It didn’t take Virat Kohli long. After B Sai Sudharsan, the Gujarat Titans (GT) opener, won it back from Kohli on Friday, Kohli snatched it right back when he scored 62 in 33 balls for RCB against CSK at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Not much between them, though, Kohli is on 505 runs from 11 innings, while Sai Sudharsan is one run behind, from one fewer innings.The line-up below them remains unchanged: Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians, 475 runs), Jos Buttler (GT, 470 runs), Shubman Gill (GT, 465 runs), Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals, 439 runs) and Nicholas Pooran (Lucknow Super Giants, 404 runs).Now, while Kohli is the top run-getter, RCB’s next most prolific run-scorer is Devdutt Padikkal with just 247 runs, down at No. 26.
Purple Cap table
Josh Hazlewood didn’t play the game against CSK, and that means he remains one wicket behind table-topper Prasidh Krishna of GT. Prasidh has 19 wickets from ten games, while Hazlewood has 18 from ten.Khaleel Ahmed’s wicketless – and very expensive – outing meant he remained at 14 wickets for the season, but his team-mate Noor Ahmad got back on level terms with MI’s Trent Boult at 16 wickets to be joint-third. Krunal Pandya picked up one wicket for RCB against CSK, and that took him to 14, the same as Khaleel as well as GT’s Mohammed Siraj and Delhi Capitals’ Mitchell Starc.You can also take a look at what ESPNcricinfo MVP table looks like at this stage.Here are some other IPL 2025 tables.
Do Arsenal go into Sunday’s Premier League blockbuster against Manchester City as favourites?
Between November 2017 and April 2023, the Gunners faced the Citizens 16 times, losing 15 of them, their sole victory coming in an FA Cup semi-final behind-closed-doors, en route to lifting the trophy in 2020.
Now though, Mikel Arteta is unbeaten in five meetings with Pep Guardiola, seeking a third successive home win over Man City, something Arsenal last achieved in 2009, following February’s 5-1 humbling of Erling Braut Håland and friends.
If the Gunners are to prevail again on Sunday, thereby asserting themselves as the primary challengers to champions Liverpool, Arteta must be bold and start his young talent “better than Phil Foden”.
Mikel Merino's role in the Arsenal team
Few Arsenal players in recent times have been quite so difficult to figure out as Mikel Merino.
The media-driven narrative following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield last month, in which Merino started alongside Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice, was that Arteta had started three defensive midfielders against Liverpool.
Well, this idea was proven to be total nonsense during the subsequent week, as Merino scored four goals in two games for Spain, heading home a Lamine Yamal corner against Bulgaria in Sofia, before bagging a hat-trick as the European champions demolished Türkiye 6-0 in Konya.
As a result, Merino started the win over Nottingham Forest, Rice given a rest, with Arteta stating that this was because his compatriot was in “a really high emotional state and I want to use that when a player is in that moment”.
He was excellent in the left-eight position, which is probably his best role in this team, before deputising for the injured Martin Ødegaard against Athletic Club Bilbao on Tuesday, looking less comfortable on the opposite side, it has to be said.
Arguably, the 29-year-old’s best performances for Arsenal have come as an emergency striker, starting pretty much every game there from Valentine’s Day onwards last season, scoring seven goals, notably netting against Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea and others.
This weekend, if Merino’s name is on the team sheet, it’ll be as a right-sided attacking midfielder once again, given that is continuing to Ødegaard nurse his shoulder injury, but Arteta clearly has an option more suited for this role.
The Arsenal youngster who's been better than Phil Foden
On both Merseyside last month and in the Basque Country in mid-week, the travelling Arsenal supporters were pretty much universally disappointed not to see the name Ethan Nwaneri in the starting line-up.
In the summer, despite some speculation that Chelsea were interested, the teenager signed a new five-year contract with the club, stating “signing this contract means everything to me… I’m so excited for what I can bring… I want to help us win as much as possible”.
