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It was his 50th home Test, but the first one Ravindra Jadeja was playing without his long-time spin partner R Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last December. It was an unusual experience, but it made no difference as far as the impact Jadeja was able to make on the match. He scored an unbeaten 104, his sixth Test hundred, and took four second-innings wickets as India wrapped up victory over West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside eight sessions in Ahmedabad.Among the factors behind India winning so commandingly was the strength of their spin attack even without Ashwin, with Jadeja bowling alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar, and with Axar Patel on the bench.”Obviously we do miss him,” Jadeja said after the Test, when asked how Ashwin’s absence felt. “Ash has contributed so much to Indian cricket, been a match-winner for so many years.”I was playing a [Test] match in India without Ash for the first time, so sometimes I did find myself thinking, yeah, Ash will come on and bowl, and then realising he isn’t there. But Kuldeep and Washy have already played so many matches, and we can’t call them youngsters, but it was a different combination.”In the future you will ask, Jaddu isn’t here, and someone else will be there. This is inevitable, and it will keep happening, but it feels good to contribute to the team.”Related

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Jadeja’s performance in Ahmedabad left him tantalisingly close to the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket. He needs only 10 runs to become the fourth member of that particular club, and membership to an even more exclusive club — 5000 runs and 400 wickets, which presently only includes Kapil Dev — could also be within reach.”You’re putting pressure on me now,” Jadeja joked when asked about this. “I’ll have to start thinking about how to score 1000 more runs and take 60-70 more wickets.”At this stage I’m enjoying my cricket. I’m not thinking about records or milestones. I’m just working on my fitness and enjoying my cricket. Whenever I’m at home I always work on my fitness so that I just continue doing what I’ve been doing [for] so many years, so that’s about it.”At 36, Ravindra Jadeja is still sprightly on the field•Associated Press

The century in Ahmedabad extended a sensational 2025 with the bat for Jadeja. So far this year, he has scored 659 runs in seven Tests at an average of 82.37, with two hundreds and five fifties, with 516 of those runs coming in a series of remarkable consistency in England, which included a stretch of eight innings with six 50-plus scores.”I’ve worked on my batting — I’ve made some changes both mentally and skill-wise,” Jadeja said. “I used to have a different mindset before, in my batting, but I’ve made a few changes now.”Part of this, he said, came from regularly batting up the order. Since the start of 2023, he has batted 22 times at Nos. 5 and 6 in 40 innings.”If you get the chance to bat up the order, you definitely bat with a different mindset,” he said. “I’ve batted at No. 8 and 9 in Test matches before, and that comes with a different mindset, and if you bat with that mindset you can end up playing a loose shot and getting out.”I’ve also batted at No. 5 and 6, and that comes with a different mindset. You are aware of the responsibility you have to build partnerships with whichever batsman you are batting with. That has definitely made a difference.At 36, Jadeja is showing no perceptible signs of slowing down; he prowls the outfield as athletically as ever, and he has been largely injury-free since getting through a frustrating period in 2021-23 when injuries repeatedly kept him away from action.”Injuries can happen anytime,” he said. “There is no guarantee, and no precautions you can take [against them]. If you’re giving your 100% on the ground, you could have to dive anytime or put in an effort for a catch or a run-out.”Luckily, by god’s grace, I haven’t been injured that much and I work a lot on my fitness. I don’t put up a lot of videos of what all I do on social media, but I do it. And it has been making a difference on the ground, and it feels good that I’m able to give my 100% at this age, and it doesn’t feel like my fitness level is going down, so it puts me in a good frame of mind.”On being asked to expand on his fitness routines and whether that included monitoring his sleep cycles, Jadeja burst into laughter. “I keep it simple,” he said. “Not 8-9 hours, sometimes I sleep for longer too, and if I’m [enjoying my evening] I might sleep less too. But on a serious note, when matches are approaching, I know when to start my training, when to change my food intake. I have a very good idea of my body and what it needs and in what state it is in at any time.”

Danny Rohl’s start to life in charge of Glasgow Rangers on the European stage has not gone to plan so far, as he has lost both of his Europa League games without his side scoring a goal.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, though, has inherited a team that struggled badly under Russell Martin, and will not have any of his own signings until the January transfer window.

Rohl took over from Martin after the Scottish manager only won five of his 17 games and one of his Scottish Premiership outings in the dugout for the Ibrox giants.

