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Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League this season, but defeat at Aston Villa has put a dampener on the feel-good factor, reducing their advantage at the summit to just two points following Manchester City’s win over Sunderland.

In truth, perhaps this was a step too far for Mikel Arteta’s men. The fixture schedule has been relentless, and Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera all missed out at Villa Park due to injury.

And Villa, to their credit, are among the most in-form teams in Europe right now, claiming their seventh win in a row across all competitions against the Premier League table-toppers.

But this feels like familiar territory for the Gunners, and there were several players in particular who flattered to deceive.

Arsenal's worst performers vs Aston Villa

On many outings this season, Arsenal have repelled opponents and struck clinically to pile up the points, so balanced and secure is Arteta’s system.

But they emerged from Stamford Bridge last weekend with just a point after something of a slugfest, and the midweek win over Brentford has clearly taken something out of the Londoners, who battled tooth and nail against a well-oiled and energetic Aston Villa side but to no avail.

Up top, Mikel Merino has been an incredible moonlit success since arriving at the Emirates, with the midfield-turned-forward having scored four goals and supplied three assists when stepping up into the danger area this season. However, Unai Emery’s team marshalled him well, anonymous in the first half save for one blundered attempt to find the surging Bukayo Saka.

Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke both changed Arsenal’s attacking dimensions in the second half, but neither enjoyed the most fruitful of appearances, with Gyokeres in particular struggling for service, albeit making his physicality and mobile presence known in Merino’s stead after the break.

For his part, Arteta showcased his shrewd and calculated in-game management by making a half-time change, which swiftly paid off, Leandro Trossard coming up trumps once again after Saka’s strike was deflected.

But the Spanish manager will be frustrated that one starting member failed to make the most of their opportunity, having drifted through the opening 45.

4/10 star produced his worst game for Arsenal

Arsenal have been a world-class unit this season, and they have been reinforced with some top talent this summer. Eberechi Eze is one of the arrivals, a superstar in the English game and a £67m signing from Crystal Palace. However, he wasn’t at his best against Aston Villa.

Let’s not forget, it was a matter of days ago that Arsenal informed Eze he was their Player of the Month for November, having bagged a hat-trick in the north London Derby and settled into his berth.

But, in spite of this, the England international still hasn’t struck a consistent vein of form in the final third, and his tough afternoon in the Midlands served as evidence that he needs to raise his game, having been such a fleet-footed and talismanic force for Oliver Glasner at Palace.

Against Villa, the 27-year-old flattered to deceive, with football.london even handing him a 4/10 match rating after an ineffectual and short-lived outing, hooked at the break for Trossard, who scored. In all likelihood, he failed to showcase any of his many qualities, and for that reason, probably endured his toughest game since joining.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

13

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

7/9 (78%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

1/1

Ball recoveries

0

Tackles won

0/0

Duels won

2/5

With Martin Odegaard fit once again, Eze has been forced into a wider berth. Could it be that he is at full throttle when creating and influencing from the middle? His pace lends itself to a wide role, but then so does his athleticism and physicality work well on the flank.

Eze is a passionate player. It is telling that his only goals in the Premier League this season have come against Crystal Palace, his former club, and Spurs in the derby, with Thomas Frank coming close to signing him before Arsenal swooped down.

Eze needs to channel his creativity and incisiveness in the box. He needs to iron out the wrinkles. But first, Arteta may want to relegate him to the bench, rekindling the fire to take that step up to the level he has shown he is capable of.

Sterling 2.0: Berta flop already looks like he'll never make it at Arsenal

It is not looking good for the Arsenal star so far this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes 6 days ago

Manchester United believe they can sign Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson for a cut-price fee in 2026.

Man Utd linked with Anderson amid Tuchel praise

Since making the move to the City Ground from Newcastle in 2024, Anderson has gone from strength to strength and is now viewed as one of the best players in the Premier League.

