Imam-Ul-Haq century impresses but Liam Dawson emerges on top with List A career highlight of 142

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay31-Aug-2025

Liam Dawson acknowledges the applause for his 142•ECB/Getty Images

Hampshire are through to next month’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final after a rain-affected semi-final win over Yorkshire at Scarborough, the visitors defending a revised 41-over target of 254 following Liam Dawson’s stunning List A best 142 off 116 balls.Hampshire, winners of this competition in 2018, will face Worcestershire at Trent Bridge on September 20 after the Rapids beat Somerset at home and the visitors won here by 18 runs on Duckworth Lewis Stern.In reply to Hampshire’s 304 for 6, which saw England Test all-rounder Dawson brilliantly recover his side from 78 for 4 inside 20 overs, Pakistani opener Imam-Ul-Haq impressed for 105.And Yorkshire were well placed at 171 for 3 in the 31st over chasing a revised 254-target in 41 overs following rain.But they lost two wickets in a Scott Currie over, including Imam run out, and Hampshire squeezed impressively, with the hosts 235 for 8.Currie, who struck twice with his seam, had earlier contributed his own List A best 61 not out off 40 balls. Dawson’s left-arm spin also accounted for two wickets, and Yorkshire have now lost 19 of their last 22 List A finals.Yorkshire started well, Matt Milnes dominating as Hampshire slipped having been inserted.Seamer Milnes, having claimed a career-best 7 for 38 in last Sunday’s group-stage win over Sussex at Hove, claimed the first three here, including forcing visiting captain Nick Gubbins to play on with his third ball in the day’s second over.He then removed Fletcha Middleton and Ali Orr before George Hill’s seam also forced Ben Brown to play on.Dawson came in at 53 for 3 in the 12th over and offered a sharp return catch to Ben Cliff on six, clearly a key moment.The 35-year-old was the glue which held the innings together before exploding late on.He shared 89 for the fifth wicket with 17-year-old Ben Mayes, whose 37 helped to turn the tide, before sixth-wicket partner Currie pressed the accelerator.Shortly after Dawson reached his fourth List A century off 103 balls, Currie’s maiden List A fifty came in 35 as Hampshire pushed on from 180 for 5 after 40 overs.Dawson finished with seven sixes and hit strongly down the ground and over cover and long-on, while both he and Currie improvised as they shared 136 inside the last 13 overs of the innings – 75 runs coming off the last five overs.Kyle Abbott and Brad Wheal then bowled very tidily with the new ball, restricting Adam Lyth and Imam to 43 for 0 in the 13th over when the rain arrived.A half-hour delay through to 4.25pm was followed by Lyth edging the second ball back behind off Eddie Jack.Imam, leaving for national commitments after this game, then calmly advanced the hosts to 98 for 1 after 20 overs with a 52-ball fifty.Strong off his legs, the left-hander then united with Will Luxton to share 99.Luxton pulled a couple of sixes, including one the first ball back after the second half-hour rain break. But he chopped on to Jack with the second, falling for 30.James Wharton holed out to Currie shortly afterwards before Imam reached his fourth ton of this season’s campaign off 96 balls.But Wharton and Imam fell, alongside Fin Bean, as Yorkshire lost a defining three wickets for 10 inside two overs to slip to 171 for 5 in the 32nd, still needing 83.Imam was run out by a combination of Jack from midwicket and bowler Currie after Bean pulled and non-striker Imam slipped.Yorkshire then lost Hill and Harry Duke in successive balls to Wheal and Dawson and, seven wickets down, needed 47 off 4.5 overs.From there, they subsided, with Dawson striking again.

SA were cruising on 92 without loss in pursuit of 181, but eventually couldn’t get seven runs in the final over

