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Leeds United’s winless run in the Premier League continued at the hands of Manchester City yesterday, with Daniel Farke’s side suffering a 3-2 defeat at the Etihad.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Whites would endure another battering, as they did at Arsenal, but it was anything but that against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha both hit the back of the net in the second half, subsequently restoring parity after trailing by two goals going into the break.

However, Phil Foden’s strike in stoppage time took some of the gloss off the impressive second-half showing, which should have earned Farke’s men a crucial point.

Despite the fightback, numerous players chosen by the manager at the Etihad struggled to produce the goods, which could lead to yet more changes in their next clash.

Leeds’ poor performers against Man City

Wilfried Gnonto is a player who the Leeds fans have been crying out to start in recent weeks, having only featured in five outings before the trip to face Man City yesterday.

However, the Italian was handed his chance to shine, but struggled to take full advantage of the opportunity handed his way, as seen by his tally of zero crosses and dribbles completed.

He was even fortunate not to be sent off, with his high challenge on Tijjani Reijnders somehow going unpunished – before being replaced at the break by Farke.

Gnonto wasn’t the only player who struggled against Guardiola’s men, with centre-back Pascal Struijk coming under fire for numerous errors throughout the contest.

The Dutchman was only able to win 50% of the aerial battles he entered at the Etihad, often being dominated in the air and resulting in added chances for the hosts.

He also nearly produced a costly mistake after slipping on the greasy turf, but luckily for the player and the team, his error only led to a corner rather than a goal.

The Leeds star who needs to be dropped after Man City

Going away to the Etihad and trying to get a result is no mean feat, with the former champions boasting one of the best home records in the division over recent seasons.

It’s a feat achieved by the Whites in years gone by, but unfortunately for Farke, he was unable to match the achievements previously achieved by Marcelo Bielsa.

As previously mentioned, there are certainly positives for the manager to pick out from the contest – as seen by their response to get themselves off the canvas in the second half.

However, multiple players’ showings will be a cause for concern for the German, which could certainly result in shape and personal changes ahead of their next top-flight outing.

Jayden Bogle is a player who has been a consistent starter for the Whites in 2025/26, as seen by his total of 13 appearances – subsequently not missing a single game to date.

Despite the faith shown in him by Farke once again yesterday, he was unable to produce one of his best showings, and often struggled to contain Jeremy Doku.

The Englishman’s underlying stats from the defeat further showcase his struggles, which could see the manager shuffle his pack and drop the 25-year-old as a result.

Minutes played

90

Touches

46

Passes completed

63%

Possession lost

14x

Dribbles completed

0

Long balls completed

0

Crosses completed

1

Tackles made

0

He only managed to complete 63% of the passes he attempted, subsequently losing possession on 14 separate occasions – highlighting his struggles with the ball at his feet.

Other numbers, such as zero dribbles, zero long balls and just 46 touches of the ball – a tally that was fewer than goalkeeper Lucas Perri, who managed 56 – showcase his lack of impact on proceedings.

Out of possession, Bogle was just as disappointing, as he was unable to make a single tackle, whilst making no blocks and just a single interception in his 90-minute display.

There’s little disputing that the full-back has been an excellent option for Farke in 2025/26 to date, but he will no doubt be concerned by the lack of impact against City.

As a result, the German should look to shuffle his options around in midweek, with a huge reaction needed to make amends for the disappointing defeat yesterday.

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Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup clash in Abu Dhabi.Bangladesh captain Litton Das said the pitch looked a bit on the slow side, despite the Abu Dhabi surface having been better for batting recently. Rashid Khan said Afghanistan would have liked to bat first as well.Bangladesh made four changes with Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Nasum Ahmed coming in. Mahedi Hasan, Pervez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan missed out. Afghanistan, meanwhile, named an unchanged XI.Related

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A win for Afghanistan On Tuesday will take them to the top of the Group B points table.Bangladesh: 1 Tanzid Hasan Tamim, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Nurul Hasan, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Shamim Hossain, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin AhmedAfghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sediqullah Atal, 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Karim Janat, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi

Whisper it quietly, but Manchester United are close to being a proper team once again. They have a competent goalkeeper at last in Senne Lammens, as well as top-level forwards who cannot only create quality chances but also finish them off in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. They have also developed some resilience, as evidenced by their crucial late goals at Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Liverpool of late.