The German tactician has had an instant impact on the side in the Premiership. Rangers have won all three of their league games since his arrival at the club, and kept back-to-back clean sheets away from home.

A 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday means that the Light Blues can head into the final international break on a high, after goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore, and Djeidi Gassama.

However, there are still some individuals within the squad who have been unable to step up. Bojan Miovski, for example, was hooked off at half-time against Dundee.

Why Rangers should be worried about Bojan Miovski

The Light Blus should be concerned by the Macedonia international’s dismal start to life at Ibrox, because he has yet to show any signs of replicating his form with Aberdeen.

Miovski was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window to bolster Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, possibly because of his proven track record in Scottish football.

The left-footed forward’s return of 32 goals in 78 games in the Premiership for the Dons suggested that he was a safe and sensible signing to add goals to the Gers attack, but it has not played out that way.

Miovski has scored one goal in eight appearances in the top-flight for Rangers, against Falkirk, from an xG of 1.84, per FotMob, which suggests that he has underperformed as a finisher.

The Rangers centre-forward was given the nod to lead the line against Dundee at Dens Park, after coming off the bench against Roma last week, but he was unable to prove to Rohl that he deserves more starts on the other side of the international break.

Minutes

45

Touches

14

Dribbles completed

0/0

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Duels won

2/8

As you can see in the table above, Miovski failed to register a single shot on goal in 45 minutes of action before being taken off at half-time. Whilst you could point to a lack of creativity behind him, his struggles in duels meant that he was unable to fashion chances for himself.

The Scottish giants, therefore, should be worried about the former Aberdeen marksman, because he has been at the club for several months now and is no closer to showing the kind of quality that earned him a good reputation in the Premiership in the past.

Miovski, though, was not the only Rangers player who failed to deliver an impressive performance in spite of the 3-0 victory against Dundee last time out.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rohl must ruthlessly drop central midfielder Mohamed Diomande from the starting line-up when the Gers return to action on the other side of the international break, as he was just as bad as Miovski at Dens Park.

Why Rangers should drop Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian midfielder was taken off by the German head coach at half-time, just as Miovski was, and was replaced by Scotland international Connor Barron.

Per Sofascore, Diomande lost 75% (3/4) of his duels in the opening 45 minutes of the game at Dens Park, which shows that he was too much of a lightweight in the middle of the park. That may have been why Rohl decided to take him off for Barron, who won 100% (2/2) of his duels in the second half.

The Rangers midfielder also failed to take any shots on goal, did not create any chances for his teammates, and did not attempt a single dribble, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered very little in midfield and was just as bad as Miovski, who was as ineffective in and out of possession.

Diomande, who was sent off against Genk in the Europa League in September, has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.

The left-footed star scored four goals and provided seven assists in 36 outings in the Premiership last season, but his form in and out of possession has dropped off a cliff this year.

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

As you can see in the table above, his defensive and offensive numbers are down across the board in the Premiership for the Gers, which shows that he has been unable to carry last season’s success over to the current one.

His underwhelming performance against Dundee on Sunday was simply the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the central midfielder for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, as he has struggled in and out of possession throughout the season.

Given that Barron came on and showed great energy and desire to win 100% of his duels off the bench in the second half, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Diomande from the starting XI for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox on the other side of the international break.

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Miovski and Diomande both failed to offer enough quality on the pitch in the first half against Dundee, hence why they were hauled off at the break, and they should both lose their place in the starting line-up as a result of that.

Karim Benzema has revealed his true feelings about former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo after taking in a supposedly frosty reunion with the Portuguese legend during their respective spells in the Saudi Pro League. Benzema and Ronaldo, who were once colleagues at Santiago Bernabeu, are now in the Middle East with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr.

• Friends turned foes: Ronaldo & Benzema won many trophies in Madrid

  Benzema and Ronaldo formed part of the fabled ‘BBC’ attacking unit in Spain alongside Wales international Gareth Bale. They savoured La Liga and Champions League triumphs together, while posting jaw-dropping numbers in the goal scoring department.

  Friends have now become foes, with both men heading to Saudi Arabia in 2023. Ronaldo was the first to make that move, following his release by Manchester United, with Benzema following the five-time Ballon d’Or winner after landing a Golden Ball of his own.