Firdose Moonda26-Jul-2025

New Zealand won the T20I tri-series undefeated•Zimbabwe Cricket

Matt Henry defended six runs in the last over against South Africa as New Zealand claimed the Harare tri-series trophy, and remained the only side to successfully defend a total at this venue. In a thrilling contest, South Africa were cruising on 92 without loss in the tenth over in pursuit of 181, but lost 4 for 39 after that.That left them needing 50 runs to win off the last 29 balls. A 43-run stand off 25 deliveries between Dewald Brevis and George Linde put South Africa on the doorstep of victory, but both holed out in the final over as the pressure told, and New Zealand held on.Brevis was on 31 off 14 balls as Henry stepped up to bowl the 20th over, and could not get the first ball away. He lashed out at the second one, which was dug in short, and sent it towards Michael Bracewell at deep midwicket. Bracewell caught it just inside the rope, and the catch was deemed clean to send Brevis on his way.Corbin Bosch hit the first ball he faced in the same area, and a misfield from Bracewell allowed two runs before another aerial shot put Linde on strike. Linde sent Henry to long-on, where Daryl Mitchell took a good, low catch, and left it to Senuran Muthusamy to score four off the last ball. Henry took pace off, Muthusamy swung too early and found fresh air, and New Zealand’s 100% record in the series remained intact. Henry finished as the leading wicket-taker with ten in four matches.Lungi Ngidi got two wickets, and was economical•Zimbabwe CricketAfter comprehensive wins in the four games before this, New Zealand were properly tested in the decider, and will know they could have made things trickier for South Africa with a more challenging total. After Tim Seifert and Devon Conway put on 75 for the first wicket and laid a solid foundation for New Zealand, the subsequent partnerships did not kick on as well as they would have liked. South Africa pulled New Zealand back from 68 without loss in eight overs, and conceded only three boundaries in the last three overs. New Zealand’s innings ended with five wickets in hand.While Henry was the standout bowler of the series, Lungi Ngidi was South Africa’s best bowler. His four overs in the final cost just 24 runs, and across South Africa’s attack, there are still some areas to address. South Africa’s seamers sent down eight wides, totalling 13 runs.South Africa’s spectacular catchingNew Zealand were off to a rollicking start courtesy some poor discipline from South Africa’s seamers in particular. They scored 52 runs in the powerplay, 23 in the 2.3 overs that followed, and threw their bats at anything short and wide. Seifert, the series’ leading run-scorer, was on 30 off 27 balls, and there did not seem to be any way of stopping him – especially as he was using his feet well.Seifert advanced on a wide ball from Muthusamy but took his bottom hand off the bat as he tried to slice it over extra cover and did not get the elevation he wanted. Rassie van der Dussen, fielding there, reacted quickly as he dived to his left and pouched the ball between both palms. Seifert had to go.Tim Seifert and Devon Conway had a 75-run opening partnership•Zimbabwe CricketFive overs later, New Zealand lost Conway for 47, caught at short fine-leg off a top edge. But they were still progressing steadily at 127 for 2 in the 14th over. Ngidi took pace off to Mark Chapman, who played too early and dragged the ball down to deep midwicket. Rubin Hermann appeared to have over-ran the chance but then stood still and stretched overhead, where he plucked the ball from the sky as he fell backwards. Chapman was out for 3.Then, in the final over, with New Zealand pushing towards 180, Bracewell flogged Kwena Maphaka into the covers but didn’t see Linde. He got down low to his left to snatch the ball from close to the ground to snaffle a third stunning grab.Ravindra raids the leg sideWhile Seifert and Conway have been in the headlines for providing the big runs for New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra has more than done his bit – and did so with some flair in the final. He used his wrists to perfection, and punished anything on a leg-stump line. Ravindra scored 47 at a strike rate of 174.07, and threatened to take the game completely away from South Africa. The third ball he faced, from Bosch, was pacy, and was sliding down. But instead of powering it over midwicket, Ravindra guided it fine for four.When Nandre Burger erred with the same line, Ravindra was quicker on the ball, and hit over mid-on. But it was his takedown of Muthusamy which was the most impressive. Ravindra shimmied down the pitch to hit him over long-on, and then swept him strongly over deep-backward square leg to collect two sixes in the over. Two more fours came off Ngidi and Burger. before Ravindra toe-ended Burger to Brevis at deep midwicket.Lhuan-dre Pretorius hit his maiden T20I fifty•Zimbabwe CricketRavindra missed out on what would have been his second successive fifty in the series, and a third in T20Is this year. Against South Africa on Saturday, 38 of his 47 runs came on the leg side.Pretorius’ promise pays offAfter managing only 32 runs from his first four T20I innings, and being shifted from opening the batting to No. 5, all eyes were going to be on Lhuan-dre Pretorius when he was installed back at the top for the final. He started off with a piece of exquisite timing when he hit Henry past mid-on to open South Africa’s scoring with a four, but then faced serious challenges from New Zealand’s attack.Henry found Pretorius’ outside edge, Jacob Duffy hit him on the toe with an inswinging yorker, and Zakary Foulkes shaved the inside edge. Pretorius top-edged Duffy over Seifert with an ugly swing, couldn’t get Adam Milne away, and watched while his opening partner Reeza Hendricks collected 18 of his first 20 runs in sixes. After the powerplay, Pretorius showed his intent when he slog-swept Mitchell Santner for his first six. More convincing boundaries followed off Milne before Pretorius hit Bracewell over long-on to bring up fifty off 33 balls.Pretorius couldn’t get away with trying things for too much longer, and was caught behind as he tried to smash Bracewell out of the ground. But his 92-run opening stand with Hendricks put South Africa in a commanding position to push for the win.Jacob Duffy’s first two overs cost just 13 runs•Zimbabwe CricketDuffy shows why he’s No. 1Jacob Duffy, the recently-anointed leading bowler in the ICC’s T20I rankings, opened with a ball that surprised Pretorius. He only conceded a single in his first over to show why he has summited the rankings. Duffy changed up his pace in the second over and Pretorius could not get him away. He then had Pretorius top-edging, and only really erred when he put the last delivery of that over in Hendricks’ slot and was sent over the sightscreen for six.Duffy’s first two overs cost just 13 runs. He returned for the 16th over, just after Milne had van der Dussen caught at long-on, and dismissed Hermann in exactly the same fashion. Hermann simply did not get enough on it, and South Africa were suddenly in some strife. Duffy thought he had Brevis caught behind later in the over but the ball was called wide. He probably should have bowled the 18th, which cost Foulkes 15 runs and swung momentum South Africa’s way.When Duffy returned for the 19th over, his attempted yorkers went awry, and Brevis hit him for two sixes to put South Africa in a position of advantage. But they could not see it through in what may be put down to inexperience against New Zealand’s more seasoned hands.

Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus was forced to sit out their last match in the Champions League after picking up a knock, with supporters understandably hoping that he doesn’t also miss their crunch clash with Man United this weekend.

It is perhaps the worst time to face Ruben Amorim’s side right now, with the Red Devils winning three out of their last four Premier League games and starting to look fairly solid after months of topsy-turvy form.