He’s also now a regular on the international stage under Thomas Tuchel, and it looks as if Anderson and Declan Rice will be the Three Lions’ starting midfield duo at the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel has recently praised Anderson, calling him an elite player. “Anderson is a key player for us at the moment. He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, that’s why he is with us and starting for us. He is an elite player with the right attitude and a lot of talent.”

Anderson’s displays have caught the eye of Man Utd, who have been heavily linked with a move for the midfielder, however, they aren’t the only Premier League side who are keen.

Former club Newcastle are thought to have an interest in bringing Anderson back to St James’ Park, whereas Chelsea have also been linked. Now, a new update has emerged over a transfer to Old Trafford and the potential fee involved.

Man Utd “confident” of signing Anderson for £60m

According to CaughtOffside, Man Utd think they can sign Anderson for a bargain fee of just £60m, which is £40m less than Forest’s initial £100m valuation that has been mooted in the media.

Anderson being under contract at the City Ground for another three-and-a-half years could complicate matters, so if Man Utd do snap him up for £60m as they feel they can, it may prove to be a shrewd deal.

Elliot Anderson’s best performances 25/26	WhoScored rating
Latvia 0-5 England	8.14/10
Nottingham Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland	7.77/10
Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest	7.66/10
England 2-0 Andorra	7.45/10
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford	7.40/10

The 23-year-old also shares the same agency as United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has actually been linked with the Old Trafford exit.

Casemiro’s contract is also set to expire in 2026, whereas Manuel Ugarte came in for criticism from Amorim after the Europa League final last season.

Man Utd now very keen on signing "amazing" midfielder likened to N'Golo Kante

Ruben Amorim’s side have identified another target in the middle of the park ahead of the January transfer window.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 20, 2025

All signs point towards a new marquee midfielder being required, and that could be Anderson if the Red Devils get their way.

Man Utd now racing Arsenal to sign "complete" £45m Bundesliga attacker

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara will return to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a lead role to helm the coaching staff after the exit of Rahul Dravid as head coach recently. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Sangakkara, who has been RR’s Director of Cricket since 2021, is firming up the position with the franchise, even as he has already informally started planning for the 2026 season.Since he joined RR in 2021, Sangakkara doubled up as the head coach, and, under his watch, the Sanju Samson-led franchise made the playoffs twice in four seasons. In 2022, RR reached the final for the first time since they won the IPL in the inaugural season in 2008, but lost to Gujarat Titans. After finishing fifth in 2023, RR reached the playoffs the following season, when they lost in Qualifier 2. Dravid, who was RR’s captain in 2012 and 2013, and then mentor in 2014 and 2015, was hired as head coach by the franchise immediately after he won the 2024 T20 World Cup as India’s head coach.Although Dravid had signed a multi-year contract, his stint was short-lived, as he parted ways with RR recently. In a media statement issued in August, RR said that based on a structural review of the franchise post the 2025 season, where they secured just four wins in 14 matches, Dravid was “offered a broader position” but he had “chosen not to take”.Related

• Samson asks to be released by RR ahead of IPL 2026 auction

• Head coach Dravid parts ways with RR after just one season

The biggest priority for Sangakkara will be sorting RR’s captaincy after Samson asked the franchise to release him after the 2025 season. It is understood Samson, 30, told the franchise that he wanted a change and hence be released. Suffering a side strain early during the 2025 season, Samson played only nine matches, and had to endure the disappointment of watching RR end ninth on the points table despite being in the winning position several times.Samson, who is the most experienced player in RR’s ranks, was among the six players retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction at a price tag of INR 18 crore (USD 2.14 million approx.).While RR did cast the net with several franchises offering Samson as a trade in player swap, they have not been successful. Officially, RR have not made any comment on releasing Samson. The IPL retention deadline normally is end of November, but franchises are still waiting for a firm date.It is also learned RR will retain former India batter Vikram Rathour as the assistant coach, and that former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond is likely to continue as the bowling coach. While Bond moved to RR from Mumbai Indians in 2024, Rathour, who had been assistant coach with India under Ravi Shastri and Dravid, joined ahead of 2025. It is understood that the pair of Trevor Penney and Siddhartha Lahiri, who were part of Sangakkara’s support staff at RR previously, is also set to return.