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• Getty
  

  Benzema explains his relationship with Ronaldo

  Al-Ittihad have been more successful than Al-Nassr, with Benzema landing a league title and King’s Cup in 2024-25, but Ronaldo is determined to right those wrongs. He did, however, suffer more trophy-chasing heartache in the last-16 of this season’s King’s Cup.

  Ronaldo and Benzema did not have much to say to one another in front of the cameras when Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr locked horns once more, but they were friendlier behind the scenes.

  Benzema has revealed as much, telling when it was put to him that things seemed a little off between two men that were close friends in Madrid: “No, please. We talked in the locker room. We hugged, we talked… Then on the pitch we can't or shouldn't do it again. The same thing again? There's a lot of respect, we're fine. We don't need to teach anything. We're good. We've both learned from each other. It seems like we have to say things or do things in front of the TV. It's not like that. A lot of respect. We find it on the pitch and each of us focuses on our own game.”

• Benzema targets: Veteran striker still going strong

  Benzema added on joining Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, with their presence helping to grow the game in the Middle East: “Saudi Arabia needs players like Cristiano, or like me, or like others who have come here to give them some of the things we have in Europe. We have to teach the local lads what it takes so they can go to other clubs. It's a country that's opening up. The people are well-mannered in their daily interactions. It's a very good place for me.”

  Ex-France international Benzema is now 37 years of age, but has plundered 46 goals for Al-Ittihad through 75 appearances. He said of being in a good place: “Yes, very much so. When I signed, I had just won the Ballon d'Or that season. It wasn't the end of my career; I wanted to keep playing and enjoying football. I feel very good at this club. The fans are great, and the lads are also eager to work hard. These are things I really appreciate on a daily basis.”

  On his immediate targets, he added: “Keep scoring goals, keep playing, keep creating plays, keep giving and transmitting that emotion to people. Not just in Saudi Arabia, but to the whole world of football. Every time I step onto the pitch, I want people to see that. I like to always be doing things, even in training.”

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  What next for Benzema? Contract in Saudi Arabia running down

  Like Ronaldo, Benzema is heading towards retirement. He is yet to decide what will happen when boots are hung up for the final time. Quizzed on whether he could move into management, the veteran frontman said: “I don't know. I have friends who are already involved in coaching and they're always talking to me about it, but it's difficult. Being a footballer or a coach seems different, but it's the same pressure. It's complicated.”

  For now, Benzema is fully focused on his playing commitments. He is only tied to a contract through to next summer, when free agency could be reached, and will celebrate his 38th birthday on December 19.

Manchester United are now seriously plotting a January move for an “incredible” star, who Ruben Amorim may play in a new position.

Man Utd eyeing players to fit Amorim's system

Amorim has come under heavy scrutiny for being unwilling to compromise on his three-at-the-back system, with Jamie Carragher calling the manager into question after the 1-0 defeat at home against Everton last month.

Carragher makes it clear he doesn’t understand how the 40-year-old can stick to the formation so “steadfastly”, but in fairness Man United do seem to have turned a corner, having lost just one of their last seven Premier League games.

There is still plenty of room for improvement, but the manager seems to have bought himself some time, which means INEOS will be tasked with bringing in players suited to playing his system this winter, should they decide to enter the market for new additions.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United are now seriously plotting a move for AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, whose £65m release clause becomes active in the early stages of the January transfer window.

The release clause drops as low as £50m in the summer, which is good news for the long list of potential suitors, with Liverpool and Manchester City also being named as potential suitors, and Pep Guardiola’s side are leading the race for his signature.

The 25-year-old has caught the eye from an attacking point of view this season, having featured on both wings for AFC Bournemouth, but there is a feeling he could be used as a right-wing back in Amorim’s system.

"Incredible" Semenyo may be wasted at right-wing back

It would be a real statement if Man United were able to sign the Ghanaian, amid major interest from some top clubs, as he has emerged as one of the Premier League’s star players this season, chipping in with six goals and three assists in 13 outings.

Lauded as “incredible” by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, the Bournemouth star is also a well-rounded player, who could do a job at right-wing back, as showcased by the fact he ranks in the 80th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, having averaged 1.60.

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That said, given Semenyo’s ability on the front foot, he would perhaps be wasted in a deeper position, and Amorim should play him in a more advanced role, should the Red Devils win the race for his signature.

With Mason Mount getting the nod in the left-sided attacking midfield role against Crystal Palace, given Matheus Cunha’s injury, United could clearly do with greater depth in that area of the pitch, and the 32-time Ghana international has proven himself as a top Premier League forward.