But they are still missing a crucial element of any team with aspirations to return to the Champions League and compete for the Premier League title: a consistent and top-class midfield. Ruben Amorim's side have been getting by with Bruno Fernandes sitting deeper alongside Casemiro, who is enjoying an Indian summer. Both players have been performing admirably in their respective circumstances, but they both have asterixis by their names.

Fernandes is 31 and the spectre of him winding down his career in Saudi Arabia has not fully gone away despite him resisting the advances of Al-Hilal last summer. Casemiro, meanwhile, might be rolling back the years right now, but he turns 34 in February and his contract is up in June, albeit with the option to trigger a one-year extension. 

Neither player screams long-term planning, and it is no secret that United need and want to sign a top-class midfielder who can lead the team for many years. It is becoming increasingly clear, too, that the man they should be looking at to return them to the highest level is Elliot Anderson, who just happens to also be the future of the England team.

AFPTop of the class

Anderson was one of the main driving forces behind Nottingham Forest’s brilliant 2024-25 campaign as they finished seventh in the Premier League in their third season back in the top-flight, narrowly missing out on the Champions League while reaching the FA Cup semi-finals. But while the Tricky Trees’ results have nosedived amid the upheaval of having three separate coaches already this term, Anderson has continued to stand tall. Taller than every other midfielder in the Premier League, in fact.

Name every attribute you want a midfielder to have, and there is a good chance Anderson will lead the way in it. According to , he sits No.1 among Premier League midfielders in passes attempted, passes completed, progressive passes, passes into the final third, short passes attempted and completed. 

He also has the highest passing distance among midfielders (and the fourth-highest in the league) and highest progressive passing distance of any midfielder. In that last category, he is ranked 20th in the league in a field dominated by goalkeepers. The closest midfielder to him is Fernandes in 30th, then Granit Xhaka at 45th while his England team-mate Declan Rice is 50th. Anderson has an accumulated progressive passing distance of 3844 metres, 447 more than Fernandes, 986 more than Xhaka and 1049 more than Rice. 

In addition, he has more touches on the ball than any other midfielder, and the most ball recoveries.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDoing it all

"Elliot Anderson can do it all," said former United and England winger Ashley Young. "He can defend, he can get on the front foot, he can play line-breaking passes. He can create, he can do the other side of it as well and win the tackles and release the players further forward."

Anderson displayed that passing vision with an assist for Chris Wood on the opening day of this season, threading the ball into the forward's path from behind the halfway line. In England’s 5-0 win away to Serbia in September, meanwhile, he provided a pre-assist with his forward pass to Morgan Rogers, whose flashy flick of the boot released goal-scorer Noni Madueke. No Serbia player managed to dribble past him that night, while in the 5-0 drubbing of Latvia last month which sealed England’s spot at the World Cup, Anderson completed 121 passes, the most by any player in an England away game since 2008.

What has really stood out for England has been Anderson's ability to take the ball from defence and glide past opponents to distribute it further downfield. "His physicality for a player of his size, the way he can keep people away from the ball and get about the pitch is a big strength," said his England team-mate Dan Burn, who also played alongside him at Newcastle. "He's always wanting the ball wherever he is. He's so calm when he gets it, he's got that eye for the passes that we probably need."

Getty Images SportOn autopilot

Speaking after his excellent debut for England against Andorra amid an otherwise dreary team performance in June, Thomas Tuchel said of Anderson. "He has the physicality, he's a very mobile No.6. He has the body, he loves to defend, he loves to put his body inside to win duels. He loves passing, he loves to break the lines. And he's just very mobile in his game."

Rice, who has lacked a consistent partner for England since Kalvin Phillips' peak at Euro 2020, is really enjoying playing alongside Anderson: "He has taken it all in his stride and is playing like he plays for his club. When you have a lad who is that confident and comes in and feels he does not have to do anything different, it's like autopilot the way he plays. We are building up a nice little partnership."

Anderson’s versatility explains why he has managed to perform well for each of his three Forest coaches, going from the counter-attacking football of Nuno Espirito Santo to the positional play of Ange Postecoglou and then back to the more reactive play of Sean Dyche. Nuno deployed him all over the midfield, from an anchoring No.6 to a driving No.8 to a creative No.10 when Morgan Gibbs-White was unavailable. 