This is an obvious show of faith from the club, so it is now time for Arteta to prove he trusts him too.
Last season, Nwaneri scored nine goals across all competitions, eight of which came before his 18th birthday in March, a record only Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney can better in the Premier League-era.
However, this season, he is yet to start a match, an unused substitute in all three away games, albeit he’s seen a significant amount of playing time against both Leeds and Nottingham Forest, introduced during the first half of both due to injuries suffered by Ødegaard.
Even in matches they are winning and scoring goals, Arteta’s team are struggling to create a high volume of open-play changes, something Nwaneri could surely help to address, so let’s compare him to the current occupant of that midfield position Merino.
Nwaneri vs Merino 2024/25
Stat
Nwaneri
Merino
Appearances
37
44
Minutes
1,378
2,635
Goals
9
9
Assists
2
5
Goals – xG
+4.1
+2
Shots on target %
46.5%
36.7%
Progressive carries
56
16
Take-ons completed
40
9
Take-on success %
68%
47%
Shot-creating actions per 90
2.65
2.36
Chances created per 90
1.3
0.8
Touches per 90
58.2
47.8
Average Sofascore rating
7.11
7.10
via FBref, Squawka and Sofascore
As the table documents, despite playing around half as many minutes, Nwaneri scored as many goals as Merino last season, while all of the Englishman’s underlying statistics are more impressive.
The 18-year-old registered more than three times as many progressive carries, also accumulating more chances created, as well as around ten more touches per game, underlining their stylistic differences.
One of the highlights of Nwaneri’s breakout campaign came during the aforementioned mauling of Manchester City in February, scoring the stunner to complete the 5-1 rout.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled Nwaneri an “incredible talent”, while former Watford striker Troy Deeney compared him to Jack Wilshere, adding that “he’s been better than Phil Foden”, a player he’ll come directly up against on Sunday.
So, if Arteta is to be bold and take the game to a vulnerable Man City side, one that has already been beaten by Spurs and Brighton this season, Nwaneri has to be unleashed come Sunday afternoon.
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The financial benefits of Manchester United moving to a new multi-purpose stadium are becoming clear with a new forecast predicting a £100 million ($133.4m) windfall if they sign a lucrative deal with the NFL. United have recently announced plan for a state-of-the-art 100,000-seater ‘New Trafford’ which would be located next to the famous current ground, but plans are still in the very early stages.
Time for overdue move to new stadium
Sport finance expert Professor Rob Wilson has claimed a UK-based NFL franchise could happen, which comes hot on the heels of United unveiling their ambitious stadium plans. The plans are part of a larger regeneration scheme for the surrounding Trafford district, aiming to create a vibrant waterside area with homes, businesses, and public spaces along the Bridgewater Canal. The new stadium's design, initially featuring a trident-shaped canopy and three towering masts, has been revised due to land acquisition challenges and cost concerns. The estimated cost for the stadium is £2 billion ($2.6bn), with the entire regeneration project potentially exceeding £3 billion ($4bn). Construction is anticipated to take around five years, with a target completion date of the 2030-31 season. Fans have been consulted, with a majority favoring a new stadium over redevelopment of the existing one. Concerns exist about financing, with reports suggesting the club might seek public funding for infrastructure.
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Speaking to Compare.bet, who offer NFL betting, Professor Wilson said: “A Super Bowl or NFL regular season game could generate around £10million at a stadium like Old Trafford, potentially increasing to £15 million with optimal pricing and ancillary services. It represents a significant opportunity. Taking NFL games outside of London to other parts of the UK, such as Old Trafford, would be interesting as it would engage a different demographic. Strategic partnerships, like a long-term deal between Manchester United and the NFL, could be worth over £100 million over a decade. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is currently the most aligned with US stadiums, which is why Spurs has been cultivating that experience. The new Old Trafford build is also being designed to be a multi-event stadium, similar to SoFi Stadium in California.”