Athapaththu took three wickets and there was one run-out in the 50th over as Bangladesh lost five wickets in their last nine balls

Madushka Balasuriya20-Oct-2025

Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images

A tournament lacking in genuine tight finishes has now produced two in two days, as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka played out a low-scoring thriller in Navi Mumbai. But in truth this game should have never got to that stage, as Bangladesh nursed their chase of 203 only to stumble at the last and fall to a seven-run defeat. The result means, Bangladesh are eliminated from semi-final contention, while Sri Lanka live to fight another day.This was a chase that Sri Lanka were behind for around 48 overs, but in a tantalising final dash they picked up five wickets and gave away two runs off the final nine deliveries, as Bangladesh were unable to close out a game that they had controlled for large parts.Madara pulled up

Sri Lanka’s Malki Madara has been reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC’s code of conduct during the match against Bangladesh on Monday. Madara was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an international match.”
The incident in question took place in the 11th over of Bangladesh’s innings when Madara, after dismissing Fargana Hoque, celebrated “excessively in close proximity to the batter”.
In addition, one demerit point has been added to Madara’s disciplinary record – it was her first offence in a 24-month period.

The final scorecard will read that Chamari Athapaththu picked up figures of 4 for 42, but three of those came in a game-stealing final over, where Bangladesh lost four wickets off the first four deliveries – a run-out in the middle ensuring it wasn’t an Athapaththu hat-trick.Up until then Nigar Sultana had anchored the chase, if not expertly then at least safely. Her 77 off 98 came mostly as part of two major partnerships – the first 82 off 120 with Sharmin Akhter and the second 50 off 58 with Shorna Akter – during which Sri Lanka were like passengers aboard a rudderless ship, just merely on for the ride.To stick with the analogy, this was not a ship moving particularly swiftly. With a pretty chaseable target of 203 on the board, Bangladesh were guilty of being overly cautious – perhaps bearing in mind their poor batting efforts earlier in the tournament – as they inched along.On a pitch, not offering much for the many spinners they picked, Sri Lanka were resigned to simply keeping things tight, unable to really impose themselves on the game with the ball until the dying moments when everything seemed to happen all at once.Hasini Perera scored her first ODI half-century•Getty ImagesEarlier however, it was Sri Lanka who had been slowed to a crawl, after a stunning mid-innings collapse had halted them. Hasini Perera struck a maiden international fifty in her 143rd match, a shining light (85 off 99) in and otherwise disjointed batting effort and was one of only three batters – Athapaththu (46) and Nilakshika Silva (37) the other two – to reach double-digits.Both Athapaththu and Hasini brought up milestones – 4000 and 1000 ODI runs, respectively – during their knock as well, while Hasini was eventually named Player of the Match.Shorna once more proved decisive – despite only being introduced at the halfway point of the innings – as she picked up figures of 3 for 27, including the crucial wickets of both Hasini and Nilakshika. The rest of the wickets were spread out, with only Ritu Moni going wicketless.Bangladesh were sloppy in the field, missing several chances, including run-outs and stumpings, but they were also spot on with their reviews. Despite this, Sri Lanka had at several points been on the up – in control, even. There was the 72-run stand between Athapaththu and Hasini after the fall of that first wicket, which had Sri Lanka romping along at nearly run-a-ball.Related

