If you’re an Arsenal fan right now then it must feel as though the world is ending. The Gunners had enjoyed an 18-game unbeaten run but it’s now over, swept clean by Aston Villa and Unai Emery no less.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been the best side in the country this season. They’ve been one of the best teams in the whole of Europe. However, whatever you have to say about their impressive squad depth, they look tired and leggy.

Their performance at Villa Park was not one that we’ve become accustomed to. Yes, they were missing the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, but the defence looked a mess, a shell of what we’ve come to expect from this outfit.

In attack, they also struggled and the fact Arteta made two substitutions at half-time spoke volumes about the display his team were showing.

Arsenal's biggest underperformers against Aston Villa

Let’s get one thing out in the open first. Villa Park is not an easy ground to go to. It’s a bit like St James’ Park. The supporters raise their voice even louder when the big boys come to town.

While Arsenal had their fair share of the ball, when Matty Cash slammed home the opener at the back post, it was always going to be an uphill battle.

Leandro Trossard came to the rescue once again, scoring a vital equaliser but Arteta’s defence crumbled in the dying embers. Emilino Buendia – once linked with Arsenal – slammed home a last-gasp winning goal.

That chaotic moment came from their inability to clear the ball. Piero Hincapie – Gabriel’s stand-in – claimed the ball inside the penalty area and, instead of clearing it upfield, ran possession out of play.

The resulting phase of play ended up in a goal for the Villans. A game of pinball played out inside the area and with several Arsenal players scrambling to get their bodies in the way, Buendia came up with a moment of composure and quality.

Truth be told, this was Arsenal’s worst defensive display of the season. While Jurrien Timber filled in well at centre-half against Brentford in the week, he and Hincapie were terrorised by the runs of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers throughout.

At left-back, Riccardo Calafiori struggled too and in midfield, Martin Zubimendi looked dead on his feet. Any chance of a Christian Norgaard cameo? That signing looks all the more puzzling as the days go by.

For once, Mikel Merino as a striker didn’t work. The Spaniard managed just 17 touches and didn’t have a single shot before he was dragged off for Viktor Gyokeres at the break.

The Swede didn’t cover himself in much glory either. He made just four passes and didn’t have a shot during his 45 minutes on the field. Arsenal needed an elite centre-forward in the summer and if we’re being brutally honest, it doesn’t look like they’ve signed one.

So, changes must be made. Arteta needs to find a solution. Here’s one of them.

Arsenal duo must not start together again

While something of a makeshift defence was put together by the manager on Saturday lunchtime, the midfield and forward line looked fluid.

It’s always exciting when two silky playmakers in the form of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze are named on the same teamsheet but it’s safe to say it did not work against Villa.

Eze had just been named Arsenal’s Player of the Month for November over the weekend. He had found his groove last month, scoring that hat-trick against Spurs and linking superbly well with Merino in the final third.

He did so having played as the number 10, just behind the striker. This time, he was forced out onto the left to accommodate Odegaard and it’s a decision Arteta must regret.

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Eze perhaps endured his worst performance for the club yet. It was his lack of awareness, switching off at the back post, that led to Cash’s goal and even if the summer signing did have a goal disallowed for offside, he failed to offer much in the final third.

That said, can you really blame him? The former Crystal Palace man likes to affect the game from central areas but was pinned out on the left and told to stay there.

Odegaard, on the other hand, did not possess the same pizzazz as Eze has offered from central areas. The Norwegian did manage three key passes, but from three efforts at goal, only amassed an xG of 0.14.

Odegaard was keen to get on the ball but unlike Eze, whose movement and decision-making are quick, he took far too many touches. He slowed the play down, allowed Villa to regroup and reorganise. When Arsenal go forward, it needs to be quick but the club captain was not alert enough.

While there is an argument to suggest that Bukayo Saka looked more threatening with Odegaard back in the team, some of Arsenal’s finest attacking displays of 2025 have come with Eze playing behind Merino. If the £65m addition is going to play then it cannot be out on the left.

As a result, it doesn’t look as though a combination of Eze and Odegaard will ever work. It’s an experiment that Arteta must quickly forget about unless he can get the former to impact things from the middle.

