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Both teams went in with spin-heavy attacks, which means Kuldeep, Varun, Muqeem and Abrar all feature

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Toss The toss in Dubai turned out to be a formality with Pakistan surprisingly choosing to bat first after Salman Agha called it right. Dubai has usually been a venue for chasing under lights. The chasing team has won the last three T20I meetings between these two sides at this venue – Pakistan twice and India once. Yet Pakistan have decided to bat first and trust their spinners to defend the total.India were looking to bowl anyway. And they have retained the XI that they used in their first game against UAE, which meant Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy were both part of their attack again. Pakistan also stuck with their XI from their game against Oman, meaning Haris Rauf remained on the bench.Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Salman Agha (capt), 5 Hasan Nawaz, 6 Mohammad Haris (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Sufiyan Muqeem, 11 Abrar Ahmed.India 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.

With 11 gameweeks gone and the final international break of 2025 underway, the Premier League table is starting to form a true representation of where teams stand.

Sunderland’s hot start has turned into sustained success after their draw with title chasing Arsenal, while Liverpool’s downfall is more than just a blip.

Opta have ranked every team in the top flight by game state, or how much time they spend playing from behind in matches, and it’s more bad news for Arne Slot…

Rank

Team

Percentage of mins played losing

1

Crystal Palace, Chelsea

13%

2

Man City

14%

3

Arsenal

17%

4

Newcastle United

18%

5

Sunderland

21%

6

AFC Bournemouth

22%

7

Everton

24%

8

Aston Villa & Man Utd

26%

9

Fulham

30%

10

Brentford, Tottenham, Leeds, Nottingham Forest

32%

11

Brighton

35%

12

Burnley

36%

13

Liverpool

37%

14

West Ham

47%

15

Wolves

58%

1 Chelsea and Crystal Palace

It has been a promising start to the campaign for both Chelsea and Crystal Palace, with Enzo Maresca’s side potentially still in a position to mount a title challenge, given that they are currently just six points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Palace, on the other hand, continued their unbeaten run from last season into the ongoing campaign, which ultimately came to an end after a record 19 matches, with Everton emerging 2-1 winners at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the start of October.

Both London clubs have just spent 13% of their matches in losing positions, with the Eagles very much on course to mount a push for Europe, having taken 17 points from their opening 11 games.

2 Manchester City

Man City have also emerged as title contenders, with their most recent victory undoubtedly their most impressive to date, dispatching of reigning champions Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Having won six of the last eight Premier League titles, City can never be written off, and they have spent just 14% of their matches trailing up to this point, with Erling Haaland in the form of his life, scoring a whopping 14 goals in the Premier League alone.

3 Arsenal

Having finished in second place three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta will be hoping this is finally the Gunners’ year, and the early signs have been very positive, having opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

Arsenal have had to show resilience at times, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a stoppage-time equaliser against Man City back in September to cancel out Haaland’s early opener, which earned them what could prove to be a vital point in the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s side were also behind for the majority of the game against Newcastle United, but late heroics from Mikel Merino and Gabriel secured a 2-1 win.

Some other victories have been much more routine, however, battering Leeds United 5-0 back in August, while also recording a comfortable 2-0 win at Burnley earlier this month, which means the north Londoners have been in a losing position just 17% of the time.

4 Newcastle United

Newcastle, on the other hand, won’t be feeling anywhere near as positive about their start to the campaign, currently sitting in 14th place, seven points behind bitter rivals Sunderland, despite only spending 18% of their games trailing.

That is largely because the Magpies have developed a very bad habit of conceding late goals, with Rio Ngumoha scoring a dramatic late winner for Liverpool in August, while Gabriel’s 96th-minute winner ensured Arsenal secured a 2-1 victory in September.

Should Eddie Howe’s side be able to cut out conceding late on, however, there is still plenty of time to have a successful season, as the European places remain within touching distance.

5 Sunderland

Few would have predicted Sunderland to be flying high near the top of the table, but it has been a fantastic start, having made the Stadium of Light a fortress, most recently holding Arsenal to a draw, courtesy of Brian Brobbey’s late heroics.