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On a wicket with few demons, Athapaththu’s 46 off 43 included six fours and two sixes. For the most part she looked unfazed by what Bangladesh threw at her so when she was trapped lbw by one that snuck past her forward defence, it was against the run of play.After this point Sri Lanka were both unfortunate and architects of their own demise. A fledgling partnership of 15 between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini was brought to an end after the former called for a non-existent second run and found herself a metre short.If that was self-inflicted, the next wicket was pure unadulterated bad luck. Kavisha Dilhari chopped an attempted cut into the ground, as the ball promptly bounced past the stumps, struck keeper Sultana, and bobbled on to the stumps. Bangladesh went about their business after this, the fielders even getting back into their positions, but the third umpire was alert and used the Smart Replay system in effect at this tournament to inform the on-field umpires of a possible stumping.And as it turned out, Dilhari’s back foot had momentarily lifted off the ground as she searched for balance. It was in that moment the bails had lit up – a fitting tribute to the Diwali celebrations around the stadium.As Bangladesh celebrated wildly, Sri Lanka had suddenly stumbled from 72 for 1 to 100 for 4, a worrying blip with them being a batter light after replacing allrounder Piumi Wathsala with seamer Udeshika Prabodani. Thankfully for the Lankans, in Hasini and Nilakshika they had the exact counterattacking pair the occasion called for.Shorna Akter ran through Sri Lanka’s middle order•ICC/Getty ImagesTogether they strung a 74-run stand off just 75 deliveries. It was a period in which batting seemed the easiest, with both players finding boundaries with regularity. If there was one criticism – and this would be one across Sri Lanka’s innings – it would be their lack of strike rotation.Despite the pair hitting nine boundaries (including three sixes) across their partnership lasting a shade over 12 overs, they were unable to usher in a run rate above six an over. This was a problem that would plague Bangladesh’s innings as well, later on.Perhaps it was their awareness of the lack of batting to follow that kept them in check, but it was unusual to see so many tossed up deliveries of spin dead-batted away. As it transpired, Nilakshika’s innings came to an end prematurely, as she shanked an on-side heave off Shorna to short third.This wicket proved to be a catalyst for Sri Lanka’s most devastating collapse, losing their next three wickets for just eight runs – Shorna getting two of them.From then on, Sri Lanka’s innings slowed to a trickle as they sought to bat time, before eventually being bowled out with eight deliveries remaining. Their final 103 balls saw 28 runs scored and six wickets fall, a feat somehow surpassed by Bangladesh.

Celtic are in the process of finding their long-term successor to former head coach Brendan Rodgers, who resigned from the role last month after a 3-1 loss to Hearts.

The Northern Irish manager returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, and won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his full seasons in charge.

Celtic are now looking for a manager to come in and build on that success in the months and seasons to come, and Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy appears to be closing in on the job.

The latest on Wilfried Nancy to Celtic

According to Sky Sports, the Premiership champions have been granted permission by Columbus Crew to hold discussions with the French tactician this weekend.

The report claims that Nancy is open to making the move from the MLS to Scotland to replace Rodgers in the dugout, after the 2025 MLS came to an end for his side this month.

It adds that the Hoops want to have a new manager in place for their league clash with St Mirren next weekend, and that they will need to discuss compensation with Columbus Crew if they agree terms with Nancy.

If the French boss does take over the job in the coming days, one player who could benefit from his arrival at Parkhead is central midfielder Arne Engels.

Why Arne Engels could explode under Wilfried Nancy

Just as Matt O’Riley did when Rodgers took over from Postecoglou, Engels could explode with the change in manager from Rodgers to Nancy this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Belgian star could be O’Riley 2.0 with the potential that he has to be an exciting attacking force as one of the two number 10s behind the striker in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Appearances

38

37

Goals

3

18

Minutes per goal

843

181

Big chances created

16

14

Key passes per game

2.2

2.5

Assists

12

13

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international, who now plays for Marseille, scored 15 more goals and provided one more assist in the league under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou.

Engels could benefit in a similar way with this change in manager, as he has mainly played as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system for Rodgers, but he could play further forward under Nancy.

The Belgium international, whose set-piece delivery was hailed as “world-class” by Rodgers, produced nine goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, but has only managed one goal and one assist in ten games this term, with both of those goal contributions coming against Kilmarnock for Martin O’Neill.

Engels has created four ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Europa League this season, being rewarded with one assist, per Sofascore, which is a testament to his technical and creative quality.

The midfield star is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, over a year on from his £11m move from Augsburg, which suggests that the Hoops need to find a way to get more out of him, to ensure that their £11m investment does not turn out to be a poor one.

Playing further up the pitch, as a number ten, as part of Nancy’s preferred tactical set-up would put him in more positions to show off his brilliant technical ability, rather than often being too far from goal as a central midfielder or as a number six under Rodgers.

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Therefore, the Columbus Crew tactician could help Engels to explode and follow in O’Riley’s footsteps if Celtic hire him and he goes through with the 3-4-2-1 system used in the MLS.

Manchester United have managed to get a more consistent run of form together under Ruben Amorim. It took a long time, a year into the Portuguese manager’s reign at Old Trafford, but results have improved in recent weeks, even if consistent performances are yet to follow.