Eddie Howe also played Anderson in more attacking roles when in charge of him at Newcastle before he was sold to Forest for £35 million ($46m) in a move that was widely considered to have been to ease the Magpies' PSR concerns.

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Getty Images SportWorth the money

Forest might be about to make a massive return on that investment as the latest reports claim they will demand between £100m and £120m ($131.5m-$158m) for Anderson. It is a similar price tag that United were quoted by Brighton for Carlos Baleba over the summer, which ultimately led to them turning away from the Cameroon international. 

Anderson’s stock has risen way above Baleba’s in the last three months, and a £100m-plus fee is not actually that outlandish when compared to the two leading midfielders in the league over the last couple of years, Rice and Moises Caicedo. Arsenal paid a club-record £105m to sign Rice from West Ham in 2023. He was 24 at the time and was also an England regular at that stage, albeit with considerably more experience than Anderson given he had both a European Championship and a World Cup under his belt. Caicedo, meanwhile, moved from Brighton to Chelsea at the age of 21 that same summer for £115m.

Rice has been the main driving force behind Arsenal’s consistent results over the last three seasons while Caicedo was instrumental to Chelsea finishing fourth in the league last season and to them winning the Club World Cup. And if Anderson, who only turned 23 at the start of November, continues on the same path he is at the moment, there is no reason why he could not do the same for United.

His ability to play in different midfield roles will also be useful for the club’s succession planning. He could fill in for Casemiro next season as Amorim’s primary holding midfielder if the Brazilian leaves this summer before taking the baton from Fernandes in 2027, when the captain’s current contract will be up.

Southampton decided to part ways with head coach Will Still after the former Lens boss only won two of his 13 matches in charge of the club in the Championship.

Interim manager Tonda Eckert has won both of his league games in the dugout so far, including a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday last time out, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.

Irrespective of what happens now, Eckert has delivered back-to-back wins that were much-needed after a dismal start to the campaign, which led to Still’s dismissal.

Why Will Still was unfortunate to be sacked by Southampton

The Belgian-born tactician won two of his 13 league matches and averaged 0.92 points per game, per Transfermarkt, which is why it was not a surprise to see him lose his job.

However, per FotMob, Southampton rank sixth in the table for xPTS and are currently 11 places lower in the division than they would be if every game was decided by who created the higher-quality chances.

Of course, football is not played on paper and it is, ultimately, a results-based business, but these statistics suggest that performances from individuals let him down, as the Saints have underperformed their xG and conceded more than their xGA suggests that they should have.

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Whilst it is hard to know what goes on behind the scenes, perhaps Still was unable to motivate a team to win consistently, as he finished between 11th and 8th in his three seasons as a manager in France, which means that he is not used to competing at the very top of a league.

This is why Southampton could find a major upgrade on the former Lens boss by hiring reported target Brendan Rodgers as their new manager during the break.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

The Northern Irish manager resigned from the Celtic job last month and he could be the dream appointment for the Saints if they can convince him to drop down to the Championship.

Rodgers, who was once dubbed “world-class” by Gabriel Agbonlahor, may have the perfect track record for the situation that Southampton find themselves in, because he has experience in the Championship, the Premier League, and the Premiership.

The 52-year-old coach won promotion via the play-offs with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, which is relevant for where the club is now, and helped them to stay up with an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League the following season, which should be Southampton’s long-term goal.

Premier League

312

1.56

Premiership

173

2.43

Premiership top six split

15

2.20

Championship

94

1.49

Championship play-offs

3

2.33

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is a proven Premier League manager who has excelled at Swansea, Liverpool, and Leicester City in the top-flight, which is why he would be the perfect appointment for now and in the future.

On top of that, the Northern Irishman is also a proven winner. Per Transfermarkt, he won four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish League Cups, and four SFA Cups with Celtic, along with an FA Cup and a Community Shield with Leicester.

This means that Rodgers has won a whopping 13 trophies in his career as a manager, whilst Southampton have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup success in 1976.

Overall, the former Celtic manager would be a major upgrade on Still, who has only managed midtable success and has no trophies under his belt, because of his career record, his history in the Championship and the Premier League, and his proven track record of winning trophies.