NFL explosion in the UK
The NFL's presence in England dates back to exhibition games like the American Bowl series, which saw its first fixture at Wembley in 1986. However, the crucial shift came in 2007 with the launch of the NFL International Series, featuring regular-season games played outside the United States. The first of these landmark games saw the New York Giants defeat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 at Wembley Stadium. The success of these initial games led the NFL to schedule regular-season games in London annually, solidifying a strong following in the UK. The series has expanded to include multiple games each season at iconic venues such as Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jacksonville Jaguars have become a staple of the London Games, playing a home game in the UK annually since 2013. In 2022, the series expanded further to include games in Germany, highlighting the growing international reach of the NFL.
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Getty ImagesWill the Super Bowl come to UK?
So, could regular season matches be augmented by the biggest match in the sport, the Super Bowl? Professor Wilson said: "The NFL in London is more lucrative than the Champions League in the States. The NFL market in Europe is bigger than the Champions League market in America. You get inward tourism, with people flying over from North America and Europe for the NFL. This is in contrast to people flying out of Europe into America to watch a Champions League final, which would have a much more local market. Both games would sell out, but the new revenue generated for the NFL with the Super Bowl would far exceed that from the Champions League final in the States."
Aston Villa have not had the best of starts to the 2025/26 campaign, having picked up just one point from their opening three Premier League fixtures, yet to break their duck.
There was an acceptance from Unai Emery and the powers that be that the summer transfer window would weigh heavily on the club after missing out on Champions League football following a contentious final-day defeat at Manchester United.
However, a late flurry of activity indicates progress and promise. Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliot completed deadline-day loan moves; Victor Lindelof joined on a free transfer after his deal with Man United expired.
The late moves salvaged Villa’s frustrating summer, especially since Monchi and Damian Vidagany have retained the services of the most talented first-teamers.
Aston Villa have kept their best players
In August, Aston Villa sold Jacob Ramsey to Premier League rivals Newcastle United for a £43m fee. A poignant one, for sure. However, the sale of the homegrown talent has turned pure profit for the club, and perhaps played a role in securing a series of late-window additions.
Loan deals for Marcus Rashford, Axel Disasi and Marco Asensio came and passed, but the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn remain at Villa Park after offers from divisional competition were resisted.
Watkins might not be coming off the back of his best season, but he still notched 17 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, while McGinn’s leadership, energy and presence within the dressing room are factors not easily replaced.
While the opening weeks of the campaign have felt somewhat stale, the mixture of fresh quality and abiding experience emphasises the club’s capacity to challenge in the Europa League and push for a high finish in the Premier League.
These players will play important roles this season, but none more so than Morgan Rogers, who was exceptional last season and might be viewed as the talisman of Emery’s project.
How Morgan Rogers' market value compares
Last month, Rogers was named the PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2024/25 Premier League season. The honour bears testament to his extraordinary strides in such a short time, only joining Villa from Middlesbrough in the Championship in January 2024.
The 23-year-old earned opportunities across the second half of the 2023/24 season in the Premier League, but it is last year that he truly came into his own, scoring 14 goals and supplying 16 assists across all competitions, including a haul of 19 goal contributions in the league alone.
He scored a hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League and bagged a consolation goal as Villa were knocked out against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, with pundit Jamie Carragher hailing him as an “unstoppable” force.
The Lions might have started the campaign without much of a roar, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Rogers will be among the driving forces when Emery does create a winning formula for the months ahead.
Athletic and enterprising, no matter the tactical role handed to him, Rogers typically plays in a forward-thrust central midfield berth or out on the left flank, where his pace and power allow him to take on defenders and split lines.
Left winger
93
24 (10)
Attacking midfield
48
14 (10)
Right winger
43
9 (17)
Centre-forward
23
7 (4)
Young he may be, but Rogers has already led a storied career, developing his talents in the EFL after first looking for success within Manchester City’s packed youth academy.
The exciting part is there’s still so much for the England international to give, so much potential as yet untapped.