4/10 star had his worst game in an Arsenal shirt vs Aston Villa

Arsenal suffered their second defeat of the season against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

By
Angus Sinclair

5 days ago

Manchester United are now seriously considering a move for a “lightning quick” Paris Saint-Germain star, with a surprise Marcus Rashford swap deal on the cards.

Rashford tearing it up on loan at Barcelona

Rashford has really managed to kick on since joining Barcelona on loan in the summer, amassing six goals and ten assists in all competitions, but it has recently emerged that the forward isn’t expected to make his stay at the Camp Nou permanent.

The Englishman is likely to have plenty of options to choose from next summer, however, with it being revealed Chelsea have held talks over a potential deal, while Tottenham Hotspur are determined to win the race for the 28-year-old’s signature and give him a leading role.

It is difficult to envisage a way back for the United academy graduate at Old Trafford, given his sour relationship with Ruben Amorim, and it has now been revealed the manager could get him off the books in a different way at the end of the season.

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now seriously considering signing PSG forward Bradley Barcola, and a surprise swap deal is possible, with Rashford potentially set to be sent in the opposite direction.

Barcola’s negotiations with the French club over a new contract have now stalled, which could open the door for a move to Old Trafford, although his current employers are very reluctant to sanction a departure.

With a market value of around €70m (£61m), a deal for the Frenchman would be on the expensive side, but there are indications he could be worth every penny…

"Lightning quick" Barcola impressing in Ligue 1 and Europe

Hailed as “lightning quick” by journalist Raj Chohan, the PSG star has put in some top performances in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League this season, regularly contributing with goals and assists.

Competition

Appearances

Goal contributions

Ligue 1

12

6

Champions League

5

2

The 23-year-old also played a major role in the French side winning the Champions League for the first time last season, chipping in with three goals and four assists in 17 appearances.

Man United appear to have recruited well in the summer, with new forward Matheus Cunha grabbing an assist in the 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, while Bryan Mbeumo already has six Premier League goals to his name.

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However, with the Red Devils looking to return to Europe next season, they may need more depth in attacking areas, and Barcola could be a brilliant addition to Amorim’s squad, so they should definitely try to negotiate a swap deal involving Rashford.

Their warring fans have united and are now railing together against the team management, while we wait, series on series, to see if they can make it to the 2027 ODI World Cup

Sidharth Monga17-Oct-20252:16

What to expect from Rohit, Kohli in this phase of their careers?

If you are the type that follows cricket for cricket’s sake, you have surely missed them. If, on the other hand, you fiendishly go looking for cricketers’ holiday photos or training photos or reassurance that they matter, you have had your fix.Actually, for once, forget social media, forget the smattering of promotional “content” reminding you how they are getting ready for the “2027 World Cup”. Forget anything that makes you cynical. This is bigger than all the cynicism and PR and pettiness and fan wars.Seven months after they last played international cricket, nearly five months after they were seen playing in the IPL, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are coming back to do what we love them for, in their best format, now their only format for India, against a team that provided the highest purpose in their working lives, in a country that proved to be the scene of their last Tests. It is hard not to be emotional.Related

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There will be so much going through our minds and hearts during these three ODIs against Australia in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. It is a chance to watch again two of the greatest ODI batters of all time. The effortless, almost risk-free accumulation of Kohli, and the joyful explosiveness of Rohit in the back half. Okay, let’s not give in to nostalgia too much. For about three years now, Kohli has been taking risks but with the same efficiency, and Rohit has taken on such high-risk starts that he rarely ever bats into the back half.We will be looking for changes in their appearance, in their fitness, in their games to imagine what they have been up to all this time. For more than a decade, they never went away for this long except during Covid. For more than a decade, our times have been shared. We have given them our hours, they have given us theirs.Now time is what they are running out of. Not just we, but the selectors and the team management will be looking for signs to see if they can last till the 2027 ODI World Cup.Not long ago, these two were making such decisions for others.Neither, arguably, had to make such big calls.Just imagine, Kohli tweets something that is not an ad and news channels end up doing shows deciphering the meaning and significance of the tweet only for him to reveal that it was a teaser for an ad. This happened on Thursday.5:49