Unlike in the National League, where Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted as the league MVP, the result of the American League MVP award was always going to be more heavily disputed. There were two very worthy finalists in Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, both of whom enjoyed fantastic seasons.

In the end, Judge won. It’s hard to argue that he wasn’t deserving, even if there’s a laundry list of reasons Raleigh was deserving. The decision from the Baseball Writers Association of America to select Judge was a narrow one. The Yankees outfielder took home 17 of the 30 first-place votes, with Raleigh claiming the other 13. Neither player received a single vote below second place. Judge had 13 second-place votes, and Raleigh had 17. Judge won by 20 points, 355–335, in what was an incredibly close race.

Judge’s second straight AL MVP win led to plenty of discussion on social media among MLB fans. There were mixed feelings about the result, with some supportive of the decision to name Judge MVP, due to his prolific hitting numbers, while others were upset, feeling that Raleigh was robbed after a historic season.

Venkatesh Prasad reiterates his commitment to bringing big-ticket cricket back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru

Shashank Kishore08-Dec-2025

Venkatesh Prasad has vowed to restore the image of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium•The India Today Group via Getty Images

Venkatesh Prasad, the former India seamer, has been elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Sujith Somasunder, who played two ODIs in 1996 and was until recently head of education at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, is the vice-president.Prasad, who received unanimous backing from former colleagues Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath among others, defeated his rival KN Shanth Kumar by a 749-558 margin. Flanked by his team members, Prasad reiterated his commitment to work with the state government to restore “Chinnaswamy’s lost glory”.”First and foremost, this is a victory for the sport of cricket,” Prasad said. “Secondly, this is a victory for all the members who wanted a change, all the people who wanted international cricket to come back to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.”Related

Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

The venue hasn’t hosted a big-ticket game since a stampede outside the premises claimed 11 lives during a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory party on June 4. Since then, the KSCA has been a no-go for cricket in Bengaluru, with the BCCI preferring to host the Duleep Trophy and ‘A’ series between India and South Africa at the Centre of Excellence.The M Chinnaswamy Stadium was scheduled to host five women’s ODI World Cup games, including the final. But they had to be moved out after the previous KSCA dispensation, which was operating without a treasurer and secretary, who had resigned on moral grounds after the stampede, failed to obtain the necessary clearances from the state government.KSCA subsequently ran into trouble with the state’s electricity suppliers over fire-safety compliances, which led to power supply to the venue being cut-off. Power has since been restored after a fire-safety audit that said KSCA was in compliance with regulations.Prasad has now instructed his team to study the other possible changes they can implement by studying the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, appointed by the Karnataka government in the aftermath of the stampede.DK Shivakumar casts his vote at the KSCA elections•PTI

In its report in July, the commission had stated that the stadium’s “design and structure” were inherently “unsuitable and unsafe” for mass gatherings. It warned that continuing to hold high-attendance events at the venue would pose “unacceptable risks to public safety, urban mobility, and emergency preparedness”.On Sunday, Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, a KSCA life-member and among the early voters, vowed to bring the IPL back to the Chinnaswamy.”I’m a cricket lover,” he said. We will ensure that the accident in Karnataka does not happen again and hold cricket events at Chinnaswamy Stadium in a manner that upholds the honour of Bengaluru. We will not shift the IPL elsewhere and will continue to hold it here at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is the pride of Bengaluru and Karnataka, which we will retain.”Prasad joins a small group of former India players currently in cricket administration. Recently, Mithun Mahnas, the former Delhi captain and a cricket administrator in Jammu & Kashmir, was elected BCCI president, while Sourav Ganguly, Prasad’s former India colleague and captain, was unanimously elected as president of Cricket Association of Bengal. Saurabh Tiwary and Shahbaz Nadeem, who also had brief India careers along with a strong body of work in domestic cricket, have entered cricket administration in Jharkhand in positions of authority.

