’s not like they’ve always made the right decisions. Kohli admitted that holding de Villiers back and promoting Shivam Dube against Kings XI Punjab may have been a mistake, but even that decision gave a glimpse of the Royal Challengers’ thinking – of having a plan and having the willingness to stick with it. Kohli pointed out that one big change this season has been the transparency between the coaches and the players.”The communication is nicely designated this time,” Kohli said of the new leadership and coaching group. “It’s only when people don’t want to take responsibility you come into picture. Now people are taking their responsibility. So do we as players, but we don’t feel overburdened, which is a great thing in any system. This is the most balanced we’ve felt as a squad.”As part of their long-term vision the Hesson-Katich combine is attempting to build a culture of success and mentorship. Younger players were often the centre of team activities and bonding sessions.Gurkeerat Singh presented Finch his first Royal Challengers cap ahead of their season-opener. Chahal captained a team containing de Villiers and Finch in a practice match. Patel, who hasn’t played a single match, continues to help youngsters like Padikkal, the man who replaced him, with his batting. Dale Steyn may no longer be a regular, but he has taken Saini, Umesh Yadav and Siraj under his wing, and worked on their seam position and wrist action during numerous training sessions. Phillipe has been working with de Villiers, who has high hopes from the young Australian wicketkeeper.Through the camaraderie comes the trust and the collective belief. Such activities are not uncommon. In the end Kohli, Katich and Hesson are well aware that what will eventually matter is whether the team can win the IPL. They will feel the pressure from the owners. At the start of the IPL Sanjeev Churiwala, the outgoing chairman of the Royal Challengers, had admitted that not winning the title has piled pressure on the owners.It has not been a smooth run to the playoffs for the Royal Challengers. At one point they were threatening to finish in the top two, but they lost four matches on the bounce in the second half of the league phase.Yet here they are, in the playoffs, scampering through somehow. It isn’t ideal, but the Royal Challengers have another shot at history if they can win three more matches.

The Mets are calling up their No. 4 prospect, minor league pitching star Jonah Tong to start Friday's game vs. the Marlins in New York. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed the news when speaking to media on Tuesday.

"I think it's all about dominating the minor leagues," Mendoza said. "It's hard to keep him there."

Tong's future in MLB will be determined "one start at a time," Mendoza noted.

"Dominating" is definitely the right word to describe Tong's minor league performances this season. Tong leads the minor leagues with 179 strikeouts. On top of that, the 22-year-old has not allowed a run in 11 2/3 innings since being promoted to Triple A Syracuse on Aug. 11. He previously pitched in 20 games for Double A Binghamton. Across both stops this season, Tong is 10–5 with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts.

The Mets just placed right-handed pitcher Frank Montas on the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his season, on Monday. Additionally, right-hander Reed Garrett was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with right elbow inflammation.

Lamine Yamal's frustrations at being substituted off in Barcelona's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night might have rubbed some people up the wrong way, but the Spanish star proved he has the elite mentality that only the game's greatest – such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – possess.

Yamal hooked in Champions League

Yamal missed a total of five minutes at the end of the Champions League win over the German side at Camp Nou on Tuesday, but that did not stop him from showing his frustrations after his number was held up in the 89th minute. His night was fruitful, providing an assist, creating two chances, and having 110 touches of the ball, but it's not the first time his emotions have seemingly got the better of him. A few weeks ago, in the 3-1 win over Alaves – a game in which Yamal scored – he pulled off a similar stunt, giving a stone-faced look at his manager as he walked straight past him and to the bench. That night, the 18-year-old admitted he was frustrated with how he played, and that he holds himself to higher standards. The match against Frankfurt looks to be a similar situation, with Yamal proving he has a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque mentality, that there is always room for improvement, and he wants to be on the pitch for every minute possible.

That will not stop Flick from bringing his brightest talent off if he feels it is necessary, as he explained after Tuesday night's clash. He said: "We changed Lamine with a few minutes to go because he was booked and it was late," the German said. "If he was a bit annoyed, then I fully understand and I like it. I was a player too. It's fully acceptable, not a problem." Yamal is not the only star in La Liga to have erratic reactions to being hooked. Vinicius Junior has often caused a stir with his outbursts of emotion on the pitch, and it almost always comes down to the big-name players feeling like they have more to contribute. More often than not in modern football, the player outlasts the manager, and in Flick's case, he must manage Yamal carefully to avoid his own early dismissal. To his credit, he's doing everything right up to now.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFollowing in CR7's footsteps

Ironically, Yamal plays for Real Madrid's biggest rivals, but there are a lot of clear similarities between him and the great Cristiano Ronaldo. Like the Portuguese superstar, Yamal wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to show emotion. All he cares about is winning, not emulating those who came before him. Barca's No.10 went out of his way to claim he does not want to be Lionel Messi, the man who wore his shirt number for so many years in Spain and to such incredibly high standards. He said: "I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the 10 like him. I want to follow my own path."