Agarkar on Kohli-Rohit: ‘Too early to think about 2027 ODI World Cup’

These are huge names. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ro-Ko is how this series is being sold everywhere. At some point, without us noticing, these two supposedly bitter rivals became hyphenated. At first, it was just a media creation, but look at them now. One gets selected for the T20 World Cup because the other is the captain and you can’t drop just one of them. They end up winning the title, and retiring together. Their Test career ends in the same series. Now their “fan armies” are united in their hatred for the team management.A part of that team management is a young man, who has already benefitted immensely from these two. Kohli has always been a barometer for Shubman Gill, somebody whose scores at the same age the kid Shubman used to check to measure up to. Rohit’s new incarnation of a fiery opener has allowed Gill the ODI opener the time to be able to play a more sedate role and accumulate relatively risk-free runs.Now Gill has to be part of the decision on whether his trusted Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will serve him better than Rohit. Not just in this series and the next, but two years down the line. He has to decide whether the hyphen is fair on Kohli, who might have arguably benefitted from it in T20Is.We will watch not knowing if any given series could be the last for one or both of them. We will wait for every ODI series selection. For now, though, we will savour the three full ODIs. For we have missed them. And there the hyphen is okay.

“If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it,” Travis Head says

Matt Roller30-Nov-20253:17

Smith: Travis Head’s batting incredible to witness

Travis Head is “happy” to continue opening the batting after his match-winning century in the first Ashes Test, echoing Pat Cummins’ view that batting orders are “over-rated”. His comments come amid continued uncertainty over Usman Khawaja’s fitness and his future as an international cricketer.Head has been Australia’s first-choice No. 5 for the last four years but deputised at the top of the order in the second innings in Perth last week, with Khawaja off the field following back spasms. His stunning 123 off 83 balls helped Australia chase down a fourth-innings target of 205 in just 28.2 overs, taking a 1-0 lead into Thursday’s second Test at the Gabba.Khawaja, who turns 39 next month, has been retained in Australia’s 14-man squad and said this week that he “should be right” to play. But he has been given no guarantees over his place by selectors, and has come under significant scrutiny after averaging 31.84 in the last two years with a single century.Related

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Australia’s squad assembled in Brisbane on Sunday and Head said before their training session that his role for the second Test had not yet been discussed. But he made it clear that he was open-minded about staying at the top of the order. “I’m happy,” he said. “If that’s what is needed to win a Test match and if that’s what’s required then, yeah, I’m fine with it.”I’m preparing for anything at this stage… There’s a fair bit to work through. I’ve just got here. We haven’t really had many conversations over the last week. It’s been about just spending some time out of the game as much as you can. You don’t get much time to chill out in a massive series like this, where it’s pretty full-on every single day.”Andrew McDonald revealed after the Perth Test that his Australia side had previously considered using different openers in each innings of a match, and Head said that he was “open” to the idea. “We’ve talked about that a lot: how you get there, and what personnel we have to be able to potentially do that and the personalities in the line-up,” he said. “You’ve seen it a little bit in the T20 team as well, where we’re trying to push the boundaries in power-hitting, and [asking] do we take singles at certain stages… I feel like I can play in any role, so I’m open to it, and it’s just trying to work out in-game and in moments when that may come out and when you may use that.”All options are on the table and have been for a long period of time about where this team can potentially get better, and where there’s opportunities to potentially win games of cricket in moments. It’s always been on the table.”Head was in agreement with Cummins, who is set to miss the second Test in Brisbane because of his ongoing back stress concerns, saying, “I agree with Pat. I think you could use this order and these players in a range of different ways and whatever ways that is to win games of cricket.”We’ve seen it in red-ball [Tests] but particularly probably pink-ball [Tests] as well. Non-traditional stuff, with double nightwatchmen, how you use orders, and how you use players in certain situations. So I agree with Pat that I think they’re slightly over-rated… It’s ever-evolving, and we’ll see where we get to.”