Spurs’ face-off against United will be the first time both sides have met since the Lilywhites’ historic Europa League final triumph in May – a match which gifted Tottenham their first piece of major silverware since 2008 and granted them a pathway into Europe.

The stats heavily favour Thomas Frank, with the north Londoners standing out as United’s major bogey team of the last 24 months.

Tottenham have won five and drew two of their last seven meetings in all competitions, and if they beat them again on Saturday, it’ll be the first time any Spurs side has won three consecutive league games against United since the 1959/1960 season.

That being said, Tottenham’s home form is a real cause for concern right now. No side has lost more Premier League home games than Spurs in 2025 (9), and Frank’s team is currently ravaged by injuries.

Kudus, who’s dazzled as their key attacking star since joining from West Ham for £55 million in the summer, even drawing comparisons to Mousa Dembele, joined their extensive absentee list earlier this week after missing training prior to Tottenham’s 4-0 rout of FC Copenhagen.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Not having the winger available for their looming clash with United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be a bitter blow for Frank, but they’ve now been handed a positive update.

Tottenham given Mohammed Kudus update after four-word Man United statement

The African was left out of Spurs’ squad to face Copenhagen but was in attendance to watch his side triumph, and he was questioned about his condition in the mixed zone after full-time.

When asked if he would be fit to face United, via Standard Sport, Kudus replied:

This comes as a very encouraging update as Kudus strongly suggests that he could be ready for selection, but Frank will provide an even more definitive update in his pre-match press conference.

The Ghanaian has been a revelation under Frank, averaging more successful takes-ons per 90 than any other player in the top flight according to WhoScored, with Kudus chalking up five goal contributions to boot.

The 25-year-old is poised to play a key role for Tottenham as they chase more major silverware and Champions League qualification this season, and having him return could be vital as Frank looks to put last weekend’s dismal home performance against Chelsea behind him.

Kudus’ creativity, dribbling, close control and one-v-one ability have been a nightmare for opposing full-backs so far this term, with the former Ajax star and Joao Palhinha standing out as the club’s best buys of the summer.

Kudus already boasts one goal and an assist in three total outings against Man United, so Amorim knows all about the threat he poses.

Worcestershire 188 for 7 (Brookes 57, Currie 5-34) beat Hampshire 237 for 7 (Orr 110, Waite 3-60) by three wickets (DLS) Worcestershire ended a week that saw them relegated in the Rothesay County Championship by winning the Metro Bank One-Day Cup by three wickets in a sensational finish to a rain-affected final at Trent Bridge, despite a brilliant century from Ali Orr for Hampshire.Chasing a twice-revised target of 188 from 27 overs after Hampshire had made 237 for seven in 45, the Rapids clinched victory with two balls to spare after ninth man Henry Cullen, with four required to win, was caught on the boundary at long leg only for the fielder, Kyle Abbott, to touch the rope while the ball was still in his hand.The heartbreak for Hampshire came only a week after their defeat by Somerset in the Vitality Blast final.Hampshire’s Scott Currie, who had earned an England call-up earlier in the week but was not required for the T20s against Ireland, looked to have bowled his side to victory here as three wickets in his final over gave him figures of five for 31.But after Ethan Brookes hit four sixes in a superb 34-ball 57 to haul Worcestershire back into contention after falling behind the rate required, Matthew Waite’s two sixes in a five-ball 16 set up what had seemed an unlikely victory with 13 needed off Brad Wheal’s final over.Until then, Orr’s 110 – his third century in this season’s competition – including two sixes in addition to 10 fours and came off 130 balls, looked to have been the match-winning performance.It took a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling by Waite to dismiss him.Orr and fellow left-hander Nick Gubbins (38) put on 82 in 16.2 overs for the first wicket, but the opening pair apart, all-rounder James Fuller’s 23 from 20 balls was the highest Hampshire score in the face of a disciplined response from Worcestershire’s seam attack.Ali Orr’s century gave Hampshire the upper hand in the early part of the final•Getty Images

Bowling nine overs each, Waite took three for 60, Ben Allison impressed with two for 41 and a miserly Tom Taylor took one for 24.Play had begun at the scheduled 11am start time, with Worcestershire opting to bowl first, perhaps with a nod to overcast conditions.Orr and Gubbins, mainstays of the Hampshire batting along their path to a fourth final in the last seven editions of the 50-over competition, had the upper hand against Taylor and Khurram Shahzad, hitting nine boundaries to be 55 without loss in the opening 10-over powerplay.Allison and Waite slowed their progress – and forced a breakthrough when Waite squared up Gubbins, who was caught at backward point off a leading edge. The skipper’s 38 had taken him to 707 as the leading runscorer in this season’s competition.Fletcha Middleton departed between showers, mistiming Taylor to be caught at extra cover. The second break for rain came at 141 for two from just under 31 overs, after which Hampshire pushed the accelerator.Orr walloped Brookes over deep midwicket before completing the fifth List A century of his career in a costly over for Waite that included a six and three fours, reaching the milestone off 118 balls with 14 fours in addition to his two maximums.But Worcestershire removed Toby Albert via a top-edge to deep square and Ben Mayes, bowled by Brookes before Waite ended Orr’s impressive innings via a brilliant one-handed caught-and-bowled.Worcestershire’s bowlers maintained their grip, conceding only one boundary in the last five overs, delivering 15 dot balls and picking up two more wickets as Fuller and Andrew Neal both picked out Brookes on the fence at wide long-on.Their chase did not begin until 5.15pm after a long stoppage between innings but it got off to a flyer despite – 28 without loss from four overs after 19-year-old Daniel Lategan had lofted Wheal high over wide long-on for the first six of the innings.But two setbacks checked their progress as Roderick sliced Fuller to third man and Currie’s first ball had Lategan caught behind.Kashif Ali and Jake Libby added 62 for the third wicket but their rate of progress was well behind what was needed as Gubbins rotated his quintet of bowlers, none of whom gave away easy runs and when Kashif was caught on the reverse at backward point, the Rapids still needed 94 at 93 for three in the 17th.Libby was caught behind swinging at Currie, at which point Hampshire were clear favourites with Worcestershire still 81 short and less than seven overs remaining.But Brookes kept them in contention and though Currie ended his charge via a steepling catch to ‘keeper Ben Brown and dismissed Rob Jones and Taylor in his last over, Cullen had the final word.