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If they can convince him to take the job, Rodgers could be the ideal candidate to get the Saints out of the Championship, as well as to establish them in the Premier League.

From reverse to paddle, she used all sorts of sweeps to counter Bangladesh’s spinners and help her team register their first win of the World Cup

Sruthi Ravindranath10-Oct-20253:24

Devine finds support as New Zealand open account

For the third consecutive game in the 2025 Women’s World Cup, New Zealand found themselves in strife. They were 38 for 3 and Bangladesh’s spinners on top when Brooke Halliday walked in. It wasn’t the first time they had relied on her to stabilise things this World Cup. Tentative at first, she scratched her way to 8 off 21 balls, probing forward, going back, trying to find her rhythm.Then came the release.Fahima Khatun floated one wide outside off, and Halliday pounced. A reverse sweep, perfectly placed past short third, for four to break the pressure. From there, she swept with authority – conventional, reverse, paddle – nullifying the threat of Bangladesh’s spinners, who have been excellent all tournament. Her 69 off 104 balls became the backbone of New Zealand’s first win of the competition.Related

Devine, Halliday, bowlers give NZ their first win of the World Cup

It wasn’t a shot pulled out on instinct. She has been trying to perfect the sweep over the past year. It was pivotal during her tour of India in late 2024, where she posted her career-best 86 in the third ODI in Ahmedabad, collecting 22 runs off 11 sweep shots, including two boundaries and a six. Earlier this week, against South Africa, she again turned to it, sweeping Chloe Tryon twice to the boundary during a 37-ball 45.With New Zealand not playing an ODI in the last six months, Halliday spent the winter at the CSK academy in Chennai, honing the sweep against spin. Ahead of this clash, she worked with net bowlers to sharpen the shot. On Friday, all that prep came good.Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine put on a century stand•Getty Images”That [sweep] is something I did try and practice a lot in Chennai just with the turning ball,” she said during the presentation, after collecting her Player-of-the-Match award. “The perks of the last couple of days is that we’ve had a lot of net bowlers who actually bowled quite similar to what we got today. Being able to figure out how we were going to play certain bowlers and then just today going out there and watching the ball and just having an idea of how things were going to go.”In a batting line-up stacked with right-handers, Halliday’s presence as the lone left-hander was always going to be pivotal, especially against Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack featuring a left-arm spinner and two legspinners. Her ability to play the sweep and disrupt their rhythm proved invaluable.With Sophie Devine at the other end, Halliday kept the scoreboard ticking. The left-right combination forced field changes and unsettled Bangladesh’s bowlers. While Devine preferred hanging back and playing off the back foot, Halliday played sweeps of all kinds. The two added 112 for the fourth wicket, during which Halliday also passed 1000 career ODI runs.Her third boundary of the day, against offspinner Nishita Akter Nishi, came with a paddle sweep. And when Shorna Akter tossed one into the slot, Halliday got down and slog-swept it for a six over midwicket. In all, according to ESPNcricinfo’s data, she played 15 sweeps, scoring 29 runs off them. No batter at this World Cup has scored more runs via the sweep shots of all types than Halliday. She now has 45 off 21 deliveries with the shot, well ahead of India’s Richa Ghosh, who has 28 off eight.But the sweep remains a double-edged sword, also bringing her downfall. She was dismissed sweeping in Ahmedabad off Deepti Sharma, then again against South Africa off Nonkululeko Mlaba. On Friday, it was the same script: having just swept Fahima for four, she attempted the shot again, only to top-edge to the wicketkeeper.”It wasn’t easy to bat out there”•AFP/Getty Images”I’ve got out to it a couple of times now but I’ve also been able to hit a few runs with it,” she said. “So there’s a lot of perks with being able to expand my game and just get a little bit better.”New Zealand are headed to Colombo, where they play Pakistan and Sri Lanka, two more spin-heavy sides. Halliday hopes to take the learnings from her last two innings into those games.”The biggest thing over the last couple of days after that last match was being okay with getting ones and being quite boring. I went out there again with Sophie, so we kind of knew what the plan was: to just try and bat for a very long time to that 40th over and then from there hopefully we can have a bit of a party time, which I failed to get to but Sophie was able to capitalise a little bit.”It wasn’t just Bangladesh’s spinners that Halliday had to negotiate. The heat and humidity in Guwahati added to the challenge. Dripping with sweat, she dug in for what turned into one of her most important ODI innings.”It wasn’t easy to bat out there,” she said. “I think the mental side of it was very tough and then also the physical side kind of hit us a little bit later on. There was a time when Sophie and I both were going, ‘Oh my goodness, single hitting is actually quite hard.’ There’s always a part of us that actually just wants to hit a boundary or two. Sophie is really clear and keeps it really simple, which kind of works for me.”Since her debut in 2021, Halliday has occupied the middle order quietly, operating under the radar in a side where the spotlight usually falls on Suzie Bates, Devine, or Amelia Kerr. But she has made a habit of standing up when it counts. Her 38 off 28 against South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final was one such occasion. On Friday, she delivered again, batting New Zealand out of trouble to put their campaign back on track.

