Leeds United secured a superb 3-3 comeback against Liverpool at Elland Road last night to make it four points in the space of a week against big six opposition.

Daniel Farke’s men fell two goals behind just minutes after the break after a Hugo Ekitiké double, but it only seemed to spur the side on to get back into the Premier League clash.

Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach restored parity before Dominic Szoboszlai’s 80th-minute effort looked to have finally handed the visitors three points.

However, it wasn’t meant to be, with the Whites’ never-say-die attitude rewarding them a point, after Ao Tanaka beautifully volleyed home from a corner in the 96th minute.

Despite the impressive fightback against the Reds in Yorkshire, numerous players struggled to impress throughout the clash, which could put their starting roles at huge risk.

Leeds’ poor performers against Liverpool

Jayden Bogle has been Leeds’ number one right-back so far this campaign, but his showing against the Reds was arguably one of his worst of the season to date.

The Englishman was withdrawn with just a minute left in the clash, after giving possession away 11 times, with two occasions coming when trying to take on an opponent.

He also failed to win any tackles against Cody Gakpo, whilst only coming out on top in 25% of the ground and aerial duels he entered against the defending champions.

Bogle wasn’t alone in struggling within the back five, with centre-back Joe Rodon having an uncharacteristically poor performance in the Premier League.

The Welsh international’s misplaced pass handed the ball on a plate for Ekitike to fire home and help the visitors establish their two-goal cushion early in the second half.

He also only managed to win 50% of the aerial battles he entered in the defensive third, but thankfully, he was bailed out by Tanaka for his struggles in stoppage time.

The Leeds star who needs to be dropped after Liverpool

If Leeds are to stay up in the Premier League this season, their ability to get themselves off the canvas on a regular basis could play a massive role in any successful survival attempt.

Few sides in the league would be able to get themselves back within striking distance of sides who possess the quality of Liverpool, with Farke deserving huge credit after such a result.

The German wasn’t afraid of making key changes at crucial parts of the game, with his triple change in the 65th minute seeing Tanaka score, whilst Wilfried Gnonto won the penalty for Calvert-Lewin’s strike.

Brenden Aaronson was also on hand to provide the goods, with the American registering the assist for Stach’s strike – which restored parity for the first time in the meeting.

However, Noah Okafor was just one of the players sacrificed for the aforementioned trio, with the attacker potentially now fearing for his starting role in Yorkshire.

The Swiss international lasted just over an hour before being replaced, but his stats from his time on the pitch showcase how lacklustre his showing at Elland Road was.

He was only able to complete a total of five passes in his 65-minute showing – an average of one every 13 minutes – with his small frame unsuited to the counter-attacking nature in the first half.

Noah Okafor – stats against Liverpool

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

65

Touches

14

Passes completed

5

Dribbles completed

1

Aerials won

0

Shots on target

0

Possession lost

4x

Fouls committed

1

Stats via FotMob

The 25-year-old tried his best to make an impact on the transition, but largely struggled against the Reds’ backline – as seen by his tally of just one dribble completed.

Okafor also failed to win any of his aerial battles, something which is hardly a surprise given his stature – but also coming up against the likes of Virgil van Dijk.

To top off his disappointing display, he only registered a total of 14 touches during the draw, with goalkeeper Lucas Perri making nearly three times more with his tally of 43.

After such a performance, Farke will be left with no choice but to drop the Swiss international, with the trio off the bench certainly deserving of a start after their impact in the second half.

It’s certainly not a bad call for the manager to make, especially with the recent form creating competition for places – something that will be vital if they are to secure survival.

Related Leeds now make contact over signing "powerful" star who's been likened to Odegaard

He’s a wanted man.

Posts ByTom Cunningham 6 days ago

Josh Naylor had the best season of his career in 2025. After starting the year with the Diamondbacks, Naylor was dealt to the Mariners at the trade deadline, where he played a big role in the team’s run to the ALCS. Now, he’s set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, and he figures to have plenty of teams interested in him in free agency.