Senior figures at Villa feel Rogers has the potential to become one of the very best in the Premier League, defining the coming years for Emery’s side and perhaps fetching a transfer fee to rival that of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who joined the champions from Newcastle United for a British record £125m fee on deadline day.
Isak's Premier League record before joining Liverpool.
One of the most dangerous strikers in the world, Isak’s name has come to be feared in English football, and he has made incremental progress across his three terms on Tyneside. Rogers, too, has shown the signs of bit-by-bit development, and could find himself stretching into even loftier conversations with another knockout year under Emery’s wing.
Indeed, as per CIES Football Observatory, Rogers has been valued at £99m, whereas Isak actually comes in at a smaller price: £89m.
Of course, this doesn’t paint an accurate picture in actuality, since Isak has just moved to Merseyside for a record-breaking fee. Still, it underscores the Three Lions star’s potential to develop into a star of a similar stature, having made such impressive progress across just one full season in the top flight.
Isak, 25, wasn’t refined when leaving Real Sociedad and arriving at St. James’ Park in 2022, but his years under Eddie Howe’s tutelage have shaped him into a superstar. So the parallels can be found with Rogers at Aston Villa.
Whether Aston Villa succeed in nurturing Rogers toward a world-class level remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he has the skills and passion to achieve just that.
Already considered by leading data and analytical site in CIES Football Observatory to have a projected value above that of Liverpool’s new striker (though take that with a pinch of salt, given Isak’s actual price), Rogers is the Midlands outfit’s biggest star, and many feel the best is still to come.
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Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to submit an opening offer for a “special” forward, having sent scouts to watch him in action over the weekend.
Spurs looking to sign new forward after disappointing draw
Thomas Frank has made a solid start to life as Tottenham boss, but there have been a couple of worrying results, having lost 1-0 at home to AFC Bournemouth at the end of August, and they came close to suffering another loss on Saturday afternoon.
Heading into the game, Wolverhampton Wanderers were the only side yet to pick up a point in the Premier League, but they very nearly took all three against Spurs, with a late Joao Palhinha goal salvaging a draw for the hosts.
It was a game devoid of many real chances, with Frank’s side recording an xG of just 0.91, which is arguably a worrying sign in a match against a struggling side, and the Lilywhites have now entered the mark to sign a new forward.
That is according to a report from Brazil (via Sport Witness), which states Tottenham are expected to make an opening bid in the region of £25.7m for Vasco da Gama forward Rayan, having sent scouts to watch him in action at the weekend.
Zenit St Petersburg are also keen on the 19-year-old, and the Russian side have already submitted an offer of their own, so Spurs may need to move swiftly to ensure they win the race for his signature.
The teenager is described as a 1v1 winger, who is capable of playing on both wings, which suggests he could be a viable alternative for Savinho, who is now set to extend his Manchester City contract until 2031.
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Lauded as “special” by Vasco da Gama manager Fernando Diniz, the starlet has already established himself as an important player for the Brazilian side, making 83 appearances in all competitions, during which time he’s picked up 15 goals and two assists.
Diniz isn’t the youngster’s only admirer either, with scout Ben Mattinson praising the Brazilian for his finishing ability a little over a year ago.
After missing out on Savinho, Tottenham were unable to bring in another out-and-out winger during the summer transfer window, so it would make sense to explore a move for an alternative option this January.
It would be a risk to sign Rayan, given that he is unproven outside Brazil, but the Rio de Janeiro-born forward clearly has a lot of potential, and a fee in the region of £25m could end up being a bargain in the long run.