The Western Conference semifinal presents an all too rare opportunity for two world class talents to face off in a single elimination game in MLS.

There's a clip from almost exactly 10 years ago from the German cup semi-final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Before kickoff, Marco Reus looks across the center circle and cheekily grins at Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker offers a smirk back. It has since become subject to the internet and memeified to death. But it is also emblematic of a dynamic, the two central figures of a big game acknowledging the fact that they are set to do battle for 90 minutes. 

It wasn't the only drama in the fixture. That was one of the final battles of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp – at least in Germany. Bayern were on the hunt for a treble. Dortmund were looking to save face after a miserable season. But the lasting image of that game was the capturing of a rivalry, a duo of transcendent talents squaring off – albeit in an amusing way. 

That's the kind of thing that MLS is missing. There are no rivalries between stars at big moments in this league, no battle of rough equals, with brands bigger than the clubs they play for, facing off at the biggest moments. Enter LAFC's Son Heung-Min and Vancouver's Thomas Muller, who will play in the Western Conference Semifinals this weekend. Ask many outside of the immediate MLS sphere, and they couldn't tell you who each player suits up for. But they would certainly recognize the names: Asia's all-time best footballer versus one of the most decorated players of his generation. 

It's a tasty matchup, one that will define an already nicely-poised game. Chances are, whoever has the better game – Son or Muller – will decide the final score. And in a league that has the biggest player in the world yet lacks consistent interest in the region, it could be a model for encapsulating the way the league can grow. MLS, in short, needs more of these.

Getty Images SportSon, the transformative attacking presence

Son was here first. It was pretty clear, by the end of the 2024-25 season, that he was sure to leave Tottenham. The Korean winger had been there for a decade, survived numerous iterations of the team. He had won with Harry Kane and without. And when the club didn't present him with a new contract, one of their greatest ever players decided to close a wonderful chapter in a glittering career. 

His next move was up for debate. He was never going to put himself in a situation where he would play Tottenham. But at 33-years-old, it was tricky to see another European side picking him up. Within a few weeks of him hoisting the Europa League trophy, it became a question of which MLS side would pick him up. LAFC bit. They shelled out a league record transfer fee of $26.5 millionto bring the South Korea national team captain to Los Angeles. And it already looks like a piece of marketing and footballing genius. Much has been written about his connection to the local Asian community. But the football has been wonderful, too. He is averaging over a goal contribution per 90 minutes, and had he been in the league for more than just two short months, would surely be in the running for MLS Newcomer of the Year. 

LAFC needed a boost, too. Manager Steve Cherundolo is soon to leave. The Olivier Giroud experiment was a disaster. Son has breathed new life into the team, and made them almost immediate Cup contenders – especially with Denis Bouanga rounding into form alongside him up front. 

AdvertisementImagnMuller, Vancouver's transformative talisman

Muller's influence was perhaps a little more subtle – but no less impactful. The German has offered a different kind of quality. He is, after all, a different kind of player. If Son is the final piece of a team that needs a lift, then Muller is the X-factor to make a very good side a championship-contending one. Muller dubbed himself a "space interpreter" when he was young, and he still does that. 

Muller is older and slower than pretty much everyone he plays with. Yet he thinks quicker than everyone else combined. Muller exists mostly in spaces as they open and close. He makes the right pass, engages in the right runs. He doesn't seem to like stardom or particularly acknowledge the fact that he is, arguably, the biggest name to have played for his club in recent years. 

"The fact that he chose to go to Vancouver tells you everything you need to know, because no really global superstars ever choose to go to the Vancouver Whitecaps," Kaylyn Kyle said.

Muller is a dorky guy who lives a simple life and plays the game like a true purist.

He also has seven goals and four assists in seven games, which speaks to his impact. 

Two contrasting styles

That contrast expands to the two teams at large. Vancouver and LAFC is perhaps the most exciting match-up, from a tactical point of view, of the four reamining MLS playoff fixtures. Vancouver, under a first-year head coach in Jesper Sorensen, and with the return of attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld, can pass you to death. They love having the ball, and with the engine of U.S. international Sebastian Berhalter in midfield, they are capable of dominating. They have shown clear championship credentials on multiple occasions, not least by battering Inter Miami in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. They didn't really Muller. He just makes them even better. 