Naylor racked up a career-high 3.1 bWAR in ‘25, including 2.2 in just 54 games in Seattle. He recorded a .812 OPS with a .295 batting average, and launched 20 home runs with 92 RBIs. In addition to his prowess at the plate, Naylor was an extremely effective baserunner, racking up 30 stolen bases despite never having swiped more than 10 bags in any previous season.

The Mariners will certainly be hoping they can work out a deal to keep Naylor in Seattle on a new contract, but with free agency awaiting the 29-year-old, they’ll have to fend off some staunch competition for his signature.

Naylor is projected by ESPN to be in line to receive a contract worth around $52.5 million over three years. That feels a bit low, and it’s certainly possible that price tag would rise, potentially dramatically, if multiple teams got in the mix.

So, what are some possible landing spots for Naylor when he hits the open market?

Seattle Mariners

Naylor was an outstanding fit for the Mariners after being acquired at the trade deadline. Bringing him back should be a top priority for Seattle this offseason. That much has been echoed by the organization’s front office, as GM Justin Hollander has expressed his desire to keep Naylor in the PNW.

The Mariners enjoyed their longest stay in the postseason in franchise history this year, despite finishing just one win shy of a World Series berth. They’ll be determined to finish the job in 2026 and try to punch their first-ever ticket to the Fall Classic. Naylor was fantastic during the team’s run in October, registering a .957 OPS in 12 games, and bringing him back feels like a must for Seattle.

San Diego Padres

The Padres have a glaring need at first base, and after a disappointing showing in the postseason, San Diego will be determined to bounce back in 2026. Offense was hard to come by for the Padres last year, and without an established first baseman currently on the roster heading into the ‘26 campaign, Naylor feels like an excellent fit for the organization.

The Padres were 28th in MLB in home runs last year (152) and were in the middle of the pack in OPS (.711). Those are both areas where Naylor could make an instant impact. Naylor started his career in San Diego, playing 94 games for the organization as a rookie in 2019 before getting traded to Cleveland the following season. He could return to the team where he got his first taste of MLB action, while providing the Padres with a much-needed boost on offense.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have been linked to Naylor in the past, and after failing to bring him aboard in recent seasons, they could stage another attempt during free agency. Cincinnati narrowly missed out on the postseason last year, but adding a player of Naylor’s caliber could help them get over the hump.

Cincinnati ranked in the bottom half of MLB in home runs, batting average, OPS and hits. Spencer Steer had a decent season at first base, but Naylor would certainly be an upgrade over him and also has the flexibility to move into the outfield or even be used at DH. Only two players on the Reds hit 20 or more home runs last year and no one had more than 22. Naylor could achieve those numbers in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park with ease.

New York Mets

If the Mets and Pete Alonso are truly parting ways this offseason, with the veteran slugger destined for free agency, New York will be in the market for a new first baseman. Naylor could be a great fit, providing the team with some more consistent hitting as opposed to pure power.

The Mets ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of batting average in 2025, though their OPS was among the best in the league. Getting another reliable hitter in the middle of the order, one who flirts with a .300 batting average, would be a great way to replace one of the league’s biggest sluggers.

Pitching will be one of the main focal points for New York this offseason, but if Alonso doesn’t return, they’d be hard pressed to find a more suitable replacement at first base than Naylor.

MatériaMais Notícias

A estreia de Álvaro Pacheco está confirmada para o clássico entre Vasco e Flamengo. No início da noite desta sexta-feira (31), o português apareceu no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) e, com isso, o técnico está apto para comandar o Cruz-Maltino pela primeira vez.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

A demora pela regularização do registro de Álvaro Pacheco se deu por conta de um novo procedimento adotado pela CBF. O diretor Pedro Martins esclareceu na entrevista coletiva de apresentação.