Toss: Punjab Kings opt to bat vs Delhi Capitals Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first in Dharamsala against Delhi Capitals (DC), in IPL 2025, with plenty at stake for both sides. He wanted to bat since the ground would be wet at the start of the game. The toss took place 75 minutes late at 8.15pm with a drizzle welcoming both teams.While Punjab Kings opted for the same batting XI for the fixture, DC made one change with legspinner Vipraj Nigam being left out for Madhav Tiwari. Tiwari is a 21-year-old allrounder who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium pace for Madhya Pradesh.The other change was Sameer Rizvi replacing Karun Nair. Nair’s had a forgettable time in the six games following his 89 against Mumbai Indians (MI).”The team is in high spirits and everyone is stepping up at the right time,” Shreyas said. “On top of the world to be honest, the way things are panning out.”Axar Patel said DC would’ve liked to field first since chasing with some rain around could be advantageous.”We’ve spoken about how we’ve been in a competitive position despite playing some poor games,” Axar said. “We’ve been speaking about the positives.”PBKS would have their playoff spot secured with a victory. Delhi Capitals need wins in all three remaining games to be assured of qualification, although they could still qualify if they go down tonight.Delhi Capitals bowling-first XI: Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul (wk), Abishek Porel, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, T NatarajanDC bench: Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Tripurna VijayPunjab Kings batting-first XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep SinghPBKS bench: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Pravin Dubey, Yash Thakur
Ousmane Dembele has asked Paris Saint-Germain for a new contract and a pay rise worthy of his new status as a Ballon d’Or winner. The French winger, currently earning €18 million per year and tied to the club until 2028, wants a salary that reflects his global standing, but PSG are unwilling to return to the extravagant wage structure of the Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi era.
Dembele demands new deal after Ballon d’Or triumph
Fresh off winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or, Dembele believes his performances merit a significant contract upgrade. The PSG star’s representatives have already approached the club to renegotiate terms, arguing that his current €18m (£15m/$19m) annual salary no longer matches his world-beating form. Under contract until 2028, Dembele remains calm but expects recognition for his new status.
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No Ballon d’Or clause, but big ambitions
As with his Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona contracts, Dembele demanded a his PSG deal include a clause that would entitle him to a pay rise should he win the Ballon d’Or clause. While the French side deny such an agreement, reports that it is indeed in the contract and his entourage are now pushing the club to honour it. They believe the forward’s individual success and Champions League-winning exploits justify higher pay. PSG, however, have responded cautiously, open to negotiation but unwilling to mirror the financial excesses of the past.
PSG stand firm after lessons from the past
Inside the PSG hierarchy, there is firm resistance to repeating the mistakes of the Neymar-Mbappe-Messi era. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos have established a stricter financial policy, with a focus on sustainability and team balance. Although the accounts are back in the black after a record year, the club's room for manoeuvre remains limited, particularly due to the drastic drop in television rights, reports. PSG are constrained by financial fair play and does not want to fall back into its old ways. PSG recognise that Dembele’s current salary does not reflect his new status, but they do not intend to break the bank. The club’s financial fair play obligations also make them cautious.
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Comparing the numbers, and the message
At €18m per year, Dembele is already PSG’s highest earner, tet the figure pales compared to Neymar’s €30m or the staggering €70m Mbappe once earned. Dembele isn’t asking for those sums, but wants a deal reflecting his image, consistency, and leadership. PSG, though, fear that raising his wages could spark a ripple effect in the dressing room, reopening old wounds from the club’s spendthrift years.
Leeds United central midfielder Sean Longstaff has established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet in the middle of the park since his move to the club in the summer.
The Whites swooped to sign him from Premier League rivals Newcastle United in a deal worth up to £15m to compete with the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, and Ilia Gruev.
Longstaff’s experience in the top-flight with the Magpies has helped him to hit the ground running at Elland Road with some impressive showings in midfield.
The 27-year-old star’s breakout performance for Daniel Farke’s side came in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last week, as he scored and assisted a goal.
His fantastic strike, as shown in the clip above, should have been enough to claim all three points for Leeds, but a stoppage-time equaliser meant that they had to settle for one.
Unfortunately, though, the English midfielder was not at his very best in the club’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on Saturday.
How Sean Longstaff performed against Spurs
The former Newcastle man lined up in the middle of the park alongside Stach and Ampadu once again, as they have started to form an impressive unit in midfield.