But that might play into LAFC's hands perfectly. There are questions to be asked about Cherundolo's tactical nous, but he has certainly figured out how to best use his talents. The solution? Strip everything down, win the ball, and hit on the break. It's a simple equation, really. Bouanga and Son are as dominant of attacking players as MLS can offer outside of Lionel Messi. Give them the ball, run forward, and terrify sides on the break. Throw in a strong spine and the smarts of another in U.S. international in Timmy Tillman just behind the duo, and LAFC are the wrong team to try and dominate.

This, then, could be a pure shootout. Vancouver need to have the ball. LAFC are comfortable enough surrendering it. And in front of a sold-out Vancouver crowd, everything seems poised nicely.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

USA Today SportsWhere else does this exist?

It’s a shame, more broadly, that MLS can’t offer more of this. Global star power in the league is clustered in only three places: South Florida, Los Angeles and, somehow, the west coast of Canada. Big-name superstars, overall, are also far less common in MLS than they were a decade ago – and, in some ways, that’s a good thing. MLS should exist on its own terms, developing American players and selling on rising talent from Central and South America, not leaning on past-their-prime imports like Steven Gerrard or Kaká. If MLS were filled with 100 Cucho Hernandezes – whom Columbus flipped to La Liga last year – it would mean the system is working.

But those aren’t the names that draw eyeballs, especially in a sports landscape where MLS is competing with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. The league still needs headline acts to cut through. And no other playoff fixture offers anything close. Messi and Luis Suárez lead Miami. Evander and Kevin Denkey are phenomenal players, but they aren’t global brands. Chucky Lozano moves the needle in Mexican football, but in Minnesota, he’ll be up against a team defined more by its collective than its stars.

The same goes for NYCFC and Philadelphia, a contest between two nicely built teams – without main men who can take over a game. There is one real star-based matchup here.

A taint on Liverpool’s season has become turmoil. One loss became two became three. Now, Arne Slot’s champions are in dire straits, having lost five of their past six games in the Premier League.

This is a crisis, of course, with the Reds such a far cry from last season’s quality that not even an echo of that thrilling form can be found in this current crop. But then the season is still young, and there is a good chance that Slot, hailed as a “genius” and a “football scientist” by journalist Marcel van der Kraan last year, will find a solution.

But that solution needs to come quickly, with the expensive new signings all flattering to deceive, bar Hugo Ekitike and perhaps goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, solid if unspectacular in recent weeks as Alisson recovers from injury.

There was always going to be a period of integration, but this has gone beyond that. And, sadly, it feels like the Anfield side are missing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Why Liverpool miss Alexander-Arnold

Not for a long time have Liverpool seen a star depart in such bitter circumstances. Alexander-Arnold was the hometown poster boy, instrumental in so much success under Jurgen Klopp’s wing.

But the whispers of his departure had started long before he left for Real Madrid at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, his contract about to expire and Real Madrid paying an £8m premium to free him early and add him to the Club World Cup squad over the pond.

Booed by segments at Anfield after the confirmation of his switch to Spain, Alexander-Arnold is no longer considered Merseyside’s Gerrard-esque superstar, even if he leaves a glittering legacy at his boyhood club.

But away from the emotion, Liverpool have missed their one-of-a-kind defender’s creativity. Jamie Carragher once said Trent’s range of passing was like “having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back”, with vision and accuracy on the ball that most could only dream of.

Indeed, no defender in the Premier League has racked up more assists than the 26-year-old, and with him having played fewer matches than all just below him.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

60

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

As the English top flight undergoes something of a cultural and tactical shift, with long throws and low blocks and direct play all the rage once more, Slot’s Liverpool have toiled away and fallen by the wayside.

Trent’s passing would be quite the tonic right now. As per FBref, the Three Lions man ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 8% for assists made per 90.

But there’s no use crying over spilt milk – or sold starboys, for that matter. Slot needs to find a solution, and he might just have one in another city-born talent.

Liverpool's new version of Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool have signed a new creative superstar in Florian Wirtz. The German hasn’t clicked yet, but his generational quality suggests there is a propitious future awaiting the attacking midfielder.

However, Wirtz isn’t the player in question here. Instead, Curtis Jones is quietly producing progressive playmaking performances under Slot’s management and must now be utilised in a more important role to help turn the tide that has swept the club’s title ambitions away over the past few months.

Jones is Liverpool’s leading academy graduate now that Alexander-Arnold has up and left. The versatile centre-midfielder has racked up 193 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 19 goals and providing 23 assists.

He never quite nailed down a role of significance in Klopp’s team, and while he played his part for Slot last year, Jones has been somewhat on the backbench since the summer, certainly in the Premier League.

In any case, Jones spoke at the start of the Dutch coach’s tenure of his admiration and excitement, feeling his ball-playing skill lends itself to success in Slot’s system.

With Liverpool struggling for control and focused creativity, might Jones be the answer? From limited match action this term, he has proven himself an interesting solution and must be handed a string of starts, especially with Alexis Mac Allister having drifted so far from his usual level.

There’s no question that Jones has become more progressive with his passing since Slot replaced Klopp. In fact, DataMB revealed earlier this week that the England international’s 17.82 progressive passes per game this season trumps every other Premier League midfielder, and that having recorded the highest pass completion rate (91.01%) besides.

He’s only started two league matches this season, featuring nine times in total, but the 24-year-old has also won 65% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

It’s no wonder that one Premier League analyst hailed him as “one of the most underrated players in England”, not necessarily the flashiest, but an industrious and dynamic player who is now adding layers.

This has always been Jones’ skillset, but now, he is starting to evolve into a forward-thinking player, shaking off that ‘conservative’ tag. Sideways passes and a play-it-safe attitude have been, unfairly, regular criticisms of his game.