A CBF recebeu a documentação do Vasco na segunda-feira (27) e, agora, ela tem como novo método enviar a documentação para a Conmebol, que tem um acordo com a Uefa para validação dos profissionais que vem da Europa para cá. O Álvaro tem a Uefa Pro. Este processo tende a demorar um pouco mais de tempo. A gente recebeu a notícia que deve acontecer (registro do Álvaro Pacheco) hoje (sexta-feira). Tanto que não deveremos ter problemas para o registro acontecer e o Álvaro estará apto. Devemos até o final do dia ter isso resolvido

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disse Pedro Martins

Vasco e Flamengo se enfrentam neste final de semana. A bola rola para o “Clássico dos Milhões” no domingo (2), às 16h, no Maracanã.

Tudo sobre

Álvaro PachecoFutebol NacionalVasco

Mike Greenwell, the former Red Sox left fielder and franchise Hall of Famer, has died at the age of 62, it was announced Thursday. His death comes only months after he revealed his medullary thyroid cancer diagnosis in August.

In a message on Facebook, his wife, Tracy, said Greenwell died at 10:30 a.m. in Boston's General Hospital, per WINK-TV, a CBS affiliate in Southwest Florida.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” said officials from Lee County, Fla., where Greenwell served as county commissioner, in a post on social media. “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faced. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his leadership.”

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell," added the Red Sox in a statement of the team's own. "'The Gator' spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a beloved fixture of Fenway and Fort Myers. He gave so much to Lee County and Sox Nation. We send our love to the Greenwell family."

Greenwell, a two-time All-Star and 1988 AL MVP runner-up, was selected in the third round of the 1982 MLB draft and played from 1985 to '96. Over his 12 seasons in the league, he recorded a career batting average of 0.303 with an OPS of 0.831.

In 2022, he was appointed to Lee County commissioner following the death of then-commissioner Franklin Mann, and was re-elected in 2024.

علّق الإعلامي أحمد شوبير على أداء منتخب مصر في كأس العرب 2025، وتحديدًا بعد الخسارة أمام الأردن وتوديع البطولة من دور المجموعات، موضحًا بالأسماء والتحليلات الفنية أسباب تراجع النتائج، وأزمة اللاعبين المستبعدين.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأربعاء: “انظروا.. لا تتفاجؤوا، أنا لن أصرخ ولن أنفعل، أنا فقط سأقول لكم إن منتخب الأردن واجهنا وكان يُمثله 11 لاعبًا من البدلاء، وليس لاعبًا أو اثنين، بل الإحدى عشر لاعبًا كلهم بدلاء”.

وتابع: “جمال السلامي، مدرب منتخب الأردن قال لقد ضمنتُ التأهل وسأتصدر المجموعة، وأريد أن أمنح اللاعبين الآخرين فرصة، فغيّر أحد عشر لاعبًا، ودائمًا حين تجد حارس المرمى قد تغيّر، فاعلم أن الفريق يلعب بالبدلاء”.

وواصل: “يعني إذا كنا نحن ذهبنا بمنتخب (ب)، فهم لعبوا بمنتخب (ت)، وبالمناسبة، منتخب (ب) مصر مليء بالأسماء الكبيرة، أنا أردّ بهدوء المنتخب الأردني بدأ بـ11 لاعبًا بديلًا، باستثناء علي علوان الذي نزل وسجل الهدف الثالث”.

وتابع: “دعونا نعرف ما يحدث عندنا أيضًا، لأن هناك كلامًا وضجة عن عدم توقف، الدوري توقّف واللاعبون الذين غابوا عن منتخب مصر، بهدوء لنرَ من الذي لم يذهب بسبب إيقاف الدوري وغير ذلك”.

واستكمل: “اللاعبون الذين كانوا موجودين من البداية وتم استبعادهم لأسباب فنية: مصطفى العش، عمر جابر، محمود جاد، عصام ثروت، كان محمود جاد في بيراميدز، وكان موجودًا مع الشناوي، الذي لعب هو محمد بسام، والاحتياطي عواد وعلي لطفي، وبالتالي ليست لديّ أي مشكلة في مركز حراسة المرمى”.