Having taken 19 points from their opening 11 matches, the Black Cats are already nearly half-way to the magic 40 point mark, which would almost certainly secure Premier League safety.

There are some tricky fixtures on the horizon, with trips to Liverpool and Man City penciled in for December, but Regis Le Bris will no doubt be delighted with how things are going, with his side spending just 21% of their matches in a losing position.

6 AFC Bournemouth

Having lost some key players in the summer, including Milos Kerkez, Ilya Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen, Bournemouth may have been expected to struggle, but that certainly hasn’t been the case.

The Cherries are once again looking like they could mount a push for Europe, as one of five teams currently on 18 points, having spent just 22% of their matches trailing.

7 Everton

It has been a solid, if not spectacular, opening 11 games for Everton, taking 15 points, which leaves them firmly in mid-table, exactly where they were probably expecting to be.

The Toffees have been chasing the game just 24% of the time, which is respectable, given that they have had some very tricky fixtures, already travelling to both Anfield and the Etihad Stadium.

8 Aston Villa and Manchester United

Both Aston Villa and Man United were very poor at the beginning of the campaign, with Unai Emery’s side failing to score in any of their opening four games, while the Red Devils suffered a 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby and a disappointing 4-2 loss at Brentford.

However, since then, the Villans have gone on to win eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, and things are also looking up at United, having taken 11 points from their last five Premier League games.

A European push could be on the cards for both sides, who have been in losing positions 26% of the time.

9 Fulham

Marco Silva has managed to stabilise the Cottagers in the Premier League, but the manager is now under serious pressure, with his side just one point above the relegation zone following the 2-0 defeat at Everton last time out.

It is still too early to panic, but the early signs certainly haven’t been positive for the west Londoners, who have spent 30% of their matches in a losing position.

10 Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest

The Thomas Frank era is now well underway, but Tottenham are still yet to put a consistent run together, with victories on the road against the likes of Manchester City and Everton being cancelled out by disappointing home defeats against Aston Villa and Chelsea.

That said, despite being one of four clubs who have spent 32% of their matches behind, Spurs are currently fifth in the standings, two points above Brentford, who have arguably surpassed expectations under the helm of new manager Keith Andrews.

Things aren’t looking quite as rosy for Leeds, who are now just one point above the relegation zone, as a result of losing four of their last five matches, while Nottingham Forest are already on their third manager and currently sit in 19th place.

The Milwaukee Brewers are placing closer Trevor Megill on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right throwing arm, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The September injury to Megill is a critical blow to Milwaukee's bullpen, just weeks away from the start of the postseason.

The good news for the Brewers is that it is a low-grade strain for Megill, but it will take him some time to get back to full health, putting his availability—especially early in the postseason—in question.

Megill is 5-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 30 saves in 49 relief appearances this season for Milwaukee. He was named to his first All-Star team last month.

The Brewers hold the best record in baseball at 83-50 entering Wednesday's action and hold a 6.5-game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs.

Cat Macario shined, Jaedyn Shaw delivered a statement, and Emma Hayes couldn’t stop smiling as the USWNT capped 2025 with another dominant win over Italy.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – It was impossible to miss the smile on Emma Hayes’ face. Every time the camera panned to the U.S. women’s national team coach, she was either grinning or laughing. And she had every reason to – her team delivered the kind of performance you want to close out a 2025 slate.

Facing Italy again just days after a 3-0 win, the U.S. took care of business in much the same way. This one finished 2-0 instead of three, but the performance was just as convincing. To close out 2025, the U.S. put in one more shift – and it was the familiar faces who carried them, just as they have all year.

Cat Macario scored the first, finishing with a fantastic chip that only an in-form player can provide. Lily Yohannes assisted her, continuing her evolution at just 18. Then, for the second, Alyssa Thompson teed up Jaedyn Shaw, who did the heavy-lifting with a long-range curler that left the goalkeeper with nothing to do but aimlessly dive and wave at the ball as it soared past her. Shaw reflected on just how important it was for her to wrap up 2025 with a goal. 