Splashing the cash in the transfer market hasn’t been alien to Manchester United over the last couple of years, with INEOS massively backing various managers at Old Trafford.

Since the summer of 2022 alone, the hierarchy have spent upwards of £800m on new additions, but it’s safe to say they’ve failed to have the desired effect in the Premier League.

Ruben Amorim could only direct the side to 15th place last time around, with the 40-year-old’s men now sat in eighth in 2025/26, but it could be about to get tricky for the manager.

Many of his key starters are set to go away with their respective nations for AFCON at the end of December, which could leave the squad bare in numerous areas.

As a result, the board have drawn up a plan, which could see numerous big-money talents make their own move to Old Trafford during the January transfer window.

United’s hunt for new signings in January

Over the last couple of days, Real Madrid star Rodrygo has once again appeared on United’s radar, but it seems a deal for the forward’s signature could prove to be a tricky one.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all said to be monitoring the progress of the Brazilian international, which could lead to a bidding war in the winter window.

He’s fallen down the pecking order of Xabi Alonso over the last couple of months, which could see him depart the Bernabeu in a deal worth around the £70m mark.

However, he’s not the only player mentioned with a potential switch to Old Trafford, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo another player seemingly on their radar.

According to Football Insider, INEOS have identified the 25-year-old as the perfect player to come into the club in January to bolster the frontline during AFCON.

The report also states that the player has a £65m release clause that becomes active in the new year, with such a fee one the board are looking to activate and fast-track a deal for.

Why United’s £65m target would be Cunha 2.0

Investing big on Premier League players who have caught the eye in recent times is another thing United have done, as seen by the deal to land Matheus Cunha from Wolves during the summer.

The Brazilian scored 15 times in England’s top-flight last season, which massively attracted the interest of the Red Devils and Amorim during the recent summer window.

As a result, the board forked out a reported £62.5m for the attacker’s signature, with Cunha just one of three forwards signed to make a difference in the final third.

During the opening months of his career in Manchester, the 26-year-old has struggled to replicate his best form, as seen by his tally of one goal in his first 11 outings.

However, there’s still bags of time for the big-money addition to resurrect his career at Old Trafford, especially if Semenyo makes the move in the coming months.

They could star together, or the Ghanaian international could overtake him in the pecking order – something which could come to fruition when comparing their figures.

In 2025/26, Semenyo has massively outperformed Cunha in numerous key areas, with the Cherries star the perfect man to improve the frontline in 2026 and beyond.

The 25-year-old, who’s been dubbed the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle, has already posted more combined goals and assists this season – showcasing his incredible ability in front of goal.

Semenyo has also completed more carries into the final third, whilst achieving a higher take-on success rate, with such numbers making him a much better ball-carrier than the Brazilian.

How Semenyo & Cunha compare in the PL (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Semenyo

Cunha

Games played

13

11

Goals & assists

9

1

Shot on target accuracy

52%

40%

Progressive carries

3.5

2.8

Progressive passes

3.7

3.6

Take-ons completed

1.9

1.7

Take-on success

53%

52%

Crosses completed

1.7

1.6

Aerials won

2.3

0.8

Stats via FBref

His dominance over the United star is further reflected in his higher tally of crosses completed per 90, with such a tally showcasing his ability to add an end product to his mazy runs.

Other numbers, such as a higher shot on target accuracy rate and a better pass accuracy rate, highlight his all-round dominance in attacking areas.

£65m for a player of Semenyo’s quality would be an excellent piece of business, with such a move softening the blow of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo’s absence at AFCON.

However, given the money spent during the summer, it would be another huge investment, with the backing certainly there – but it’s down to Amorim to get a tune out of the current crop of players at his disposal.