However, Longstaff did not continue his impressive form. Instead, the Englishman was a bit too easy to play against at times for the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Xavi Simons.
The experienced star was dribbled past three times in midfield, losing half (5/10) of his duels, per Sofascore, which shows that the Spurs players got the better of him too many times.
His part in Mathys Tel’s opening goal summed up his overall performance. Longstaff failed to control a bouncing ball in the middle of the park and then got outmuscled by Bentancur on the turn, which then teed up Mohammed Kudus to set Tel away for his strike.
The Newcastle academy graduate could have prevented the goal by adjusting his body to control the ball from the initial header forward from Spurs, shielding Bentancur out of contention to take it off him.
Vs Spurs
Sean Longstaff
Minutes
90
Key passes
5
Shots
4
Shots on target
0
Tackles made
4
Dribbled past
3x
Duels won
5/10
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, it was not an utterly dreadful performance from the central midfielder, who created five chances for his teammates and made four tackles.
However, all four of his shots failed to find the target, he was dribbled past three times, he lost half of his duels, and he was partially to blame for Tel’s goal.
His underwhelming display should not be a cause for too much concern, though, because it was against the Europa League champions and he has shown that he can put in some excellent showings for Leeds.
Meanwhile, though, one of his teammates put in another concerning performance that may sound some alarm bells, as he is on course to become a flop if things do not improve.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The Championship champions swooped to add some Premier League experience to their frontline during the summer transfer window, with the addition of Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer from Everton.
Unfortunately, though, there have been more worrying performances than there have been impressive ones since he made the switch to Elland Road in August.
Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin may become a Leeds flop
Bringing the 28-year-old in, even on a free transfer, was always going to be a gamble by the club because of his output in recent seasons for the Toffees.
Calvert-Lewin scored three goals from 6.75 xG in the 2024/25 season, seven goals from 12.93 xG in the 2023/24 season, and two goals from 5.84 xG in the 2022/23 season in the Premier League for Everton, per Sofascore.
This shows that Leeds signed a player who had struggled badly in front of goal for at least three seasons, underperforming against his xG in all three of those campaigns.
Calvert-Lewin’s debut for Leeds, as shown in the graphic above, did little to ease any concerns about his ability in front of goal, as he missed four ‘big chances’ and a penalty in the club’s loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup.
The former England international did score an impressive header against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 3-1 win for the Whites last month, but that is his only goal for the club to date.
Calvert-Lewin had a big chance to find the back of the net against Spurs on Saturday, when Noah Okafor pressed the defence into a mistake, but the experienced striker fired his effort high and wide of Guglielmo Vicario’s goal.
The English centre-forward was even worse than Longstaff against the Lilywhites because he struggled with his play in and out of possession of the ball.
Vs Spurs
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Minutes
90
Shots
2
Big chances missed
1
Big chances created
0
Dribbles completed
0/3
Ground duels won
0/6
Aerial duels won
2/5
Fouls committed
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Calvert-Lewin lost the vast majority of his duels, failed in all three of his attempted dribbles, and missed a ‘big chance’, which was the aforementioned one that he fired over the bar.
This shows that he was even worse than Longstaff, who at least won half of his duels and created five chances for the team, and the striker is now in danger of becoming the next Pierre-Michel Lasogga at Elland Road.
The German striker spent the 2017/18 campaign on loan at the club in the Championship and scored ten goals in 31 league matches, but his general play was less-than-impressive.
Former Leeds forward Noel Whelan once criticised the brute number nine, who was on loan from Hamburg, saying: “He looked heavy, he looked leggy, he looked slow.”
Unfortunately, some of those criticisms could also be levelled at Calvert-Lewin, who has lost 63% of his duels and completed just 17% of his attempted dribbles in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, to go along with one goal and five ‘big chances’ missed.
The former Everton attacker is in danger of becoming the new Lasogga at Elland Road because of how clunky he has looked on the ball and how sloppy he has been in front of goal.