وأشار: “أما اللاعبون المؤثرون في بيراميدز الذين هم أساس المشكلة كما يُقال، فأي لاعب غير لاعبي بيراميدز تم استبعاده فنيًا من وجهة نظر الكابتن حلمي طولان، من هم؟ أحمد الشناوي كان مصابًا، ومحمود جاد كما قلت حارس مرمى، ولدينا ثلاثة حراس: بسام، عواد، علي لطفي. فلا توجد مشكلة”.

وتابع: “أحمد سامي لاعب جيد، كريم حافظ، أحمد عاطف قطة، محمود زلاكة، أربعة لاعبين، منهم الأساسيون: زلاكة، قطة، سامي، ووصل أيضًا مروان حمدي”.

وأوضح: “سأحدثكم بالأرقام لعبتم أمام تونس: فزتم 1–0، وسجل الهدف أفشة وهو معكم، ولعبتم أمام تونس مرة أخرى وفزتم 3–0: سجل يحيى زكريا وهو معكم، ومصطفى سعد ميسي معكم، وميدو جابر معكم”.

طالع أيضًا | اللجنة الفنية تتبرأ من توديع منتخب مصر كأس العرب من دور المجموعات

وأردف: “في معسكر سبتمبر، ذهبتم للمغرب، خسرتم المباراة الأولى 2–0 أمام المغرب، ثم فزتم على البحرين 4–0، سجل الأهداف: عمرو السولية، ميدو جابر، محمد شريف، مروان حمدي، وكلهم معكم”.

واستمر: “في آخر معسكر لعبتم مباراتين أمام الجزائر: فزتم 3–1، سجّل الجزائريون هدفًا في مرماهم، وسجل رجب نبيل، وسجل حسام حسن، والمباراة الثانية انتهت بالتعادل السلبي، إذًا حتى الأهداف التي سجلتموها، أصحابها موجودون معكم”.

وشدد: “أنا أتكلم بهدوء،الكابتن حلمي طولان صديقي وعزيز على قلبي، لكنني أفنّد الأمور فنيًا فقط، بعيدًا عن الجمهور، رغم أن الكابتن حلمي قال إنه لا يوجد غير الكابتن مدحت شلبي الذي يدعمهم، نحن هنا دائمًا داعمون ثم داعمون ثم داعمون”.

وواصل: “أمس كان الحضور حوالي 56 ألف متفرج، منهم ما لا يقل عن 40–45 ألف مصري، وتم إعلان الرقم على الشاشة، الجمهور لم يقصر، قصة الإعلام والدعم، الإعلام لا يلعب يا كابتن حلمي، وإذا قدم المنتخب عروضًا جيدة، سنضعكم فوق رؤوسنا، تعادلنا في أول مباراة مع الكويت، وأنا أزور الكويت أسبوعيًا، الناس كانوا في غاية السعادة، غير مصدقين أنهم تعادلوا مع مصر”.

واستمر: “الكويت حصلت على نقطة منا، لكنها خسرت من الأردن 3–1، وخسرت من الإمارات 3–1. نحن سجلنا هدفين: واحد أمام الإمارات وآخر أمام الكويت، ولم نسجل في مرمى احتياطي الأردن، الفريق الثاني الاحتياطي”.

واختتم: “أكثر شخص أشفق عليه هو محمد بسام، قدّم بطولة جيدة، لكنه خسر بثلاثة أهداف، والناس بالطبع ستتحدث، وأحد الأشخاص أرسل لي رسالة طويلة يقول فيها إن بسام لا يتحمل أي مسؤولية عن أهداف الإمارات ولا الكويت ولا الأهداف الثلاثة أمس. فما هو دور الإعلام؟ وما نوع الهجوم؟”.

Arne Slot has suggested that Mohamed Salah must make the first move if the Egyptian forward is to work his way back into the Liverpool squad after his outburst at the weekend. Salah was dropped from the Reds squad that earned a crucial Champions League 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai's late penalty, but all eyes will now be focused on whether the 33-year-old returns against Brighton on Saturday.