"Looking back on the year, I think it has been so much of a roller coaster of emotions," she told GOAL. "I think it didn't start out how I thought it would be. I think  just like trusting in my faith and trusting in God's plan for me, that like it's all gonna work out for the betterment of seeing what like my next opportunity is, and it's all preparation for moments like these." 

Macario and Shaw's goals were the biggest causes of Hayes' happiness. But there were plenty of other reasons, too. This was a complete performance from a complete team, one that will now head into 2026 with plenty of optimism as World Cup qualifying starts next year. Hayes jokingly compared her team's progress and potential outlook for next year to a superb winter stew that isn't quite finished yet. 

"I think, first of all, it's still cooking, and it's a little bit if I think about it, like being a nice winter dish…Like a slow-cooked stew, and [it] gets better with more time it's on. The heat certainly gets more tender. I think when I watch our team play, I think you're starting to see the maturity in the performances," she said. 

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Chase Stadium…

Getty Images SportWINNER: Jaedyn Shaw

This 2025 calendar year tested  Shaw. There was a while there where she was seemingly staring down a crossroads. Well, whatever path she took at that crossroads was the right one because, right now, there's no doubt that Shaw is blossoming into the best version of herself. She pointed to winning a title with Gotham FC and jokingly remembered that she's still just 21 while reflecting on overcoming challenges. 

"Just being here now, being able to reflect on those times is so special for me, and ending the year on like, such a high, like winning a championship… It still feels weird. But yeah, I'm, I'm so happy to be at this point and my career, and I'm so blessed to be around these amazing people to help me in these times," she said. 

With her goal on Monday, the Gotham FC starlet snapped her 13-game goalless run, finally getting that big USWNT payoff that she deserved. It took a while to get there, as Shaw battled back from a tough run of form to start the season, one that saw her spend time with the U-23s in an attempt to rebuild. Consider her rebuilt now, though, and perhaps better than ever.

Shaw will, quite obviously, be riding high. Fresh off a NWSL title with Gotham FC, she carried that momentum right into this game. As she heads into the offseason, the forward admitted she picked an ironic spot for a vacation. 

"I will be going on vacation. I'm going to Italy, actually, which is ironic. It is ironic, but yeah, so I'm getting girls from Italy…So yeah, I'll definitely be getting some rest and recovery," she said. 

Once she's back from the the USWNT will hope she carries her momentum into 2026 now because, if she can, the sky really does seem to be the limit for a player who, just a few short months ago, faced a fight to prove that was true.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Francesca Durante

Durante will be sore tomorrow. This was not a fun game with her, and not just because of the goals she conceded.

The goals, of course, were pretty unsavable, but that won't make her feel any better. Macario's chip was stunning, but hey, it happens. Shaw's finish, meanwhile, was pretty unsavable and, again, it happens. In terms of pure goalkeeping, there was little Durante could do, so no real reason to feel bad there.

She will feel bad physically, though. Durante got hit hard multiple times on USWNT set pieces, forcing stoppages multiple times. The Italy goalkeeper surely got the wind knocked out of her at least one of those times. She didn't leave the game with an injury, but her back will surely feel that in the morning.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Cat Macario

There was a split second where one could see the wheels turning in Macario's head. She looked up, then down, then up again, and then came to her conclusion: "Yeah, I'm gonna chip her." The chip was perfect, and the ball went into the back of the net. 

That's what Macario can do.

In particular, though, that's what she's capable of when she's in form. With her first-half goal, she now has five finishes in her last three USWNT appearances, taking her total to eight in the 2025 calendar year. That leads the team, and it's no surprise: Macario has been leading this team all year long. This goal was among her best, but again, these types of moments have become commonplace for the Chelsea star. Yohannes, who threaded the needle in delivering the ball to the striker, believes the pair is starting to form strong chemistry on the pitch. 