Aston Villa are now circling to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League striker in the January transfer window, with his club open to a sale.

Villa "want to sign a new striker" next month

Ex-scout Mick Brown has made it clear his former club are looking to bolster their options at centre-forward this winter, saying: “Aston Villa want to sign a new striker in January,”

“Emery wants somebody to challenge Watkins and score regular goals, because they’ve lacked that so far this season, and they want to do it when the window opens.

“The problem is, there aren’t many strikers available, and the ones that are cost big money.”

While there may not be a plethora of options available, some exciting targets have been identified, with it being revealed Igor Thiago is highly likely to leave Brentford in January, amid interest from Unai Emery.

Bologna star Santiago Castro is another striker of interest to the Villans, with the Argentinian striker outscoring Ollie Watkins this season, although a deal could be on the expensive side at around £44m.

A slightly cheaper centre-forward has also emerged as a target, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Aston Villa are now circling to sign Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee next month, following a new update on the Dutchman’s future at Old Trafford.

Although Ruben Amorim wants to keep hold of Zirkzee, in light of his versatility, Man United are now open to sanctioning a departure, and Villa’s Premier League rivals could look to hold out for a fee of around £35m.

A whole host of clubs are in the race for the Netherlands international, however, with the likes of Sunderland, Brighton, Everton, West Ham United, Inter Milan and Juventus also being named as potential suitors.

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ByDominic Lund 5 days ago "Unbelievable" Zirkzee back amongst the goals

The 24-year-old hasn’t had the easiest of rides at Old Trafford, failing to make it off the bench in seven Premier League matches this season, but he has impressed at times, with Sky Sports analyst Statman Dave hailing his mentality earlier this year.

The former Bologna man also returned to form in front of goal at the end of November, scoring the equalising goal to start Man United’s comeback in their 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.

That said, Villa should have major reservations about signing Zirkzee, considering his very poor record in front of goal, netting just eight times in 58 outings for Man United, while also receiving heavy criticism from content creator Alex Turk this season.

Rahmat Shah picked up the injury in the 15th over, retired hurt, came out to bat again at the fall of the ninth wicket, but couldn’t carry on

Mohammad Isam11-Oct-2025

Rahmat Shah, the Afghanistan batter, is “most likely” out of the ongoing ODI series against Bangladesh because of a calf injury, according to team physio Nirmalan Thanabalasingam. Rahmat braved the injury to try to bat after Afghanistan had lost their ninth wicket in Saturday’s second ODI, after having retired hurt earlier, but he could stand at the crease for just one ball.Thanabalasingam ran out to help Rahmat, who by then couldn’t even stand. Later, the paramedics took him out of the ground in a wheelchair.”He unfortunately succumbed to his injury so he is out now,” Thanabalasingam said. “We will do the all the right things in terms of imaging and stuff tomorrow. He is going to be out for some time, I think.”Rahmat initially felt discomfort when he was trying to take a single in the 15th over after having walked out to bat at his usual No. 4. It was an innocuous looking shot, but his turn on the heel might have affected his calf. He was batting on nine at the time, and struggled to walk properly as he went off the field.Afghanistan struggled without Rahmat, who made an invaluable half-century in the first ODI, which made him the first Afghanistan batter to reach 4000 runs in ODIs. Rahmat’s absence meant regular middle-order wickets, with only Ibrahim Zadran holding things together.When Rahmat came out to bat again, it was met with applause from the Afghanistan fans at the venue in Abu Dhabi. It, however, lasted just one ball. Rishad Hossain sent in a googly that Rahmat missed, and the ball hit him in the abdomen. He was down immediately. Mehidy Hasan Miraz helped him get up but he was not able to continue as Afghanistan’s innings ended at 190 in 44.5 overs.