• Liverpool beat Inter without Salah

  Salah was left out of the travelling Liverpool squad after his remarks following the 3-3 draw with Leeds last weekend, when he claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" after being omitted from Slot's starting lineup for three successive games. With the Egyptian left at home, the Reds kept the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram quiet before Szoboszlai converted from the spot late on after Florian Wirtz had his shirt pulled by Alessandro Bastoni. The victory was a big one for Slot, who has been under pressure to halt the club's recent poor run of form, and the three points saw Liverpool jump into the top eight of the Champions League league phase following their demoralising 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven on the previous matchday.

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• AFP
  

  Salah told how he can return to Liverpool squad

  Slot had hinted before Tuesday night's game that there is a way back for Salah if he shows some contrition and apologises and made the same point after the victory, but he seemed to put the ball in the player's court to make the first move.

  Slot told compatriot Clarence Seedorf on : "You say everyone makes mistakes in life, so the first thing should be: does the player think he's made a mistake as well?

  "And then the next question is, should the initiative come from me or him? That's another question to answer."

  He later added: "Clarence said that in his opinion and I didn't say who should make the first step. Tonight it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had they have had many of these evenings.

  "(The performance) was all I could ask for, I think the fourth game in 10 days, that is not what you see a lot with only 13 outfield players available with experience, after the blow we had conceding the 3-3 in Leeds then in this stadium against such a strong Inter team, we hardly gave away a chance. 

  "We had a great mentality second half, we get better and better."

• Van Dijk reveals upcoming talks

  There seems to have been little contact between some of Liverpool's on-field leaders and Salah since his incendiary remarks at Elland Road, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker admitting he hadn't spoken with his legendary team-mate during the fallout. Captain Virgil van Dijk, however, has revealed he is due to hold peace talks with the Egypt star, though the Netherlands international hinted, like Slot, that Salah may need to take some responsibility and try to rebuild the bridges he broke when he accused the club of mistreatment.

  Van Dijk said: "I have to, I'm going to talk to him. But then you have to ask should the initiative come from me? I'm not the one to speak if someone has to apologise. 

  "It's him airing his feelings for the past couple of days. That's something the club has to deal with, obviously, me as well. The reality also is that Mo is going to Africa soon. I've known him for such a long time, we are good friends and have been through highs and lows. We speak and those types of things will stay indoors as it should be. 

  "We have to brace ourselves and be against the outside noise."

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• AFP
  

  Will Salah be involved at the weekend?

  In most seasons, Liverpool would have been dreading losing their talisman for the better part of a month to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, this year it seems the break between the two parties could prove to be a much-needed cooling down period as Slot attempts to lead the Reds back up the table. The Premier League title is almost certainly beyond their reach, but a good run of form could have the Merseysiders back in the picture for Champions League qualification, with fourth-placed Crystal Palace only three points ahead of them. It remains to be seen if Salah will be back in the squad for Saturday when Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield, with that scenario likely hinging on the outcome of talks with Slot and key squad members like Van Dijk.

The black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the first Test

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Nov-20251:43

Can Rabada make an impact in India?

Reverse swing will potentially play a key role in the first Test between India and South Africa starting November 14 in Kolkata. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the surface at Eden Gardens, which will host a Test match for the first time in six years, will have good bounce but is expected to start slowing down by the halfway mark.It is understood that the black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the Test with the grass cover expected to be barely a couple of millimetres by the time the match begins. While the second Test of the West Indies series, played in Delhi, was also a black-soil pitch, it is understood the Eden Gardens surface will not be a docile track like the one at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where India won by seven wickets on the fifth day.West Indies played the two-match series on completely contrasting pitches with the first match, in Ahmedabad, played on one of the greenest strips in India in recent times with four mm of live grass on a red-soil pitch with good bounce. The match finished inside three days as West Indies suffered a bruising innings defeat, lasting 44.1 and 45.1 overs in their two innings.Related

• Are India mulling Kuldeep vs allrounder?