Related Fewer touches than Lammens & 100% duels lost: Man Utd flop must be dropped

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Posts ByEthan Lamb 7 days ago

Scott Boland says he’s not driven by comments that England’s batters don’t fear him

Alex Malcolm17-Oct-20252:25

Mitchell Starc backs Australia’s fast-bowling depth

Scott Boland could not hide the smirk on his face.Not long after he had scythed through New South Wales to take a match-winning 5 for 67 to go with his 3 for 59 in the first innings to help Victoria claim a thrilling Sheffield Shield win at the Junction Oval, Boland was asked the obvious question in his post-match conversation with a group of reporters.Boland was asked if he had seen former England captain Michael Atherton write in the that he “holds no fear” for England’s batting line-up based on how they played him in England two years ago.”I saw it. My cousin sent it to me. He [Boland’s cousin] was taking the piss,” Boland said. “I’m sure there’s going be so much banter between the former players in between now and the first Test and even the end of the summer.”Related

Konstas wins the battle, Boland wins the match for Victoria

Stuart Broad: 'Worst Australian team since 2010-11'

Boland's MCG heroics more relevant than 2023 Ashes blip

Cummins 'running out of time' as Perth D-day looms

He was asked if it motivated him at all ahead of the Ashes.”Not really,” Boland said. “I’ve got my own internal motivations for what I want to do for the summer. I’ve never gone into a game where I’m just middling along. I guess there’s always some motivation for me to try and either come into the team and try to put in a really good performance, to try and keep my spot. There’s so many good fast bowlers in Australia that you just don’t want to give anyone an inch. So that’s sort of my goal when I’m playing Test cricket.”Boland, 36, always speaks like a man on the outside looking in. But right now, he is actually an incumbent in Australia’s Test XI having played in their last Test match in Jamaica in place of Nathan Lyon as part of a four-man pace attack. In fact, he took a Test hat-trick in the last Test over he bowled.And it’s looking increasingly likely that he will retain his spot even though Lyon is set to return for the first Test against England in Perth, with skipper Pat Cummins saying it’s “less likely than likely” he will be fit to play as he continues a slow recovery from a back injury.Boland said he had not spoken to Cummins in several months. But he was not expecting the skipper to miss all five Tests.”Patty’s so resilient,” Boland said. “He can play through a little bit of pain if he has some. Those guys play so much cricket there’s bound to be games where someone misses out. But if Pat happens to not play the first game, we’ve got a pretty handy incoming in at some stage during the summer.”

“I just want to find my rhythm as quick as I can in the game. And sometimes it happens in half a spell. Sometimes it takes a bit longer”Scott Boland

Boland is primed if he is called upon for the first Test. Like a prized race horse ahead of the Melbourne Cup, he seems to have timed his preparation down to the minute. He is pain free and without strapping on his knees for the first time in several years after a block of strength work in the gym following the Caribbean tour. His former Victoria team-mate and now Australia coach Andrew McDonald had challenged him to rethink the way he trained to become even more resilient as he ages.He bowled impressively in the opening Shield game of the summer against South Australia at Adelaide Oval last week and then backed it up with eight wickets at the Junction Oval. But he was frustrated with his performance this week having been far more expensive than usual. He conceded a tick over 4.1 runs per over across 30.4 overs in the match as the New South Wales batters looked to attack him, with Sam Konstas reverse ramping him for six in the second innings.With 0 for 54 to his name from 9.5 overs in the second innings, Atherton’s words felt prescient. But Boland found another gear, snaking a stunning delivery back through the gate to bowl the dangerous Oliver Davies for 64. He took 5 for 13 from his final 35 deliveries, including clattering the stumps twice more, to win the game for his state.”I knew the game was on the line,” Boland said. “I didn’t feel like I’d… not that I’d let the team down, but I hadn’t bowled as well as I wanted to for the whole week.”I just think it’s just a minor thing in my run up. I’m probably just stressing a little bit too much from what I usually do. But I know sometimes that just happens. I just want to find my rhythm as quick as I can in the game. And sometimes it happens in half a spell. Sometimes it takes a bit longer. This game just took a little bit longer, but I still felt like I was able to hang in there enough to bowl some spells when I’m getting wickets for the team.”Scott Boland took eight wickets for Victoria in their last Sheffield Shield game•Getty ImagesHe also showed a rare sign of raw emotion. After knocking over Davies, he charged past him and glared at him with a guttural roar. It was out of character for a man who barely celebrated a Test hat-trick and it caught the eye of veteran New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd.”Yeah, interesting, wasn’t it,” Shipperd said. “I don’t know what might have led up to that, but it’s not the Scotty Boland I know.”Victoria coach Chris Rogers said Boland and Davies had some history and that Davies “likes to give as much as he gets” but Boland played a straight bat.”I was just excited to get a wicket,” Boland said. “I hadn’t got one for a while. But I know we’ve had some good contests. I played an Aussie A game with him last year. Really enjoyed his company. So nice fellow. We had some nice words for each other after the game.”Boland is set to rest from Victoria’s next Shield game against Tasmania but will return for round four against New South Wales at the SCG in a game that is likely to feature Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Lyon.”I’ve got two really good games of work into my body now,” Boland said. “My body’s feeling really good. No issues with any my knees or anything like that that have been little niggles in the past. So I’m really happy with how it’s tracking. It’d be nice to have a few days off now and get some strength back in, because I know that when I’m doing that, my body’s feeling great, and I feel like I can get through as many games as needed for the summer.”