Cristhian Mosquera has revealed he grew up supporting Arsenal because of the Gunners' 'aura', and has gone on to become one of Mikel Arteta’s newest breakout stars in defence. The 21-year-old, signed from Valencia in 2025, says the Gunners boss played a crucial role in convincing him to join, with his trademark intensity shining through from their very first conversation.

Mosquera impresses at Arsenal on debut season

Mosquera has enjoyed a rapid and impressive start to life at Arsenal after arriving in the summer of 2025. Brought in initially as a rotational option behind William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, he quickly found himself stepping into high-pressure fixtures earlier than anticipated due to injuries. Despite the Premier League’s notorious learning curve for young defenders, he has handled the challenge with remarkable composure and confidence.

Those performances have earned him strong internal praise and growing external recognition, marking him as one of the most astute value signings of the season. Arsenal spent around £13 million to secure his services, a fee that already looks like a bargain given the quality he has displayed.

While Arsenal’s original plan may have been to ease him into the intensity and tactical complexity of Arteta’s system, his form has forced a rethink. Instead of waiting years to develop, Mosquera has placed himself directly into the first-team conversation. His early success has not only boosted squad depth but also strengthened Arsenal’s long-term future at the heart of their defence.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMosquera opens up on Arsenal's 'aura' and 'intense' Arteta

Mosquera openly admits that Arsenal were already part of his football identity growing up. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: “I always watched the Premier League. In fact, my team was Arsenal. The players, the shirt. I saw them as a bit different: they had something, an aura.”

He revealed the decisive moment in choosing the Gunners came after talking with Mikel Arteta: “Before I had decided, someone in my camp said: ‘The moment you speak to Mikel, there’s no way he won’t convince you.’ And that’s exactly how it happened. When the call finished, my destination couldn’t have been clearer.”

Mosquera also described Arteta’s famous personality and coaching style: “Yes, totally, totally. He really lives for football, he was raised on it, experienced everything. You see that when he talks. He loves the detail, sees things other eyes might not. I’m so happy with him. He’s an incredible person and he’s helping me a lot. The staff have made it easy. Arsenal is an incredible club.”

He then gave insight into his swift settling-in period in London: “I’ve settled super fast, which I didn’t expect before I came but I could see it in the first few days. What I’ve most liked about London is that you get there and the myth about the English being cold isn’t true at all. You’re immediately convinced you’ll settle, not just because of the team and coaching staff but the people at the club who don’t get seen from the outside and are fundamental. I was in a hotel but with their help I’ve got a house.”

Mosquera had been courted by multiple clubs before Arsenal move

Mosquera’s signing marked a major coup for Arsenal in the 2025 market, as he was being closely monitored by top clubs across Europe. Having earned an Olympic gold medal with Spain and emerged as one of La Liga’s standout young defenders at Valencia, his availability sparked immediate interest. However, Arsenal’s early groundwork and Arteta’s personal pitch ensured his move to north London happened smoothly.

The 21-year-old’s versatility has already shown its value as he has filled in on either side of central defence while maintaining a strong level of performance. Ability on the ball has always been a requirement for defenders under Arteta, and Mosquera fits that profile perfectly; able to carry possession forward or initiate attacks through progressive passing lanes. His integration has been so successful that there has been no noticeable drop-off in Arsenal’s system when he plays.

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Getty Images SportMosquera could start again following Gabriel's injury

Arsenal’s first-choice partnership remains Saliba and Gabriel, but Mosquera has put genuine pressure on that hierarchy. With a packed fixture schedule and potential rotation required in upcoming marquee matches, more opportunities are inevitable for the young Spaniard. His ability to step up without hesitation ensures he is no longer considered merely backup, but real competition.