"Cat is just such a special player, and I know if she gets the ball in front of the goal, 10 times out of 10, it is probably going to be a goal," Yohannes said. "So, yeah, I'm just, I think we're growing a partnership. I think that's super cool. You know, we have a great friendship off the pitch and to be on the pitch and assisting her…I'm just so proud of her."

For several years, injuries robbed the USWNT of that. For so long, this team played without her and, in truth, they thrived. Now, with Macario back and in this type of form, the USWNT has something special going, largely because she is a special, special player. 

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Getty Images SportLOSER: Italy

Scoreline-wise? Yeah, this was a little better. Two-nil is better than 3-0, so they have that going for them. Performance-wise, though? Italy didn't offer much, and they never really threatened the USWNT across the two matches in December. 

This Italy team isn't bad. They entered this window ranked 12th in the world, with the USWNT ranked second. In these games, though, there was a clear gap. On Monday, the U.S. had 66 percent of the ball and fired seven shots to Italy's one. One team was significantly better than the other here, no matter what the rankings say.

With the loss, Italy now sit on a five-game winless run. They lost to England in extra time in the Euro semifinals before drawing Japan and then falling to Brazil in October friendlies. These two defeats to the U.S. were the final pieces of that streak. There’s no shame in those results, but for a team that seems so close, turning those losses into signature wins is what will push this program forward.

Soumya Sarkar and Mahidul Islam should get into the Bangladesh XI straightaway, while Alick Athanaze is the likeliest replacement for Evin Lewis

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2025Big picture: Nothing to separate the two teamsWest Indies are wary of the Dhaka pitch, and Bangladesh are trying to get out of their ODI funk as they face each other in the first ODI on Saturday. Ranking points are up for grabs with both teams setting their sights on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup. And there’s little to separate them historically – they have won six bilateral ODI series each over the years.Bangladesh have to sort out a batting puzzle. Soumya Sarkar’s inclusion means Tanzid Hasan will likely have to stay on the bench. Saif Hassan is an automatic choice, though he needs to strengthen his position with a big innings. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s form is still a concern, though he is getting a longer rope than some others have got over the years.Related

'Assess, decide and deliver' – West Indies embrace the unknown in Dhaka

Keacy Carty took the stairs, not the elevator, but he's not complaining

Patience running thin amid Bangladesh's batting gloom

Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan also weren’t among the runs against Afghanistan. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has scored runs but his strike rate has come under fire in the last two ODI series. The national selectors have added Mahidul Islam to the mix, while Shamim Hossain is another middle-order option.Bangladesh’s only plus point is their bowling. The fast bowlers have been rotated smoothly, and have done well in most conditions. Spinners Rishad Hossain and Tanvir Islam have also been in control of proceedings for the most part. They will be licking their lips with the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch in front of them.It will be the same for Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase, the spin twins who have brought West Indies some success in recent times. They have Shai Hope and Chase for batting experience in Bangladeshi conditions, while the likes of Brandon King, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze and Amir Jangoo will combine to provide the rest of the batting firepower.Jayden Seales will have good memories from the last time he played against Bangladesh, at the end of 2024. Seales was in great form against Pakistan in West Indies’ last ODI series, picking up six wickets in the third ODI.Tanvir Islam is one of the few undroppable players in the Bangladesh team•AFP/Getty ImagesForm guideBangladesh LLLLW
West Indies WWLLLIn the spotlight: Tanvir Islam and Keacy CartyTanvir Islam was one of Bangladesh’s rare consistent performers in the Afghanistan series. He took just four wickets but produced good spells in all three matches. His magic delivery to Azmatullah Omarzai in the third game highlighted his improved quality as a left-arm spinner. He is also one of the few automatic choices in the current ODI setup.It’s early days, but Keacy Carty has provided West Indies with stability at No 3. He averages more than 50 with 1100-plus runs at the position. Carty has the shots to keep him finding the boundary regularly, but also has the percentage game. Centuries in Ireland and England are evidence that he can play in different conditions.Alick Athanaze should replace Evin Lewis in the West Indies XI•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam news: Soumya, Mahidul could enter XISoumya and Mahidul might slot into Bangladesh’s line-up after being called up for the series.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mahidul Islam, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nahid Rana, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Hasan Mahmud.Athanaze is the most likely batter to replace Evin Lewis from West Indies’ last ODI against Pakistan in August. They also have Jangoo, Ackeem Auguste and Khary Pierre as allrounders.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Gudakesh Motie, 8 Justin Greaves, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Jayden Seales.Pitch and conditionsA sneak peek of the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch the day before the first ODI revealed a dark surface, which strongly suggests slow turn and a bit of low bounce. There is light rain forecast on an otherwise warm day.Stats and trivia Only Hope and Chase from the current West Indies squad have played ODIs in Bangladesh. Bangladesh have lost their last five ODI series dating back to November last year. In that time, they have only won two of their 14 matches.