Stunning first-half goals from Casemiro and Estevao capped a rampant display from Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil side in a 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates Stadium. The Chelsea youngster opened the scoring with a curled effort, before the veteran midfielder doubled the lead with a delectable touch and finish. However, there was bad news for the Gunners fans in attendance, as Gabriel limped off on the hour with what looked like a serious injury.

The Selecao set a fierce pace to the proceedings, with Edouard Mendy's goal under almost constant assault. Matheus Cunha clipped the outside of the post and saw a headed effort cannon off the bar before Chelsea winger Estevao latched onto a Rodrygo through ball and curled a left-footed finish past Edouard Mendy and into the net after 28 minutes.

Brazil doubled their lead just eight minutes later as a training ground routine saw Casemiro peel off to the back post, calmly control the ball and then bend a delicious shot into the far corner. Senegal did threaten a response, with Ederson drawn into a save by Ismaila Sarr, while the former Manchester City goalkeeper had a fright at the start of the second period, lingering on the ball to allow substitute Nicolas Jackson to charge down his pass – Iliman Ndiaye really should've scored.

Unable to maintain their punishing pace of the opening 15 minutes, Brazil were increasingly content to sit back, allowing their opponents more than their fair share of the ball. Indeed, the Selecao comfortably saw out the game to end the African nation's 10-game unbeaten run, but not before Arsenal's metronomic centre-back Gabriel hobbled off with what looked to be a groin problem, an injury that will no doubt infuriate Mikel Arteta.

GOAL rates Brazil's players from Emirates Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (6/10):

His first start under Ancelotti. Made a few smart saves but his dithering on the ball almost gave up a goal. Will likely be Alisson's understudy for the World Cup.

Eder Militao (8/10):

Made a crucial block to deny Sadio Mane at the end of the first half. Out of position at right-back, but slotted in alongside Marquinhos after Gabriel's injury. 

Marquinhos (7/10):

Unflappable as always. While other defenders produced more memorable interventions, he was rarely caught out of position. 

Gabriel (7/10):

A typically physical and assured performance until the injury blow ended his evening in the 64th minute. Arsenal fans will be nervous.

Alex Sandro (7/10):

Defended well and provided an outlet in possession. A fine performance from the 34-year-old.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Bruno Guimaraes (8/10):

Twice set up Cunha in the opening moments just for the United man to hit the frame of the goal. Broke forward without eschewing his defensive duties. A complete performance by a complete player.

Casemiro (8/10):

Screened his defenders well, calm in possession and took his goal beautifully.

Estevao (8/10):

Drifted about the pitch to devastating effect, doubling up with Rodrygo and Vini to create overloads. Raced onto the ball and curled a beautiful finish past Mendy. A real superstar in the making.