• South Africa return to India without fear of the Turnado

• Dhruv Jurel: too good to keep out, too good to just keep

• Bavuma to return as SA captain for India Tests

• Pant returns to India's Test squad for SA series

In the wake of India’s 3-0 whitewash last year at home against New Zealand, India will be wary of preparing rank turners both in Kolkata and Guwahati against South Africa. It is understood that the Eden Gardens pitch is expected to roughen up quickly facilitating reverse swing for the fast bowlers. There is another encouraging fact for the quicks there: in the last 15 years, it is Kolkata where fast bowlers have recorded the highest wicket percentage (61%) with 97 wickets in six red-ball Tests.Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir visit the Kolkata playing surface•Associated Press

Another factor that is likely to be favourable to seamers is the cooler temperatures both in the first hour of the morning and final hour of the evening which could potentially aid lateral movement. All these factors combined could amount to the toss not playing a defining role. Also, while the outfield at Eden Gardens is among the quickest owing to the black soil (different from the one used for the pitch), the batters are likely to face the challenge once the pitch starts slowing down as the Test progresses.South Africa arrived in India on the back of their series-levelling Test win in Rawalpindi recently against Pakistan. The Pakistan series, which was played on spin-friendly pitches, saw South Africa’s trio of slow bowlers – Senuran Muthusamy (Player of the Series), Keshav Maharaj (Player of the Match in Rawalpindi) and Simon Harmer (second-highest wicket-taker in the series) – excel before arriving in India.This will be the fourth Test for South Africa at Eden Gardens where they won on their first visit in 1996 but lost the last two – in 2004 and 2010. The last Test played at the venue was in 2019 when India defeated Bangladesh under lights in a pink-ball Test. The last red-ball Test played in Kolkata was in 2017, against Sri Lanka, which ended in a draw.

Are Tottenham Hotspur finding their feet under Thomas Frank’s stewardship?

Certainly, we have seen green shoots in recent matches. After that dismal home defeat to Fulham at the end of November, Spurs battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park before beating Brentford in the Premier League and Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Two clean sheets from two games, but Tottenham still could do with reinforcements in the rearguard. Namely, ENIC Group are planning to help Frank piece together a lasting project with a new left-back.

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and will be out until the New Year. But the Italian defender has been out of sorts this season anyway, and Tottenham are ready to take action.

Spurs' search for a left-back

Udogie quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous up-and-coming full-backs in Europe after joining Tottenham from Hellas Verona. Better known for his time on loan with Udinese across multiple years, the Italian was hailed as “the best left-back” in the country by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport a few months into his arrival under Ange Postecoglou’s wing.

However, Udogie’s persistent injury issues have stunted his growth, and the 23-year-old has been told he “needs to wake up” by one coach this term, lacking awareness and dynamism. With Ben Davies getting on – and rarely getting off the bench – competition is needed, especially with the Lilywhites making headway in the Champions League.

That’s why Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are circling in on Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, with TEAMtalk revealing that the 22-year-old German international is on Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of the winter window.

A versatile wideman with no qualms about playing further upfield, Brown would add depth and new dimensions to Frank’s team, though this is a sentiment shared with rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United also among the suitors named.

He would cost upwards of £50m, but Brown has the potential to become one of the best in the business, and he would slot right into Frank’s set-up.

What Brown would bring to Spurs

Brown, a German-born player with American heritage, boasts blistering pace and a desire to progress play whenever he can. However, he is also defensively sound, mixing between duties seamlessly.

As per FBref, Brown ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 3% for tackles per 90, underlining his dynamism and ability to mix defence with attack.

In this, he has something of a likeness to Udogie, the finest iteration of the Italy star, and while Spurs’ talented wide defender has fallen by the wayside of late, his profile remains tailor-made for a starring role in one of Europe’s top outfits.

Brown, moreover, is on an upward trajectory, with analyst Spencer Mossman claiming earlier in 2025 that he is “one-two years away from being the most coveted left back” in the world. Already, several of the Premier League’s biggest sides want to bring him over, suggesting that he is indeed ahead of that prediction already.

Frankfurt has a rather porous defence this season, and that is a concern, but Brown is one of the standouts, showcasing an impressive mix of qualities. Furthermore, he rode the crest of a wave into the current campaign, having played so well in the Bundesliga last year.