The Cubs signed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana on Sunday, 's Jon Heyman was the first to report. This comes days after the Guardians released Santana in a "joint decision" between the two sides, the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

Santana wanted the ability to compete for a playoff contender once he was released from Cleveland. And, well, Chicago is definitely that.

With a 78-58 record, the Cubs hold the top wild-card spot in the National League as of Sunday morning. They have the MLB's best Brewers (85-52) leading the NL Central to deal with. But, unless something catastrophically goes wrong in September for Chicago, the Cubs will be in the postseason for the first time since 2020.

The 39-year-old was in his third stint with the Guardians after signing a one-year deal back in December. Through 116 games this season, Santana is averaging .225/.316/.333 with 89 hits, 49 runs, 52 RBIs and 11 home runs. While it's not his best year by any means, he's put up impressive numbers for his age and for this point of his MLB career.

It's unknown what kind of role the Cubs will put Santana in when he arrives in Chicago. The Cubs have Michael Busch competing at first base right now, who's having his career-best season.

Gill says a “couple of boundaries here and there” could have tilted the result in India’s favour

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Jul-2025

Mohammed Siraj was inconsolable after he was the last man dismissed in the final session•Getty Images

India could have had a fair chance of winning the Lord’s Test if they had forced England into taking the second new ball – Shubman Gill said that they were “optimistic” of executing the plan until Mohammed Siraj played on in one of the most dramatic finishes in Test cricket.England were 5.1 overs away from taking the second new ball when Siraj couldn’t stop the ball from spinning back to knock off his bail after he had defended an offbreak from Shoaib Bashir. It ended a 23-run last-wicket partnership after Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah had added 35 in 22 overs. The partnerships frustrated Ben Stokes and his men, who were challenged by a soft Dukes ball, a lifeless pitch, and a Lord’s crowd populated by mostly Indian fans.”When Bumrah and Jaddu were batting, every five-six runs that we were scoring, we could see there was pressure coming on them [England],” Gill said in the press conference after the game. “And that’s all it was: a small partnership of 30-40 runs could make such a huge difference. We were quite optimistic when Siraj [and Jadeja] were batting, that if we just go up to the second new ball and if we have just 12-15 [left to score] with the second new ball, you never know, you know. A couple of boundaries here and there and you never know, and you are right back on the top.”Related

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Instead, Gill and his men wandered around Lord’s minutes after the defeat wondering what could have been. Proud match-winners like Bumrah, who had taken a five-for in the first innings, and Rishabh Pant, who ran himself out calling for a tight single just before lunch on the third day when on 74, stood with bowed heads.In the afternoon session on the final day, after stoutly and patiently dealing with everything that Stokes and Co. threw at him, Bumrah finally succumbed to the mounting pressure, skying an easy catch off a short delivery from the England captain. Midway into the third over of his second spell on Monday, Stokes, after a long chat with Joe Root, adopted the short-ball plan against Bumrah. The slips and gully fielders were dispersed to the ropes with a leg-side-heavy (6-3 ) field. Bumrah almost attempted a hook off the first ball of this plan, which flew high over his head, and then shadow practised a ramp, which left Jadeja shaking his head at the other end.Thereafter, though, Bumrah ignored such distractions, playing with soft hands, leaving what was not to be touched. Stokes would eventually bang 15 short or short-of-length deliveries in that spell, but Bumrah was not in control for just five deliveries.But Bumrah ran out of patience and attempted a pull against a short ball pitched outside off stump to sky an easy catch. Stokes looked like a man in a trance. England were ecstatic. Bumrah took one step at a time as if he was walking on crushed glass back to the dressing room.3:47