Liverpool need to see positive change over the coming weeks. Eighth in the Premier League and struggling for any semblance of fluency and confidence, Jones could provide a shrewd answer, combining with those around him, shoring up the defence and rethreading the attacking patterns that have frayed and split this year.

The new Diaz: Liverpool preparing club-record bid for "magical" Salah heir

Liverpool are facing the truth that they will need to start drawing plans to replace the great Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

If you didn’t believe that Manchester City were bona fide title contenders, well, you surely do now.

On Sunday, the serial champions crushed the reigning champions 3-0 at the Etihad, doing so with plenty to spare.

Despite the fact Erling Haaland saw an early penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, this merely momentarily delayed the Sky Blues onslaught.

Haaland headed home the opener soon after, before Nico González’s deflected shot deservedly doubled the Citizens’ advantage in first-half injury time, with Jérémy Doku curling home a clinching third; more on the brilliant Belgian in a bit.

The match marked Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match in management and took his tally to 716 wins, which isn’t bad.

Now eyeing a seventh Premier League title, Manchester City are just four points adrift leaders Arsenal, after Mikel Arteta’s team were denied victory at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night by Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp equaliser for Sunderland.

if Man City are going to become champions of the land once again, they’ll need two of their stars from Sunday to continue to perform.

Jérémy Doku's performance against Liverpool

As noted by Opta, Jérémy Doku won 11 duels, completed seven dribbles, created three chances and registered three shots on target against Liverpool.

If you think that sounds impressive, well, that’s because it is. He is the first player to rack up such an impressive figure in a single Premier League game since Eden Hazard against West Ham in April 2019.

Doku’s thunderous strike capped off the victory as well as his own sublime display, with Gary Neville, speaking during commentary for Sky Sports, saying never before had he awarded the player of the match after 62 minutes, until today.

David Hytner of the Guardian asserted that the winger was ‘unplayable’, praising his ‘blur of tricks and direct running’, with Doku tormenting Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, the Northern Irishman having pocketed Vinícius Júnior just a few days before.

This was Doku’s 100th appearance in sky blue, scoring just his 17th goal for the club, previously netting against Napoli and Swansea this season, his previous Premier League goal coming at Portman Road against Ipswich in mid-January.

Now though, perhaps the 23-year-old is showing signs of realising his full potential so, while he was the obvious star of the show, an under-the-radar Man City player also deserves to be heralded for their display.

Pep Guardiola's unsung Man City hero

12 months ago, when Manchester City were in complete free fall, all the talk was about how this team cannot win without Rodri.

Well, despite enjoying a brief cameo off the bench against Bournemouth last weekend, the Ballon d’Or winner was not even in the matchday squad against Borussia Dortmund nor Liverpool subsequently, which was one of the major talking points prior to kick off on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Guardiola once described Nico González as like a “mini-Rodri”, and the midfielder helped ensure his compatriot was not missed.

Nico scored the second goal, a hammer blow for Arne Slot’s team coming on the cusp of half-time, and put in a generally imperious performance, as the numbers support.

Nico González stats vs Liverpool
Stats	Nico	Match rank
Goals	1	1st
Accurate passes	51	3rd
Passing accuracy %	88%	5th*
Defensive actions	8	3rd
Tackles won	3	2nd
Duels won	6	4th
Ground duels won	5	3rd
Touches	72	2nd
SofaScore rating	8.3	2nd
*minimum 30 passes completed.
Stats via SofaScore

As the table highlights, the midfielder ranked in the top four when it came to a wide variety of statistics, registering more touches than any other player in sky blue, winning five of the six ground duels he contested as well as completing 51 of 58 passes. Truth be told, this was probably his best display in blue, dominating one of the best sides in the division.

The Manchester Evening News awarded him an 8/10 for his performance, noting that the Spaniard took ‘charge of the game’.

This, in truth, should not be overly surprising.

The midfielder joined from Porto back in January for around £50m and did so with a big reputation, given that he is a La Masia graduate, breaking into the Barcelona team with fellow mononymously known midfielders Pedri and Gavi, rated as highly as both when they were teenagers.

Nevertheless, it is still invaluable for Man City that Nico is able to take a step forward in his development and has the quality to operate as a one-man midfield, allowing their attacking stars, namely Doku, Haaland and others, to shine.

With Rodri and his obvious back-up Mateo Kovačić both struggling due to ongoing injury issues, while Tijjani Reijnders appears ill-suited to the role, Nico has been thrown in at the deep end in the number 6 position, but is gracefully swimming like a swan, rather than sinking like a heavy stone, to continue that analogy.

When Manchester City return to action after the international break, they’ll do so with a tricky trip to St James’ Park, but victory over Newcastle would cut the gap at the top to just one point, ahead of the North London derby the following day.

For the here and now, on the occasion of Guardiola’s 1,000 match as a manager, it was probably fitting that a diminutive Spanish defensive midfield shone.

Pep's £230k-p/w duo look like becoming Man City's new De Bruyne & Sterling

Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling are one of the most deadly duos in Man City’s history, but which current pairing could replicate their success?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 8, 2025

And so Tottenham Hotspur put the brakes on their campaign for the third time this season, having played out a frenzied draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.

And so Tottenham sit fifth in the standings, 18 points from 11 matches and eight points behind table-topping rivals Arsenal. Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the manner of this side’s dropped points last weekend, Matthijs de Ligt nodding home right before the final whistle after Richarlison had struck moments before and wheeled away in topless celebration.