Matches (starts)

10 (6_

6 (6)

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

47.5

47.8

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

25.7 (84%)

Chances created*

0.7

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

0.3 (27%)

0.5 (38%)

Recoveries*

3.8

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.1

Clearances*

1.1

1.2

Duels (won)*

2.9 (46%)

3.8 (51%)

As we can see from the respective left-backs’ Champions League campaigns, Brown is enjoying greater success, with his staggering duel success rate something to note.

Last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig said Brown is “moving to another level”, so perhaps it is the right time for him to take the leap of faith over the channel and down N17 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Tottenham decide to do remains to be seen, but Frank needs a few more instruments in his tactical toolbox, and Brown could mark his crowning signing as improvements start to reveal themselves.

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Brendon McCullum claimed that his England team were “over-prepared” for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane and defended their planned trip to the resort town of Noosa before travelling to Adelaide.England trained five times – once at Allan Border Field, and four times at the Gabba – before the second Test, opting against pink-ball match practice against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. They were heavily beaten, losing by eight wickets after four energy-sapping days in the heat, and McCullum suggested that their decision to ramp up their training had backfired.”Leading into this Test match, I actually felt like we over-prepared, to be honest,” McCullum told Australian broadcaster Channel 7. “We had five intense training days. When you’re in the heat of the battle, as we all know, sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh and make sure your top two inches [of your head] is completely sound.Related

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“I think the boys just need a few days off, and probably need to just change up a few of the training methods a little bit. I’m a horse-racing man, and you wouldn’t just keep doing the same thing with your horse, you’d send it around in figure-eights or over the little jumps, just to try and switch it on a bit. We’ll look at some alternative methods over the next few days.”England’s preparation has been heavily criticised throughout this tour, specifically their decisions to play a single warm-up match against the Lions squad at Lilac Hill, a club ground in Perth, and to turn down the opportunity to play the pink-ball PM’s XI fixture between Tests. Stuart Broad described their bowlers as “undercooked”, while Michael Vaughan said on Sunday: “No one can tell me that this England management has given this England team the best chance [to win the series].”The squad and support staff will travel to a coastal resort in Noosa – two hours’ drive up the Queensland coast – on Tuesday for a four-night “mid-series break” which McCullum said would provide them with an opportunity to reflect on the first two Tests: “[It] will be good to spend a bit casually and just let the dust settle on what’s been a pretty intense couple of weeks and start to plot and plan our way back into the series.”England will then train three times – rather than five – in Adelaide before the third Test starts on December 17. Ben Stokes, their captain, also defended the Noosa trip, arguing it would be “very, very important” for his players to stay fresh and insulate themselves from the pressures of the tour after an intense start to the series.”We’ve been here four weeks, and it’s been pretty full-on, on and off the field,” Stokes said. “As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I’ve experienced that. I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well.”Trust me when I say that it is so, so important that teams… [can] go away as a team and almost put the pressures of this aside for a couple of days, that doesn’t mean that everything just disappears, and we don’t speak about what’s going on. Those conversations are constantly happening.”This is a high-pressure environment. We chose to do this. We’re lucky enough to do this. It comes with the job, but it’s also very, very important that when you do get the opportunity that you are able to go away and refresh your mind because obviously in [Adelaide] we need to be not only physically good, but mentally very good as well.”McCullum and Stokes both highlighted England’s shortcomings with the new ball as a turning point in the game, with McCullum saying they had bowled “terribly” as Australia raced to 130 for 1 in the 21 overs before tea on the second day. “We were trying too hard was my assessment of it,” McCullum said.”We identified that we had a reasonable score with the bat in the first innings, and we knew that there was quite a pivotal moment in the game if we were able to strike. Sometimes, when you do try too hard, you miss your execution, you tighten up, and you’re not able to apply the pressure. We’re honest with ourselves: we bowled terribly in that period, and Australia were able to canter along at a very strong strike rate.”Stokes held himself and Brydon Carse accountable, saying: “It was myself and Brydon who let all that pressure off. We weren’t able to sustain what Jofra [Archer] and Gus [Atkinson] did… Me and Brydon know that we weren’t able to back up that first spell, and we weren’t able to deliver the consistency that Australia delivered this whole Test match.”McCullum also cited England’s fielding as a major issue, after they dropped five catches in the first innings: “It is hard enough taking 10 wickets against a good side like that, let alone needing to take 15. There was areas with the bat where we were deficient, there were areas with the ball where we were deficient, and there were areas in the field where we were deficient.”