Gill: Pant’s run-out was the turning point in the Test

But Siraj, who walked in to loud boos from England fans, showed courage and heart to ally with Jadeja to resume India’s quest for an unlikely win. He endured a painful blow to his left arm while trying to get out of the way against a short and fast Jofra Archer delivery. India were 23 adrift of the target at this point. A message was sent to the batters, which Gill talked about after the match: “When he got hit by Archer, if Jaddu can play the whole over instead of leaving two balls every over. We thought the better chances for us if he [Siraj] plays the offspinner.”In the next over, Siraj stepped back to tap Bashir, but couldn’t believe what happened next. He stood stunned even as Bashir set off on a victory run chased by his team-mates. At the other end, Jadeja looked up in agony. Siraj went down on his haunches, head down, which he would raise when Harry Brook walked up to. Siraj was numb, angry.Asked if he had spoken with Siraj afterwards, Gill smiled, suggesting it was not the right moment.Gill, though, doffed his hat to Jadeja, who scored his fourth fifty of the series. Upon reaching the milestone, he didn’t unleash his usual wielding-the-sword celebration, knowing he still had a job to do.1:58

Manjrekar: India will regret the last half hour of day four

“He is one of the most valuable players for India,” Gill said. “The experience that he brings in, the skillset he brings with his bowling, batting and fielding makes him someone that is very rare and hard to find. The kind of composure he showed today was just tremendous to watch. Our lower order and tail have not been contributing that much in the previous two Tests but the character and courage that they showed was tremendous.”According to Gill, the most significant turning point for India was the Pant run out on Saturday. That run out, opener KL Rahul had admitted, was his mistake because he had told Pant a couple of overs prior to lunch, when he was on 97, that he wanted to get his century out of the way before the break. On the first ball of the last over before lunch, delivered by Bashir, Rahul failed to latch on to a loose ball and only took a single to move to 99. Two balls later, Pant called for a tight single with the sole aim of getting his partner back on strike, but instead was left sprawling on the turf after being beaten by a direct hit from Stokes.Gill said that fourth-wicket stand, which had accounted for 141 runs, could have been extended and helped India take a crucial lead. Instead, India finished level with England’s 387 in the first innings.”The most important moment for us was the Rishabh run out,” Gill said. “It was an error of judgment rather than [Rahul] thinking I need to get my 100 now. He might have had a word [with Pant] about getting the century prior to lunch because when a batsman is on 99, he feels some pressure. But I don’t agree the run out was caused due to the personal milestone. Rishabh called for the run and the danger end was for KL , but it was an error of judgment, which can happen by any batsman.1:56

Manjrekar: India could have been a little more attacking

“At one point, we felt that we could take a 50-100-run lead. We were aware that batting on day five would not be that easy, so the lead we get in the first innings would have been better for us.”By the end Saturday, the third day, the match had become a one-innings shootout and Gill said that the pressure was always going to be on the team batting last. It played out exactly that way as India’s batters failing twice, first in the last hour on Sunday and then the first hour on Monday, which left them at 82 for 7. Central to the downfall was Stokes, who bowled a marathon spell of 14 overs.Gill acknowledged that Stokes had elevated Lord’s to a theatre again, pushing his body and mind to the limit.”You have to give credit where it’s due,” Gill said. “The spell that he bowled, 11 [14] overs on the trot, never easy. The kind of efforts that him and his team put in, it was truly commendable to see. You give out your everything, and there are going to be moments where it is going to be heat and a lot of emotions involved, but at the end of the day, after a Test match like this, there’s always admiration from both sides. They also gave their everything, we also tried our best, but they were the better team today.”