How to dissect the details of Spurs’ season? Improvements have been made since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou after that Europa League triumph last season, a strange repulsion between the continental elation and the sour taste of a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

But Tottenham lack confidence and coherence and quality in the final third. To dare is to do. Are Tottenham doing enough? That is one of the biggest contentions of the campaign so far, and Frank simply has to find a formula to his side’s offensive struggles as the season heads into the wintry midpoint.

How Frank can fix Spurs' attacking problems

Tottenham have found a way to secure a greater number of points under Frank than they typically managed under his predecessor. However, more goals and created chances are needed if the Londoners are to hit the heights anticipated.

But this is a long-term project, and overnight success was never going to be on the cards. What Frank can do, though, is consider ditching Richarlison, even though the Brazilian scored with a deft header against United at the weekend.

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the cameo of Mathys Tel at the weekend, too. The young striker spun and scored after replacing Xavi Simons off the bench. It started the comeback that ultimately didn’t cement itself, but demonstrated the potential of a versatile forward whose talents could yet be fashioned into something special and suitable for life at the peak of the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke continues to languish in the infirmary, a frustration that has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on Frank’s start at the helm. Had the former Bournemouth striker been fit and in the form of his previous chapter across these past few months, Tottenham would have had a focal outlet from which to channel creativity.

It’s been an issue for the strikers, though, and there’s one man in particular whose campaign has been sent into a spin, even though some have acknowledged he has a bit of Jermaine Defoe about him.

Spurs' "Defoe-esque" star is becoming a big problem

Defoe was a proper Premier League striker. Something of a journeyman, he was always prolific and scored 143 goals across 363 matches in a Lilywhite shirt.

Jermaine Defoe – Career Stats by Club

Club

Apps

Goals (assists)

Tottenham

363

143 (31)

West Ham

104

40 (4)

Sunderland

100

37 (3)

Rangers

74

32 (10)

Bournemouth

64

23 (2)

Portsmouth

36

18 (5)

Toronto

21

12 (3)

Data via Transfermarkt

Quick feet, attacking smarts and a natural-born instinct in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with.

And now, some feel Spurs have found a similar profile in Randal Kolo Muani. Indeed, presenter Ben Bowman hailed Kolo Muani for his “Defoe-esque” attacking play after the weekend match.

In August, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but he has struggled for fitness across his opening months in England, left waiting until midway through October for his Premier League debut, and has yet to score or assist in four matches since.

Disaster has struck once again, with the 26-year-old having fractured his jaw during the draw against the Red Devils. Now he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the severity of the setback.

Given the nature of Spurs’ attacking problems, with the injuries, yet again, piling up, it’s fair to say that Kolo Muani is presenting quite the conundrum to Frank’s desk, with this being a “strong, fast and powerful” centre-forward, as said by one analyst, endowed with all he needs to succeed in the Premier League, yet one whose time in England may be short-lived and unsuccessful on the grass.

His time in the French capital was somewhat turbulent, having failed to nail down his presence after transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for a whopping £76m fee. However, a short loan spell with Juventus last season led to ten goals and three assists from only 22 appearances.

Linking this back to the aforementioned Tel, Kolo Muani’s second injury of his Spurs stint could provide the Frenchman with the chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

Couple that with Solanke’s much-anticipated return and the wonders that could work on creating a more solid and dynamic attacking spread, Kolo Muani may be a striker on borrowed time as he struggles to acclimatise before the end of the season, when he will surely close the door on his loan stay down N17 without a sharp upswing in fortunes that look unlikely to materialise at this stage.

Tottenham have some issues, to be sure, but they have also shown themselves to have what it takes to make incremental improvements this season and beyond.

With Kolo Muani now sidelined once again, however, Frank’s scope at number nine has been narrowed. How big a blow will this prove to be? Whatever the verdict, the Les Bleus star is becoming a problem for the London-based outfit.

Related Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

Posts 2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Virat Kohli is set to play his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012, and was at the Delhi stadium on Tuesday to prepare for this