However, one issue United continue to have this season is the fact that they can’t stop conceding goals. The 18 they have let in so far in the Premier League this term are better than just five sides, all of whom occupy 16th to 20th in the top flight.

Despite the defensive frailties, one of the men at the back, Matthijs de Ligt, has been a standout player.

The numbers behind De Ligt's form for Man Utd

It has been a superb second season in red so far for Netherlands international De Ligt. The 26-year-old has been a key man in Amorim’s back three, showing versatility as a central centre-back and a right-sided centre-back.

The Ajax academy graduate has been ever-present in the Premier League. He’s played 90 minutes in all 11 of the Red Devils’ top-flight games, and has surely cemented himself as Amorim’s most trusted defender.

Not only has De Ligt been a colossus at the back, winning 3.55 aerial duels per 90 minutes in the Premier League, but he came up clutch at the weekend. The Dutch defender headed home a stoppage-time equaliser to secure United a late point away to Tottenham Hotspur.

His exceptional performances have not gone unnoticed. Rio Ferdinand, who knows a thing or two about being a top defender for United, was full of praise for the Dutchman recently.

He said De Ligt has been “magnificent” and is “probably the first name on the teamsheet” under Amoirm at the moment.

The defender has been excellent in 2025/26, but it is one of his teammates who could actually be seen as United’s new Nemanja Vidic.

Man United's new version of Vidic

When you think of United’s former captain Vidic, there are a few different things which might spring to mind. He was a colossal defender, and, of course, formed half of that legendary duo with Ferdinand at the heart of United’s defence.

Well, the modern-day version of Vidic under Amorim could be Brazilian legend Casemiro. Of course, he is a midfielder, whereas the former Red Devils number 15 was a centre-back, but there are plenty of similar traits shared by the pair.

Casmeiro, for example, brings a wealth of experience to the United side, which is something Amorim has leaned heavily on this season.

He’s played ten times in the Premier League this season, only missing one game due to suspension after getting sent off against Chelsea.

Games

10

Games started

9

Minutes

620

Minutes per game

62

Goals and assists

4

The former Real Madrid star is also a leader. Of course, he isn’t the club captain, with that title belonging to Bruno Fernandes. Yet, the 33-year-old is a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, and has played under great managers and alongside great managers.

He certainly brings bags of leadership to United’s squad, just as Vidic did all those years ago.

One of the dangers Vidic brought was his set-piece threat. He scored 21 times for United, with many of those bullet headers from a corner or free kick. Casemiro brings the same threat, and even scored from a corner two weeks ago away to Nottingham Forest.

It is easy to see how there are similarities between Vidic and United’s current number 18. The pair are warriors on the pitch, who bring years of experience and a brilliant and important sense of leadership, too.

Casemiro, described as a “monster” player by Statman Dave, has been crucial at Old Trafford under Amorim. Having a player of his calibre in the squad has certainly been vital to their good run of form in recent weeks.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 9, 2025

Stina Blackstenius came to the rescue as a beleaguered Arsenal limped to a nervy 2-1 win over Women's Super League basement side Liverpool on Saturday. Former Reds star Olivia Smith banged in a sublime individual goal before Beata Olsson levelled up for a well-earned first-half equaliser. The Gunners were poor for lengthy spells but substitute Blackstenius' quality finish gave the home fans a huge sigh of relief.

Much of the build-up to the game centred on Canada international Smith facing her old side, and, sure enough, the livewire forward gave Arsenal the lead with a 25-yard strike after beating three defenders in the 16th minute. But an all too familiar story played out on the pitch for the Gunners as they failed to grab a second and were punished on the half-hour mark when Olsson tucked the ball home for a relatively soft equaliser. The Swedish forward, who became the first WSL player to score in four of her first five starts, was the home side's tormentor-in-chief as the north London team were second-best for sustained periods. 

England forward Alessia Russo spurned some good opportunities in front of goal as Arsenal regrouped in the second half, and then substitute Stina Blackstenius was denied by some heroic, last-gasp defending by Gemma Evans. But the Swede grabbed the winner three minutes from time when she emphatically whacked a terrific finish into the top corner in front of nearly 35,000 fans. The result sees Arsenal climb up to third in the WSL for the time being, whereas Liverpool are rock bottom.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Anneke Borbe (4/10):

  The pressure was on the keeper on her Arsenal debut but she didn't look convincing in between the sticks. She was flat-footed and didn't get a strong enough hand on the ball to keep out Olsson's goal. Not a good first outing.