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Calvert-Lewin must finally find his form in front of goal and start to become more reliable with the ball at his feet and in duels with opposition defenders if he wants to avoid going down as a flop in West Yorkshire.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has provided a major update on Liam Delap's injury as he revealed when the striker would return to action. Delap joined the Blues from Ipswich Town in June, immediately after the 2024-25 campaign was over. He participated at the Club World Cup and played a key role in the English giants' triumph in the competition, but he picked up an injury at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Delap's early injury blow
Delap picked up an injury in just the third match of the 2025-26 campaign as he limped off in the first half of the Blues' 2-0 win over Fulham on August 30 in the Premier League. Following this injury, Maresca confirmed that the striker is expected to be out of action for nearly 12 weeks. Delap's injury led to Chelsea initially cancelling Nicolas Jackson's loan move to Bayern Munich after giving the green signal. However, they eventually sanctioned the move on the deadline day as they brought Marc Guiu back from his loan spell at Sunderland. Tyrique George's transfer to Fulham also fell through after initially approving the move.
In Delap's absence, Joao Pedro served as the club's only recognised striker, who has enjoyed success in his maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge, having scored two goals and provided three assists in eight Premier League appearances thus far.
AdvertisementAFPMaresca provides update on Delap's return
Speaking on Delap's present condition and his possible return date, Maresca told reporters on Tuesday, "Liam is very close. He is not working with us yet, he is still out but hopefully he can start in the next days to take part in the session with us."
Chelsea will miss the service of the suspended Pedro for their upcoming Champions League fixture against Ajax on Wednesday. When asked about his plans to replace the Brazilian forward, Maresca added: "We have him [Guiu], we have also Tyrique who has played games as a nine in the past. He did well. He played I think against Benfica as a nine. We have different options. We have one more session this afternoon and then we decide. We trust Marc. We trust already last year, he was always playing in the Conference [League]. We also gave him some Premier League games so we show in the past that we trust Marc. Now he is again with us and he is going to play games for sure."
Maresca denies Chelsea's discipline problem
Defender Malo Gusto became the fourth Chelsea player, after Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah and Joao Pedro, to be sent off in the club's last six matches across all competitions as he was given his marching orders in the 87th minute of the Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest last week after he pulled off a mindless challenge on Neco Williams.
Maresca, after the game, had claimed he wasn't worried about the red cards and ahead of the Ajax clash, he reiterated his statement as he added: "For sure it is something that we can do better. I think some of the red cards, we could avoid that. For example, the Malo one is completely avoidable. It is 3-0, the game is finished. But also, the other side, they don't want to concede, they want to continue to be aggressive. For sure, when you concede five or six red cards, there is something we have to improve and it is something we are for sure going to improve.
"[But] personally, I'm not that kind of manager to punish players. I don't think in my view it is the right way to do things. I prefer to help them understand and then from there to do the right things. Joao Pedro was [in the] last minutes of the game. Malo was [in the] last minutes of the game. So it depends, they are all different kinds of red cards. But if you concede four or five, it is something you have to do better. I have four kids. When they do something wrong, I don't punish them. I try to push them to do the right things and I try to treat the players in the same way: try to help them to understand and not to punish them. This is the way I see things – it can be right, wrong, I don't know – but it is the way I like to do things."
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Getty ImagesChelsea's Fernandez boost
While Delap will still take some time before he fully returns to action for the Blues, the club have received a major boost on Enzo Fernandez's fitness after the midfielder missed the Forest clash last weekend. The Argentine international has returned to training and is expected to be part of Chelsea's matchday for the European clash.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s spell at Tottenham Hotspur was certainly one to forget for the manager and the supporters after the dismal form endured during his tenure.
In the 17 matches he was in charge of the Lilywhites, the 51-year-old only won 52% of the matches he was in charge of – subsequently only being in the role for a total of four months.
Such an appointment raised eyebrows at the time, with the former Wolves boss tasked with the responsibility of taking the side to the next level after José Mourinho’s tenure.