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu has warned his squad not to underestimate a faltering Liverpool side in the Champions League, insisting that Mohamed Salah remains a world-class threat despite his public fallout with manager Arne Slot and the Reds' inconsistent Premier League form this season, demanding maximum "intensity" at the San Siro to cope with the English giants' high-pressing style.

Chivu ignores the 'decline' narrative

The narrative surrounding Liverpool’s trip to the San Siro has been dominated by their stumbling defence of the Premier League title and the supposed fragility of the squad under Arne Slot. Salah shocked Liverpool fans and pundits alike with his comments regarding Slot after his side's dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds at the weekend, resulting him being dropped from the squad for the Inter clash. However, Chivu has moved quickly to stomp out any complacency within the Nerazzurri camp. Speaking to ahead of the crucial European tie, the Inter boss rejected the idea that the English champions are a spent force, attributing their current struggles to a natural post-title hangover rather than a terminal crisis.

"Liverpool is one of the most successful teams," Chivu asserted, reminding the Italian press of the pedigree arriving in Milan. "They just won the Premier League. They had a good start and then a decline, which is normal. They have players capable of understanding the moments and being ready for the games that matter, and tomorrow is one of those."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSalah vs Slot civil war "not my concern"

The build-up to the match has been overshadowed by the explosive breakdown in relations between Salah and manager Slot. With the Egyptian forward publicly questioning the Dutchman's tactics and his goal return drying up, many in Italy view this as the perfect time to face the Reds. Chivu, however, refuses to be drawn into the soap opera. When pressed on whether Salah’s unhappiness gives Inter an edge, the Romanian coach was dismissive, insisting that Liverpool's threat extends far beyond one individual.

"Momo is important on a world-class level, but these are not problems that concern us. It’s not my concern," Chivu stated bluntly. "I know that they have players who can replace him, and that Liverpool will therefore maintain a high level as they always have done throughout their history." He doubled down on the need for collective focus, warning that focusing too much on Salah's drama could leave them exposed to other threats "We’re talking about teams, not individuals. That is why we have to worry about what the group does, not about individuals. They have a lot of quality."

The intensity trap: Chivu warns of Klopp's lingering legacy

While results may have dipped, the physical data suggests Liverpool remain a ferocious opponent. Chivu highlighted that the "heavy metal" identity forged by Jurgen Klopp has been successfully retained by Slot, even if the execution has stuttered recently. The Inter boss described this specific English style as a cultural phenomenon that Italian teams often struggle to replicate due to the grueling nature of the calendar.

"I think they're a team that has made intensity their motto, part of their identity," Chivu explained during his press conference. "Klopp brought it, Slot is trying to maintain it and he's succeeded. We want to do like them, but they were born that way… it leads to a certain approach to matches."

He also touched on the physical toll this approach takes, referencing a conversation with his own striker, Marcus Thuram, to illustrate the difficulty of matching Liverpool's running stats. "Playing every three days is not easy… You have to understand the moments and not lose your balance… At times you also need to rest, if you ask Marcus he'll tell you that it's not easy to press for 90 minutes straight." The key for Inter will be managing energy levels without being overrun by the Red wave.

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Getty Images SportCarrying the flag: Inter demand respect

Finally, Chivu took a moment to defend his own team's standing in Europe. Inter have been Italy's most consistent continental performer in the 2020s, and the manager feels that their recent record – including two Champions League final appearances in three years – warrants immense credit, regardless of the outcome against Liverpool.

"Inter have carried the Italian flag high around the world," Chivu said. "You don't reach two Champions League finals and a Europa League final in five years so easily, and they deserve to be celebrated. An Italian team that plays like this deserves some praise, aside from the final result."