  Emily Fox (5/10):

  Got into some dangerous positions but some of her decision-making at important moments wasn't quite good enough.

  Lotte Wubben-Moy (6/10):

  Probably should have given Arsenal an early lead but her header from two yards out somehow hit the post. However, she did make some good recovery tackles.

  Steph Catley (5/10):

  Was undone by Mia Enderby's through ball, but she was well out of position anyway. Her place could now be under threat.

  Taylor Hinds (6/10):

  Fired in some nice crosses into the box against her old team and didn't do much wrong before being taken off.

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  Midfield

  Frida Maanum (5/10):

  The experienced campaigner didn't do a great deal on and off the ball and was hooked before the hour mark.

  Mariona Caldentey (6/10):

  The Spaniard was one of Arsenal's few lively players in the first half as her creativity and crosses into the box caused problems. But even some of her passing was downright sloppy.

  Kyra Cooney-Cross (5/10):

  Even though she isn't a defender, Cooney-Cross' slack marking allowed Liverpool to draw level – an opportunity they duly took. Not the Aussie's best day.

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  Attack

  Beth Mead (5/10):

  The England stalwart provided some dangerous deliveries into the box but was part of an attack that was too cumbersome.

  Alessia Russo (5/10):

  Played with her back to goal on a number of occasions but when she did get into good positions, she wasted some big chances. 

  Olivia Smith (7/10):

  Was able to conjure something out of nothing as Arsenal's lukewarm attack uninspiringly huffed and puffed. Faded as the game wore on.

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  Subs & Manager

  Caitlin Foord (4/10):

  Initially added a bit more dynamism off the bench but made a right meal out of a golden chance after the hour mark and some of her passing was very shoddy.

  Katie McCabe (6/10):

  Didn't really have much to deal with as Arsenal turned the screw in the second half.

  Stina Blackstenius (7/10):

  The striker was caught offside on too many occasions, with the Swede not needing to make her runs so early. She should have made it 2-1 but wasn't clinical enough when one-on-one with the keeper, but spectacularly took her goal at the end.

  Kim Little (6/10):

  The captain was competent enough when she was introduced. 

  Laia Codina (N/A):

  Had no time to make an impact.

  Renee Slegers (6/10):

  Her second-half substitutes helped wrestle the game's momentum back to Arsenal but she will be worried how her players don't put away teams and have lengthy lulls. 

Celtic’s wait for a European away win is over.

On Thursday night, despite falling behind inside 11 minutes, the Hoops fought back to beat Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip; Yang Hyun-jun, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren the scorers on a famous night in Rotterdam.

Before this, the Celts had failed to win any of their last 16 European fixtures on the road, dating back four years.

In fact, since reaching the UEFA Cup Final under Martin O’Neill in 2003, they have won only six times on the continent, excluding qualifiers, enjoying wins over Spartak Moskva, Anderlecht, Rosenborg, Lazio, Ferencváros and now Feyenoord across the last 22 seasons.

In terms of this season, the victory propels the Celts up to 21st in the gigantic Europa League table, a major boost to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages, with games against Roma, Bologna and then Utrecht still to come.

So, which Celtic star looked like an £100m player during this win at De Kuip?

Celtic's new manager latest

Since returning to the club on an interim basis, O’Neill could hardly have done much better.

He has won three Premiership matches out of three, ousted Rangers in the League Cup semi-finals and now claimed a memorable European victory in the Netherlands; the shellacking against Midtjylland in Herning the only blot on his copybook.

Nevertheless, for how much longer will he remain in interim charge?

Well, the 73 year old, alongside Shaun Maloney, will still be at the helm for Sunday’s clash with Hibernian at Easter Road, but could that be the final game of their tenure?

That’s because, according to widespread reports, the club are now in advanced talks with Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, with some optimistic that the Frenchman could be in place in time for next Wednesday’s clash with Dundee.

Considering they take on current Premiership leaders Hearts and then the side top of Serie A Roma thereafter, the board will be desperate to get Nancy in as quickly as possible.

Assuming the Frenchman was watching Thursday’s win over Feyenoord, potentially while enjoying some Thanksgiving food in Ohio, one player in particular surely will have caught his eye.

Celtic's best player vs Feyenoord

Towards the end of Brendan Rodgers’ tenure, Reo Hatate found himself no longer a guaranteed starter, only on the bench for the Europa League home defeat to Braga, before not getting on at all during a dismal goalless draw with Hibs in September.