The truly elite players in football want to be involved in every minute of every game across the season; that much has been evident in Yamal's time at the top so far. At 18, he has played over 8,000 minutes, significantly more than most players of his age, due to his astonishing breakthrough at just 15 years old. For that reason, Flick's decision to rest him at every available opportunity is somewhat justified. But what the German might find, going forward, is that Yamal's demands will increase, as he grows older, gets even better, and becomes a more globally recognised figure in the sport. When that moment comes, it will be better to just step back and let him shine. 

Overwhelming support for Barca's wonderkid

The consensus across social media is that Flick handled Yamal's frustrations in the media well enough – another clear indicator that it would be wise for the Blaugrana head coach not to get on the wrong side of the evolving superstar. One fan, @BEANle, explained his interpretation of the moment: "Lamine Yamal wasn't mad he’s just passionate. Kids who love the game never want to come off and that fire is exactly what makes him special."

Another, @DKostanjsak, reminded everything of the importance of the Barca man, adding: "Lamine Yamal is still the biggest game breaker in the world of football. His ability to flip the script from 0 to 100 is one of Barcelona's biggest weapons. But it's up to Flick to maximise that. At the moment, we're not getting the most out of the world's best."

Finally, @Ayse_Crypt said: "Barca fans should be relieved. We finally have a young talent who doesn’t hide when things get tough. He wants every minute, every duel, every moment. These are the guys who become club pillars."ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images SportA long career ahead

Unless there is a dramatic change, Yamal is going to be a Barcelona player for a long time. He has the ability to smash records, both in Spain and Europe, but only if he is given the freedom to grow into a role filled by Messi before him. As much as he might not be fond of them, the Messi comparisons aren't going anywhere. Lamine Yamal is going to be a name associated with football for the next decade at least, and it is not too-far fetched to suggest he could go on to become one of the greatest players of all time. While no player is bigger than the club, the support of the manager in ignoring the minor misdemeanors is only going to help Yamal on that path to legendary status. And Flick, for now, appears to have it spot on.

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O Bahia venceu o Grêmio por 1 a 0 neste sábado (27), na Arena Fonte Nova, pela quarta rodada do Brasileirão. Os único gol da partida foi marcado por Everaldo, ainda no primeiro tempo. Assista aos melhores momentos no vídeo acima.

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كشف محمد الصباحي الحكم الدولي السابق، مدى صحة ركلة جزاء الجيش الملكي التي تم احتسابها أمام الأهلي، في دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

وتعادل الأهلي مع الجيش الملكي بهدف لكل فريق، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

طالع.. مدرب الجيش الملكي: واجهنا أحد أفضل أندية العالم.. وكنا نستحق الفوز على الأهلي

وقال محمد الصباحي عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “ركلة جزاء الجيش الملكي المغربي غير صحيحة، مدافع الأهلي يده كانت في وضعها الطبيعي، والكرة أتت في صدره وبعد ذلك في يده التي كانت في وضع مبرر”.

وأضاف: “المباراة كانت كبيرة وتحتاج إلى حكم كبير، خبرات الحكم الليبي قليلة بعض الشيء، كان مخضوضًا أثناء البروتوكول”.

ويقع الأهلي في المجموعة الثانية في دوري أبطال إفريقيا رفقة أندية الجيش الملكي وشبيبة القبائل الجزائري ويانج أفريكانز التنزاني. 

Everton are reportedly exploring a move to sign James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out at West Ham United ever since the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Toffees are making a habit of offering transfer lifelines, having welcomed Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City in the summer and since been linked with Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee.

Their decision to sign Grealish on loan in the summer has so far gone as well as they could have wished. The Premier League winner has been back to his very best form for the most part and is likely to play a crucial part in the outcome of Everton’s season.