The aforementioned period may not have been enough to make the desired changes, with Daniel Levy arguably making a harsh decision in cutting ties so early into his spell in North London.
The decision allowed the former Portuguese goalkeeper to make an impact elsewhere in the Premier League – subsequently making himself a success at Nottingham Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s time under Nuno at Forest
Nuno joined Forest back in December 2023, leading the club back to European football for the first time in 30 years – but was handed his marching orders earlier this week after a fall-out with owner Evangelos Marinakis.
He was overseeing the progress of attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White at the City Ground, once again linking up with the Englishman after their previous spell together at Wolves.
Morgan Gibbs-White for Nottingham Forest.
The 25-year-old enjoyed an incredible campaign throughout 2024/25, subsequently registering his highest tally of combined goals and assists in the Premier League under Nuno’s guidance.
He ended the year with 15 goal contributions, a tally which saw the Lilywhites even make a £60m bid for his services during the recent summer transfer window.
Such a deal was agreed between all parties for Gibbs-White to join Thomas Frank’s side, but Marinakis voiced his displeasure at the transfer and publicly threatened legal action against the club.
As a result, a deal hit a stumbling block, leading to the Englishman penning a new three-year contract at the City Ground and putting a deal off until January at the earliest.
There’s no denying that the failure to secure his signature would’ve been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they needn’t worry, given the talent already on their books in North London.
The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Gibbs-White
Whilst Nuno was only in the role for a short period of time, he managed to have a positive impact that has been showcased in recent months – arguably laying some of the foundations for the recent Europa League triumph.
He oversaw the arrival of centre-back Cristian Romero, with the Argentine now a key member of the first-team squad four years on from his switch to England from Atalanta.
The 27-year-old has been named the club captain in recent months, highlighting the importance to the side, with Frank putting huge faith in the defender to lead the club forward.
However, he wasn’t the only first-team member brought in during Nuno’s tenure, with midfielder Pape Matar Sarr also making the move to North London in the summer of 2021.
Whilst he spent his first year back out on loan at Metz, the Senegalese international has established himself as a key member of the side over the last couple of months.
The 22-year-old has started all three of the Lilywhites’ Premier League outings this campaign, showcasing the backing he has from Frank to make an impact in their quest for added success.
Sarr’s importance is further highlighted by his tally of 55 appearances in all competitions last campaign, starting and playing the vast majority of the Europa League final in Bilbao.
Despite being a deeper-lying option than Gibbs-White, he’s also operated in a number ten role in recent months – even managing to outperform him in numerous areas, subsequently making him a bigger talent at present.
Sarr, who’s been labelled “incredible” by journalist Umir Irfan, managed to post a higher shot on target accuracy rate (38%) than Gibbs-White in the Premier League last season.
How Sarr & Gibbs-White compared in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Sarr
MGW
Games played
36
34
Goals & assists
5
15
Shot on target accuracy
38%
34%
Pass accuracy
86%
78%
Passes into final third
4.2
4.1
Carries into final third
1.7
1.6
Tackles made
1.7
0.7
Aerials won
1.6
1.2
Stats via FBref
Such a tally showcases the threat the youngster possesses in attacking areas, arguably making him more of a goal threat when in possession of the ball in attacking areas.
The main responsibility of a number ten is creativity, but Sarr managed to complete more passes into the final third per 90 (4.2), along with a higher tally of carries into the final third per 90 (1.7).
The aforementioned tallies once again highlight the quality the youngster possesses in dangerous areas – something which will develop further given his tender age.
Many supporters will have been bitterly disappointed by the failure to land Gibbs-White, but it’s clear they already have a top-level talent on the books with the Senegalese international.
Nuno’s time at the club may have been one to forget, but the fanbase certainly must be thankful for his dealings in the market, which have given the Lilywhites the chance to compete with Europe’s elite once again.
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Tottenham Hotspur’s excellent work in the market has previously been evident during Ange Postecoglou’s reign.