Nevertheless, having been made a key figure under O’Neill, he was the star of the show in Rotterdam.

Hatate spectacularly set up Yang’s equaliser before, soon after, coolly slotting home the second, rolling the ball into an unguarded net from long-range after some trademark closing down by Daizen Maeda forced Timon Wellenreuther into a catastrophic error.

Overall, the midfield maestro completed 89% of his passes, took two shots, created one big chance and registered nine ball recoveries, underlining that he was everywhere.

After a 3-3 draw with Rangers at Ibrox last year, Brendan Rodgers asserted that Hatate “gives it away too much for my liking”, labelling him “sloppy’, a sign of his decline in form and importance.

Now though, he is playing at a comparable level to Enzo Fernandez, according to FBref, who note that the players are statistically and stylistically similar among those in their position across Europe.

That is a sign of Hatate’s recent revival, not least with Fernandez having not too long ago been signed by Chelsea for a fee of around £107m from Benfica.

Such a comparison is no unwarranted either, with Hatate arguably putting in his best performance of the season against Feyenoord, while operating in a Fernandez-esque, more advanced midfield berth

Hatate – last 365 days

Stats

Hatate

Non-penalty Goals

0.13

Assists

0.26

Shot-creating actions

2.31

Pass completion

83%

Progressive passes

4.31

Progressive carries

1.16

Successful take-ons

0.77

Tackles

1.28

Interceptions

0.51

via FBref

Meantime, the Japanese star is proving just what a goal threat he is in Europe too, scoring against both Midtjylland and Feyenoord, also registering an assist at De Kuip this week.

Given how impressive Hatate has been since first arriving at Parkhead almost four years ago, it is frankly a surprise that a Premier League club has not come in and poached him.

Celtic supporters will hope that remains the case, with the 28-year-old likely to be a central, undroppable figure when Nancy does finally arrive.

Related As good as Hatate: Celtic flop showed he can be "world class" under Nancy

Celtic beat Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, and one player showed his “world class’ potential, as good as Reo Hatate.

Posts ByBen Gray Nov 28, 2025

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections will be held on October 6, the board’s election commission announced on Sunday. The general members body, known as the councillors, will elect 23 of the 25 board directors, and the BCB president will be elected from that pool of 25 to serve a four-year term.The announcement was made less than an hour after former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal accused BCB president Aminul Islam of “interference” in the election process.Tamim, who recently announced he was standing for election, held a press conference in Dhaka along with several other aspirants and former BCB directors. He said Aminul’s signed letter, dated September 18, instructing the country’s sports secretary that he has extended the deadline for nomination submission, was a unilateral decision taken by the board president.”The election commission is in charge since their appointment, which in this case was from September 6,” Tamim said. “The BCB president extended the deadline for nomination submission twice. The deadlines for submitting nominations were first set for September 17. He extended it to September 19, and then September 22. The second extension was signed off by the president himself, which is highly irregular. The BCB’s chief executive is supposed to send out these letters, but he didn’t issue the letter for the second extension. The president signed off the letter.”Tamim alleged the BCB’s constitution was violated when the board representatives from the country’s eight divisions and 64 districts were nominated by an ad-hoc committee, rather than seasoned sports organisers being nominated. “Typically, in districts and divisions, those involved in sports can nominate councillors through the district administration. This has been the practice for many years. But this time, an ad-hoc committee was formed and only its approval would be valid for nominations.”It isn’t mentioned in the BCB’s constitution. Moreover, we have seen people being removed from or added to the ad-hoc committee at will. If elections are conducted this way, it is no longer an election but a selection. Elections should be open and fair for everyone.”Tamim urged the authorities to respect the original councillors’ list. “I hope that those declared as councillors on September 17 remain unchanged. There should be no modifications. Cricket must remain for everyone – not for a specific person or group. I hope the election is impartial and free from interference.”According to the election schedule, the draft voter list will be published on September 22, followed by the final list on September 25.The election will have three categories. In the first, ten directors will be elected from the divisions and districts in the country. In the second category, 12 directors will be elected from the representatives of the Dhaka clubs. In the third category, one director will be elected from a pool of former cricketers, national captains, security forces, and councillors nominated by the National Sports Council. The Bangladesh government will also select two directors to sit on the board.