Tottenham Hotspur face PSG in the Champions League tonight, looking to inflict revenge on the French outfit after the UEFA Super Cup final back in August.

The Lilywhites boasted a two-goal lead in such a clash but ultimately conceded twice late on, resulting in a penalty shootout – with Luis Enrique’s side coming out victorious.

However, tonight’s meeting at the Parc des Princes presents Thomas Frank with the chance to make amends and help bolster their standing in the league table.

His men are unbeaten in their four outings in Europe to date, previously avoiding defeat against a Ligue 1 outfit, having drawn 0-0 against Monaco back in October.

However, if the Lilywhites are to claim all three points and defeat the reigning champions, the manager will desperately need to make changes after Sunday’s defeat to local rivals Arsenal.

Why Frank needs to revert to a 4-3-3 against PSG

In the clash with the Gunners on Sunday afternoon, Frank decided to swap to a 5-4-1 system, a decision that massively restricted their ability to create chances in the final third.

He started Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha together at the base of the midfield, but the pair were far too defensively minded and unable to progress the ball into dangerous areas.

The pair could only complete one pass into the final third during the clash at the Emirates, with the manager needing to drop the Uruguayan international and revert to his usual system.

Throughout the campaign, the Dane has most commonly utilised a 4-3-3 system, with Palhinha operating at the base with two box-to-box options ahead of the loanee.

Apart from Bentancur, the manager has numerous other high-profile youngsters in his ranks, with many deserving of the opportunity to star at the heart of the side again.

Alongside the former Juventus star, Kevin Danso should be sacrificed to allow two of the aforementioned youngsters to have the chance to impress once again.

The Spurs star who should start against PSG

Archie Gray has previously been utilised in midfield by Frank over recent times, with the Spurs star having huge expectations after his £40m move from Leeds United last summer.

He’s only made six appearances across all competitions, even being named on the bench against Arsenal, but unfortunately for him, there are two other impressive options ahead of him in the pecking order.

Pape Sarr has been a key first-team member in North London this season, as seen by his tally of 11 appearances out of a possible 12, but Frank made the decision to start him on the bench last weekend.

He came on with just 24 minutes remaining in the contest, subsequently registering 100% of the passes he attempted – even managing to have an impact despite the embarrassing defeat.

As a result, the Dane must start him ahead of Palhinha in Paris this evening, but he must also introduce Lucas Bergvall to the side to complete the three-man midfield.

The Swedish youngster joined the Lilywhites for just £8m last summer, with many supporters expecting the teenager to link up with the club’s academy system at first.

However, the injury-hit campaign in 2024/25 allowed the 19-year-old to stake his claim for a regular starting role – already racking up a total of 60 senior appearances for the club.

He’s been out with a concussion over the last few weeks, with Bergvall only making one appearance in November after being replaced after just seven minutes of the meeting with Chelsea.

The Swede was an unused substitute against the Gunners last weekend, but this evening should be the game in which the manager recalls him to his starting eleven.

Bergvall has already impressed in the Premier League this campaign, with his underlying stats showcasing he’s able to produce the goods on the big occasions.

The teenager, who’s been dubbed just “like Modric” by The Athletic’s JJ Bull, has completed 2.1 successful dribbles to date – with such a figure ranking him in the top 4% of all players in the division.

Games played

9

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success

75%

Tackles won

2.8

Duels won

6.8

Recoveries made

3.8

Shots taken

1.2

He’s also made 2.8 tackles and won 6.8 duels per 90, with both of the aforementioned tallies ranking him within the top 25% of all other midfielders in England’s top-flight.

Such numbers highlight why he’s the perfect box-to-box option, with Frank needing to utilise him alongside Sarr if the club are to be victorious later on tonight.

It’s evident that the 5-4-1 system failed to catch the eye against Arsenal on Sunday, which should see the Dane match up with Enrique’s men in the Champions League this evening.