With Gabriel's recent injury on international duty with Brazil, Mosquera may bag another start for Arsenal when they take on Tottenham on November 23. The Spaniard could also feature against Bayern Munich in the Champions League next midweek.

A Phillies fan went viral for all the wrong reasons earlier this month when a home run ball close their seat was snatched by another fan who returned to his seat to give the ball to a young fan he attended the game with.

The fan who initially sat closer to the ball took exception to the move and marched over to the group to get the ball back. The man who initially ended up with the ball relented and passed it back in what was an awkward exchange. You can watch the moment below:

The internet, and even ESPN's anchors, had their day going off on the woman for her lack of perceived ballpark etiquette. It all worked out in the end, as the young fan who had the ball taken was given a new ball and a prize pack from the Marlins staff. Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader, who hit the controversial home run, sent him home with a signed bat too.

Nick Castellanos, another Phillies outfielder, weighed in on the moment with a different approach in an appearance on the podcast.

"Whenever I'm playing catch or I go, I always aim for a kid," he said via . "You always have that ambitious adult sometimes that will come and grab it but when I see that I don't just see a ball. I see a very frustrated lady for years that probably felt like she was getting the s— end of the stick. And now this thing happened, and she's like, 'I'm not finishing second here. I need this for me.'"

Betts and Castellanos discussed that the public doesn't know what's going on with the angered woman and maybe she was trying to get the ball for someone else. It's nice to see them giving a stranger the benefit of the doubt because you never know when someone else is having a bad day, but you have to hope that bad day doesn't impact a memorable moment for a young fan.

A different, closer angle of the moment came out where you can hear the fan arguing, "that was ours, you took it from me, that was in my hands." She probably didn't think the moment would gain as much steam as it did, especially to the point where players on the team she roots for are discussing it. The internet definitely let her have it, but it seems like Castellanos is giving her the benefit of the doubt.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has not been one to shy away from his media duties this season, notably embracing his war of words with Wayne Rooney after that famous win over Real Madrid a few weeks ago.

That, however, has been the only thing they’ve really had to cheer about in the last few months. The pressure is intensifying on Arne Slot’s shoulders and just how long he remains in the Anfield dugout remains to be seen.

The Dutchman, who steered Liverpool to a remarkable Premier League title win during his debut campaign in England has made some bold calls of late, notably the decision to omit Mohamed Salah from the last two starting lineups.

The Egypt international was an unused substitute for Sunday’s win at West Ham and was on the bench again for the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland, the first time in his Anfield career he had not started in back-to-back league matches.

It’s a shocking turn of events for the league’s player of the season back in 2024/25. Skipper van Dijk was asked for his thoughts after the draw with Sunderland.

Van Dijk speaks out on the Salah situation

“It’s not like you have unlimited credit, everyone has to perform,” said Van Dijk when asked whether Salah’s omission had sent a message to the dressing room.

“Mo has been doing that but the manager made that decision in the last two games. We all want the best for the club. I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve because he is an amazing player and he has shown it consistently.

“But we are all trying to find consistency and he needs us to be in our best shape and we need him and that’s what we are all trying to find. He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that.”

“I need him around as one of the leaders. I’m not worried. He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal as if you’re not disappointed when you’re not playing two games in a row then there is an issue as well.”

Van Dijk praises Florian Wirtz

Signed for a colossal £116m fee from Bayer Leverkusen over the summer, this has been an abject campaign to say the least for the German.

In the words of Gary Neville a few weeks ago, he’s been “really bad” and that hasn’t looked like improving. That said, he did make a big impact this week.

It looked like Wirtz had scored his first Premier League goal only to see it go down as an own goal after his effort took a huge deflection off Black Cats defender Nordi Mukiele.

Despite that, Van Dijk was full of praise for the attacking midfielder.

“There’s a very good reason why a club like us bought him – he’s an outstanding, world-class player in my eyes who can only become even better but it will take a bit of time,” said Van Dijk.

“For him he has to stay level-headed. Don’t get dragged into the outside world of when it’s very good or very bad and don’t get dragged into the numbers game. Nowadays there are a lot of eyes on if you score goals or have an assist or keep clean sheets but it is also about what you see and the contribution you have for the team, that’s not just shown in the numbers but in what you see and that should sometimes be the focus.”

Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped

Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025