Daya Sagar28-Jan-20251:02

Watch: Kohli’s nets session with Delhi ahead of his Ranji comeback

A larger-than-usual crowd had gathered outside the gate of the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Word had spread that Virat Kohli was going to join the Delhi team to train ahead of their next Ranji Trophy game, which he will be playing from Thursday. Even some TV and YouTube journalists were in attendance, which usually doesn’t happen ahead of a Ranji match.But then this is Kohli and he is returning to domestic cricket after more than 12 years; he last played in the Ranji Trophy in November 2012. Seeing the crowd that had already gathered in anticipation, two days before the game, the sub-inspector stationed at the gate remarked to his colleague that they would have to beef up the security in the coming days.Around 9.30am, Kohli emerged from a black Porsche, the last among the Delhi players to enter the ground, with around 10 others buzzing around him, including Delhi’s head coach Sarandeep Singh. He joined his Delhi team-mates for football drills, bouts of laughter, and 100-metre sprints, before it was time to hit the batting nets.Kohli padded up, donned his helmet and took out an unusual-looking bat to face a throwdown session. The blade of this bat was much thinner than his usual bats, probably a change forced by the outside edges that led to all eight of his dismissals in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. For about 15 minutes he took throwdowns, delivered from the middle of the pitch; five minutes were spent on front-foot strokes and the rest went on facing back-of-length balls off the back foot. This session was a mix of defensive and aggressive strokes; he was beaten a couple of times outside off but otherwise middled some along-the-ground pulls and short-arm jabs.Virat Kohli tried out a few different bats in the Delhi nets•PTI Now it was time to move to the other nets to face some spin. Here he switched to his normal bat and for nearly 20 minutes faced left-arm spinners Harsh Tyagi and Sumit Mathur and offspinner Sumit Sharma. He cut short balls from all of them. Tyagi beat Kohli’s outside edge a couple of times and some deliveries bounced extra, meeting Kohli’s bat on the sticker. Once when Kohli went after a full delivery from Tyagi, attempting a lofted stroke, he managed only a leading-edge. Sarandeep praised the bowler but it was a session in which Kohli was largely steady and in control.Next, he went to face the fast bowlers for another 20 minutes; the line-up included Navdeep Saini among a bunch of right-arm quicks and a lone left-armer in Siddhant Sharma. When Siddhant beat Kohli’s bat twice, with the angle taking the ball away from him, it was time for Sarandeep to step in. He advised Kohli in Punjabi to switch to a middle and off-stump guard, and Kohli did so. He beautifully middled some of the deliveries that followed, drawing applause from the coach.Saini, the highest-profile of the bowlers, also beat Kohli once but otherwise he looked steady and calm, leaving plenty of deliveries outside off. He transferred his weight on the back foot for the shorter balls, punched some of them through off and nudged and jabbed others towards midwicket.Virat Kohli was happy to take questions from a young one•PTI While Kohli went through the drills, an eight-year-old fan, Kabir, closely watched all his movements, his father telling him to observe how Kohli’s head remained still while he played his shots. It turned out that the father was former Delhi player Shawej Khan who had played with Kohli in age-group cricket. Once the nets session ended, Kohli gave Shawej a bear-hug, autographed his son’s bat and imparted some advice.Kohli finished his day with some slip fielding and outfield catching, which he did for about half an hour before posing for some pictures – first alone, and then with some Delhi & District Cricket Association officials – in front of the pavilion named after him.

Former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has warned emerging superstar Lamine Yamal about the inevitable "downsides" of football stardom, such as injuries and pressure. While praising the teenage winger as a "truly special player," Rakitic emphasised the importance of Yamal following his own path rather than being compared to club legends.

• Barca & Spain star shining bright

  Yamal has rocketed to global fame amid his excellent performances for Barcelona and Spain. After winning Euro 2024 with Spain, the 18-year-old went on to score nine goals and set up a further 13 as Barcelona won La Liga under coach Hansi Flick and played an integral role in their Copa del Rey success. His influence resulted in him coming in second in the Ballon d'Or rankings, losing out to Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele. He is off to a solid start this season, too, scoring six and assisting five across La Liga and the Champions League as he continues to battle injury issues.

  The astonishing start to the winger's career has sparked praise from across the football world, and ex-Barcelona star Rakitic is the latest to hail his talent.

Advertisement

• Rakitic warns Yamal of football's pressures and downsides

  The Croatian legend, who played for Barcelona for six seasons and won a treble alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, believes Yamal needs to be prepared for the difficulties that come with top-level football. 

  "It's all going in the right direction, and he has become aware that football has its downsides, such as injuries and the pressure he faces," Rakitic said to

  "I think he has to follow his own path; I wouldn't compare him to the three I mentioned [Messi, Suarez, Neymar]. Barcelona and Spain have something special in him, and we all need to help him learn to handle the pressure. He is a truly special player."

• Yamal's ambitious targets and injury concerns

  Yamal himself has recently outlined his ambitious goals for the future. After receiving the Di Stegano Award from Marca for the best player of the 2024-25 season, the 18-year-old declared his desire to win "everything," targeting a clean sweep of the La Liga title, Champions League, World Cup and the Ballon d'Or in 2026. "I want it all. I hope I achieve it all, and as long as we can play, it's possible," he said.

  However, these ambitions are currently tempered by an injury concern. Yamal is navigating a recovery from pubalgia, a chronic groin issue that forced him out of Spain's recent World Cup qualifiers. Barcelona have implemented a cautious treatment plan involving radiofrequency therapy and rehabilitation. The treatment resulted in him withdrawing from the Spain national team a day after the team gathered ahead of the recent World Cup qualifying matches. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was left surprised, claiming Barcelona were late in notifying the governing body about the issue. 

  "I've never experienced a situation like this before. I don't think it's very normal. It has surprised us all. You don't have any news, you don't know any details, and on top of that, it's a health issue, so you're left surprised," coach Luis de la Fuente said last week.

  While he has since returned to partial group training, his participation in Barcelona's upcoming historic return to the Camp Nou against Athletic Club remains uncertain and would likely be minimal.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  What next for Barcelona?

  Barcelona are preparing for their emotional return to Camp Nou this Saturday against Athletic Club in La Liga. Yamal's involvement is in doubt due to his ongoing recovery from pubalgia, while Marcus Rashford is also a doubt after coming down with illness. However, Flick has confirmed goalkeeper Joan Garcia will start and Raphinha is also available again having recovered from injury. 

  The club hope to ensure Yamal and Pedri are fit enough to start in the crucial Champions League encounter against Chelsea, which follows shortly after. Barcelona's medical team will continue to monitor their progress closely, alternating between individual work and controlled group sessions, with a focus on avoiding any setbacks that could lead to a longer lay-off.