Full of praise for his summer arrival, Everton boss David Moyes recently told talkSPORT: “Jack’s been really good. He’s helped us maintain the ball more, we’re up on numbers in terms of possession.

“His goals have been huge, I’m sort of driving home to him that it’s good being an assist maker but it’s even better being a goalscorer. He’s given us a real strength in how he plays.

“He and Iliman Ndiaye have played really, really well and probably changed the way we are, we wanted to evolve and become better and both those players give us that opportunity.

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“He’s an incredible character, loves his football, watches and listens, which a lot of the modern players don’t so much, but Jack loves his football and Tuchel’s got a really difficult job [picking the squad].”

With Zirkzee already linked with a similar move from Man United and now Ward-Prowse emerging as a target, 2026 could be all about the revival of impressive players in Merseyside.

Everton now exploring Ward-Prowse move

As reported by TeamTalk’s Dean Jones, Everton are now exploring a move to sign Ward-Prowse in January. The midfielder has been given the cold shoulder by Nuno ever since the manager arrived at West Ham and is now almost “certain” to move on from the London club.

A reunion with Moyes could, therefore, be on the cards. Ward-Prowse played 51 games under the Scot during their time together at West Ham, scoring seven goals and assisting another 11 in an impressive run. Now frozen out in London, his former manager could hand him a much-needed lifeline.

It’s easy to forget the quality that the former Southampton star can offer these days, but it’s worth remembering that Ward-Prowse is only one free-kick goal away from equalling David Beckham’s Premier League record of 18 direct goals. That’s the unique quality that he could offer Everton, who would suddenly take their set-pieces to a whole new level.

Moyes knows all about Ward-Prowse’s specialty, having been full of praise for the midfielder at West Ham – telling reporters in 2023: “We could have scored four or five from corner kicks.

“We’ve been a decent side from set pieces, maybe without the word “specialist”, but I think we’ve got a specialist now in Ward-Prowse. He’s contributing to us and our results at the moment.”

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Pep Guardiola can certainly be credited with bringing through some exciting young talent from Manchester City’s academy. The Spaniard has certainly relied a lot on academy graduates, with the Citizens’ youth sides producing some of the best up-and-coming players in world football.

Of course, it was Guardiola who gave Cole Palmer his first forays into professional football, although the England international left for Chelsea back in 2023. The best homegrown star Guardiola brought through at the Etihad Stadium is Phil Foden, who has made 327 appearances for his boyhood club.

In more recent times, Nico O’Reilly has broken into the first-team squad.

Why Pep Guardiola loves O’Reilly at Man City

There is a lot to like about 20-year-old Mancunian star Nico O’Reilly. He has shone during his short City career so far, and was even rewarded with a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad, although he didn’t play a game.

So far, the youngster has made 30 appearances at first-team level for his boyhood club. He’s even chipped in with five goals and three assists in that time.

In 2025/26, O’Reilly has started the last four Premier League games.

The youngster has left a big impression on Guardiola, with the Spanish manager explaining he is “helping us a lot” in the senior side, before confirming he is “taking his opportunity” to impress for City.

It is easy to understand what the long-term City boss is talking about when he says those things. O’Reilly is like a Swiss army knife, able to operate in multiple positions.

A number 10 by trade, he’s played as a left-back more often than not for City, as well as in midfield and even as a centre-forward.

The versatility O’Reilly brings to the table is important in Guardiola’s squad. In many ways, his emergence has seen him leapfrog a similar profile of player in the pecking order.

The Man City star now on borrowed time

Guardiola himself summed it up perfectly, explaining that O’Reilly has grabbed his chance with both hands.

It is easy to consider him a nigh-on indispensable member of the group nowadays, with his England call-up cementing that.

However, O’Reilly’s role in the first team has meant that Rico Lewis’ opportunities have diminished this season. The 20-year-old full-back is also a graduate of City’s academy, and has played a lot of games since he broke into the side back in 2022/23.

In fact, the Bury-born star has reached exactly 100 games for his boyhood club, bringing up the milestone against Burnley last month.

He’s bagged five goals and assisted ten for the Citizens so far, including a strike in the FA Cup semi-final last season against Nottingham Forest.

Described as a “serious talent” by football statistician Statman Dave, Lewis can operate all over the pitch, just like O’Reilly. He has predominantly played at right-back, but has also featured on the opposite side and all across the midfield.