A trio of Palhinha, Sarr and Bergvall is the best option at the manager’s disposal, with such a partnership potentially allowing the side to get back to winning ways.

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Venkat Sundaram has been named secretary

PTI17-Oct-2025Former India women captain Shantha Rangaswamy has been elected president of the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), and former Delhi men opener Venkat Sundaram named secretary.Sundaram had served as the ICA’s president since December 2024, when he was elected unopposed following the death of the former president Aunshuman Gaekwad.Deepak Jain is the treasurer, while the member representatives are Jyoti Thatte and Santhosh Subramoniam.The ICA board has nominated former India women captains Sudha Shah and Shubhangi Kulkarni as its representatives in the BCCI’s Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council.The male representative to the BCCI Apex Council is V Chamundeswara Nath from the Hyderabad Cricket Association.”This election marks a notable moment for the ICA, with two women now serving on the ICA Board, and for the first time, a female president and a female nominee to the IPL Governing Council – reflecting the Association’s commitment to inclusive representation and progressive leadership,” a release stated.

Jamie Carragher has named the one team that can stop Arsenal from ending their Premier League title drought this season. The Gunners thrashed Tottenham 4-1 on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the table. They have finished second in the English top-flight for three straight campaigns but this term represents a golden opportunity to finally top the pile for the first time since 2004.

Arsenal put Tottenham to the sword

An Eberechi Eze hat-trick inspired Arsenal to a resounding victory at Emirates Stadium on Sunday over their bitter rivals. The result took them six points clear of second-placed Chelsea and seven ahead of Manchester City, following their shock loss to Newcastle United. It was not just that Mikel Arteta's side claimed all three points it was the manner of their victory that will make the rest of the division sit up and take notice. They have the best defence in the league and the joint-best attack with City. If they keep this up, they may finally end their league title hoodoo.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArsenal's title to lose

Liverpool legend Carragher believes that the side most likely to stop Arsenal from winning the league this season is themselves. In previous years, they seemed primed to end their barren run, only to fall short at the last. But with Liverpool languishing down in mid-table and City being a bit inconsistent, Arsenal are the big favourites for this race. 

He said on Sky Sports: "The only team that can stop Arsenal winning the league is Arsenal; they are the best team. They are the best squad. The only thing that can stop them is their own heads, their own mentality. Maybe this crowd getting nervous in March and April, if the league is still up for grabs by then. This would be the one. If they didn't win it, I think we'd all point the finger at them and say, 'You threw this away’. I don't think that's ever been the case before. I always think the case has been that there has been a team slightly better than them in the Premier League, but that is definitely not the case this season."

Henry sends Arsenal rallying cry

Arsenal icon Thierry Henry believes his old team needs to "embrace" their status as favourites for the title. He also wants the Gunners to put together displays that make other teams "scared of us".

The Frenchman added: "At some point, you have to embrace it. People are talking about the process. It's not believing in the process anymore. It's happening. We put ourselves in the situation where we believe we have the best squad. So you need to make sure that you can win the league. I'm not saying they are going to win it but you need to act like you are the favourite. Embrace it. It's not me trying to put pressure. If I were coming back in the summer, I would have said, 'It's time to stop messing around'. We now need a performance this year where people are scared of us."

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Getty Images SportArteta wants more from Arsenal

Arteta was delighted with his team's victory, and, in particular, how they dismissed Tottenham with ease. Ahead of a crunch Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich in midweek, followed by a trip to Chelsea next weekend, the Spaniard says they cannot rest on their laurels.

He told BBC's Match of the Day: "It's a very special day for us. We knew the importance of the match and what it means to our fans. To be able to give them that joy, it's a beautiful day. We dominated every part of the game. We created massive chances and had a lot of actions that we were very close to scoring. We stayed patient. Whoever we put in there they do the jobs for us. This squad has the belief and quality to deliver consistently. We have really good momentum but you can see how difficult every game in the Premier League is. It's a long run, let's go game by game. Let's enjoy tonight, then we have Bayern here and Chelsea away. We have a tough week."