Christian Pulisic says that he was “truly dead” a couple of days prior to delivering two-goal heroics for AC Milan in their dramatic win over Torino. The USMNT star stepped off his sick bed and the substitutes’ bench to make a decisive contribution to a contest that has taken the Rossoneri back to the top of the Serie A table – level on points with defending champions Napoli.

Bagged a brace: Pulisic settles dramatic clash with Torino

Milan were unsure whether talismanic forward Pulisic would be available to them when planning for a trip to Turin. The United States international has been nursing a nasty bout of flu, with illness limiting his involvement in training sessions.

The 27-year-old was, however, prepared to push himself for the good of the collective cause. He was required in the second-half of a clash with Torino, as Milan found themselves trailing 2-1 just past the hour mark.

Pulisic was introduced in place of Davide Bartesaghi in the 66th minute. Inside 60 seconds, he found the target and dragged the Rossoneri back into a contest that was threatening to get away from them. He then went on to grab a match-winning effort 10 minutes later.

AdvertisementCaptain America: Pulisic steps off sick bed to inspire Milan

‘Captain America’ admits that his involvement in the game was touch and go at one stage, but is delighted that he recovered enough to inspire Milan to three priceless points in their ongoing title challenge.

Pulisic told afterwards: “Two days ago I was truly dead, today I felt much better. I'm happy to have come here to help the team. Yesterday we didn't know if I could play, but this morning I felt much better.

“I'm happy with the goals, but the important thing was to win the match. I’m always happy when I can help. I want to score more goals and assists. This is my job and I’m happy with the three points.”

Pulisic now has nine goals to his name this season through 12 appearances in all competitions, with untimely injuries having prevented him from raising that bar even further.

Golden Boot race: Pulisic level with Inter striker Martinez

Milan are hoping that he will remain available for the foreseeable future, with Massimiliano Allegri’s assistant, Marco Landucci, saying of the American’s value: “We also have to praise the medical staff because Pulisic was really ill, yet he came and gave us a huge hand. [Pulisic] is a strong player, he's very calm in the locker room, but on the pitch he's nasty and in front of goal, he's a sharpshooter.”

Milan have moved onto 31 points from 14 games, the same return as Napoli and one better than arch-rivals Inter. Pulisic, who is tied with Inter star Lautaro Martinez on seven goals in the Serie A Golden Boot race, added on the need to maintain high standards from here: “It's a season in which we aren't seeing Milan dominate games a lot. I still need to find more rhythm. The team is doing very well this year. We're taking it game by game.”

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GettyFuture call: Why has Pulisic not signed new Milan contract?

While Pulisic continues to impress when fit, questions are being asked of his future at San Siro. That is because a contract offer that has been on the table for some time remains unsigned.

Former USMNT goalkeeper Brad Friedel told GOAL recently of why no extension has been agreed: “I think it suggests that he is leaving his options open. When I was at clubs, I always wanted to sign my contracts when I was happy at places. I can only go on personal experience, I liked having multiple years on the contract – you never know with injuries around the corner. If I was truly happy at a place, I really enjoyed having two or three years on a contract.

“There are only two reasons for not signing. One, you are not happy with the contract. Two, you are keeping your options open. Maybe he has given a verbal commitment. I would assume that he is keeping his options open. If you are happy somewhere and you are happy with the numbers, you sign the contract.”

Milan, with no European football on their agenda this season, will be back in Serie A action on Sunday when taking in a home date with Sassuolo.