Marnus Labuschagne’s early-season surge continued while legspinner Mitchell Swepson sent a reminder of his skills

Andrew McGlashan20-Oct-2025Victoria vs New South WalesA match of two significant storylines and plenty others of interest. Sam Konstas bounced back from a first-innings duck, where he again fell to Scott Boland, to make a well-constructed half-century the second time around. But just when something more substantial was in the offing, he chopped on against Todd Murphy during a period where the game turned back in Victoria’s favour.Related

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Konstas’ second innings included a scoop over the slips for six off Boland alongside some nicely controlled batting. However, with just one round of Shield matches remaining before the Test squad is selected, it feels as though he is struggling to make the cut. “[Konstas] is a baby cricketer in terms of experience as a number of batters in the game are on both sides,” NSW coach Greg Shipperd said. “There’s a lot of learning to be done and he’s learned a couple of lessons today.”If Pat Cummins is ruled out of the first Test, there is little doubt Boland will slot straight in. He became Victoria’s match-winner when he claimed the last five wickets to transform unusually expensive figures. Boland wasn’t quite at his best but has tuned up nicely in the first two games of the season. If the Perth pitch is anything like the one for the ODI against India, he could be a mighty handful.Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon continued his build towards the Ashes with 31 overs in the match, although with games having been pace-bowler dominated it will be interesting to see whether he now wants all four Shield matches before the opening Test.Sean Abbott became the first player to be subbed out under Cricket Australia’s new trial when he split his webbing, but it shouldn’t impact his Ashes prospects.It wasn’t a great game for two experienced batters hoping for another chance in Test cricket. Kurtis Patterson made 5 and 1 while Marcus Harris fell for 4 and a hard-working 20. Fergus O’Neill did all he could to keep his name in the conversation of back-up quicks with 5 for 26 in the first innings.Back to his best: Marnus Labuschagne keeps churning out the runs•Getty ImagesSouth Australia vs QueenslandBarring injury, it’s impossible to see a world where Marnus Labuschagne isn’t playing the first Test. He piled up a supreme 159 at Adelaide Oval to make it four centuries across formats this season. However, the debate rumbles on about whether he will bat No. 3 or open.Speaking to during the first ODI, having been called up following Cameron Green’s injury, he insisted he was happy to bat anywhere, but did note that first drop had been his spot.”It’s always nice when you’re scoring runs,” Labuschagne said. “You probably walk a bit taller, you’ve got that confidence, and it’s probably a nice reminder for yourself after struggling for a couple of years that you’ve still got it. It doesn’t matter how good you are or how many runs you’ve scored, when you don’t score runs for a while, those doubts creep in.”Usman Khawaja played neatly for 46 in the first innings before falling cheaply in the second. He may play one more game before the first Test, where all eyes will be on how he starts the series. Michael Neser, meanwhile, put in another big shift to suggest he’s well placed to provide support if the attack requires it.Mitchell Swepson has drifted down the spin pecking order in the last couple of years, but he bowled superbly to suggest he could still play a role when conditions allow. He barely put a foot wrong across 60 overs of expertly controlled legspin to finish with a career-best 10 for 159 in the match. Spin has played a major part in the two games at Adelaide Oval, which will be a day Test this year.Alex Carey, who played this round of Shield cricket ahead of the first ODI against India, picked out mid-off cheaply in the first innings but looked in decent order when making 43 in the second, although his dismissal early on the final day all but ensured Queensland’s victory. Jason Sangha, who has been back in the Australia A mix, made twin fifties but will need hundreds to bang the door down. Nathan McSweeney will rue not building on two starts.Jake Weatherald’s aggressive 94 was a timely performance•Getty ImagesTasmania vs Western AustraliaOne of the great Shield games could have included one of the more significant early-season performances. Jake Weatherald made 94 off 99 balls in conditions where runs were hard to come by. It was the sort of momentum-seizing innings that will certainly have been noted. One of the debates around Australia’s opening combination is what style of player partners Khawaja.”I was really impressed with Jake’s innings in Tassie this week,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “Again, it was reasonably low-scoring in that first innings and I just thought the method and the decisiveness around the way he wanted to play and then the execution of that was really pleasing.”There could be a huge game ahead for Weatherald in the next round when Tasmania face Victoria at Junction Oval. That match should also see the return of Beau Webster from an ankle injury.The Hobart thriller did not include much else of immediate Ashes relevance. Matt Kelly is the early leader of the pack among the bowlers with 16 wickets at 12.37 but will likely be one of those players who fall short of higher honours.

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