The ability to play as a right-back and tuck inside as a midfielder when his side has the ball has led Guardiola to describe Lewis as City’s “little Philipp Lahm.” However, since O’Reilly has broken through, he has seen his game time reduced, likely due to the similarity of the players.

When looking at a statistical comparison from last season in the Premier League, it is easy to see why Guardiola might favour O’Reilly.

The Mancunian star does outperform Lewis in several key metrics, although the latter did play more forward passes, with 11.9 compared to 11.

Chances created

0.3

0.7

Forward passes

11.9

11

Take-ons completed

0.5

1.6

Duels won

3.8

4.8

Ball recoveries

4.6

5.3

Perhaps Lewis is on borrowed time at City. He has been leapfrogged in the pecking order by a player the same age and a vastly similar profile. It will be tough for him to nail down a spot if things continue the same way.

Last summer, he was a transfer target for a number of Premier League clubs, with Nottingham Forest believed to have made a bid.

If his lack of game time continues this way, maybe he will explore a move away from his boyhood club.

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Tottenham Hotspur travel to face Leeds United in the Premier League this afternoon, looking to return to winning ways after their draw in the Champions League in midweek.

Thomas Frank will no doubt want to return to league action with a bang, after only managing to secure a 1-1 draw against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

However, on the whole, it’s been an impressive start to life in North London for the Dane, only suffering one defeat in his first nine matches after taking the reins in the summer.

Whilst Daniel Farke’s side are a newly-promoted outfit, they are still a side to be feared, with the Whites unbeaten in each of their last two top-flight outings.

If the Lilywhites are to have the best chance of avoiding a shock defeat at Elland Road, the manager desperately needs to drop one player who’s been extremely poor as of late.

Richarlison’s poor form in recent weeks

After scoring twice in the Premier League opener of 2025/26, there was a sense of excitement building at Spurs that Richarlison could be the man to lead the line under Frank.

While he’s managed to find the back of the net three times in his first six outings, the Brazilian has become a scapegoat in recent outings, given his lack of impact in the final third.

His recent showing against Bodo Glimt in the Champions League was arguably one of his worst of the campaign, only achieving a total of ten touches in his 90-minute performance.

Richarlison also only managed to complete two passes, whilst also losing possession five times – an average of once every two times he made contact with the ball.

The 28-year-old may have had limited opportunities, but he was also wasteful when the ball fell his way, subsequently missing one big chance and costing the Lilywhites a chance of claiming all three points.

The injury situation in attacking areas has been less than ideal for Frank, but he desperately needs to drop the Brazilian and hand one player the chance to flourish this afternoon in Yorkshire.

The player who needs to replace Richarlison against Leeds

Dominic Solanke has been Spurs’ main talisman over the last 12 months, often providing the goods within the final third before Frank’s arrival during the off-season.

The Englishman cost a club-record £65m last summer from Bournemouth and subsequently endured a solid first campaign in North London – scoring 16 goals across all competitions.

However, he’d found minutes hard to come by, only featuring for a total of 31 minutes in the Premier League, with an ankle injury preventing him from putting a consistent run together.

Another option that Frank must consider against Farke’s men is French star Mathys Tel, with the youngster needing a run of games to showcase his talents in North London.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with the Lilywhites, scoring three goals in his 20 appearances – but often struggled for consistency under Ange Postecoglou.

However, the hierarchy decided to fork out £30m for his signature during the off-season, with the board putting trust in the youngster to thrive in the years ahead.

Tel has only made four appearances in the Premier League this season, only one of which was from a starting position, with added minutes desperately needed to allow him to reach his full potential.

Despite his lack of action, he’s been labelled “Thierry Henry-like” by former fan-favourite Jermaine Defoe, further highlighting the talent he currently possesses.

The Englishman stated about his unbelievable ability to glide past his opponent, something which has been reflected in his tally of 67% dribble success rate in 2025/26.

Games played

4

Minutes played

104

Starts

1

Pass accuracy

83%

Crosses completed

0.9

Dribble success

67%

Duels won

6.9

Recoveries made

2.6

He’s also averaged 0.9 crosses per 90, along with 6.9 duels per 90 won – further highlighting his impressive all-round nature within attacking areas in North London.

It may be an unpopular call, but it’s one that needs to be done to give Frank the best chance of finding out his best eleven after taking the reins a few months ago.

Such a decision could give Richarlison the time he needs to recapture his form, which in time could create healthy competition for the Lilywhites within attacking areas.

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