AFPAttack

Vinicius Jr (7/10):

Denied a certain goal by a last-ditch Koulibaly tackle. As Brazil's tempo dropped, he became less influential but he still ran his socks off. 

Matheus Cunha (6/10):

Will wonder how he came away without a goal. Got himself in good positions but narrowly missed two massive chances in the opening 15 minutes.

Rodrygo (7/10):

Looked like a man that wanted to prove a point to his club manager. Perhaps his lack of starts at Real Madrid was the reason he faded somewhat in the second half. 

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Joao Pedro (5/10):

Came into the game as Brazil lost their urgency. 

Wesley (6/10):

Made one crucial interception from a dangerous cross. 

Lucas Paqueta (N/A):

Entered the game in the 83rd minute. No time to make any real impact.

Luiz Henrique (N/A):

A late introduction, next to no time for him to shine. 

Fabricio Bruno (N/A):

Last-minute sub.

Caio Henrique (N/A):

On for the final knockings.

Carlo Ancelotti (8/10):

Without a doubt the best performance under his management. His side played on the front foot for the first 45 minutes and essentially got the job done, with minimal threat to their goal. 

Australia were on the brink on the fourth morning before Marnus Labuschagne absorbed pressure and paved the way for the lower order

Alex Malcolm29-Dec-2024Nathan Lyon has never heard a bigger roar for runs off his bat. For the first time since midway through day three, the Australian fans drowned out India’s supporters at the MCG.There was a heavy sigh of relief too, it seems. The two through midwicket in the last over of the day pushed Australia’s lead to 329, past the 328 India had chased down at the Gabba four years ago. It brought up an extraordinary half-century stand between Lyon and Scott Boland. Lyon added four more off the last ball of the day to equal his second-highest Test score of 41.Australia will sleep easier tonight than they might have otherwise. One wonders how their batters are sleeping at all due to Jasprit Bumrah, who once again dragged India back into the game with another extraordinary spell of bowling.Related

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Lyon, Boland frustrate India after Bumrah rips through middle-order

Boxing Day Test 2024-25 – a match to remember for the lower order

But Marnus Labuschagne’s 70, and his half-century stand with Pat Cummins, before Lyon and Boland’s sit in, took the wind out of Bumrah and India late in the day.”There was a time there where [the lead] could have been 250, 270, maybe even less there for a bit,” Labuschagne said. “I think we navigated that really well and the lower order deserve a lot of credit for how they managed that last part.”Labuschagne also deserves enormous credit for one of his toughest Test innings. Having been under intense pressure for his place earlier in the series, he produced his second half-century of the match on a surface that was offering more seam and variable bounce on day four than it had done all Test match.He did so by taking India’s biggest threat all on his own after Bumrah had ripped the heart out of Australia’s top and middle-order with some help from Mohammed Siraj, who dismissed Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith playing loose strokes trying to profit while not trying to survive Bumrah.Marnus Labuschagne survived a fiery first session at the MCG•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesHe was nearly unplayable for most of his 24 overs. Bumrah snaked two balls back through the gate to Sam Konstas and Alex Carey to knock back middle stump, having tested them repeatedly with away-swingers in the lead-up.”I’m pretty sure the young guy got under his skin a bit,” Labuschagne said of Bumrah’s reaction to dismissing Konstas. “I’d say that had a bit of fair bit to do with it.”In between, he knocked over Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in the same over as Australia lost 4 for 11 and were on the brink of trying to defend a total well under 250. Head chipped a catch to forward square before a ball from the same length bounced 40 centimetres higher to Marsh, who gloved it behind. Bumrah has bagged them twice each in this Test match for a total of five runs, the lowest-ever by an Australian five-six combination in a Test and Marsh is averaging 10.42 for the series and 8.33 in his Test career against Bumrah.That’s still better than Cummins, who had a career record of 8 for 51 against Bumrah when he walked to the crease. It led to an extraordinary situation of Labuschagne turning down singles to keep Australia’s captain away from Bumrah.”There would have been a lot [said about the fact] we weren’t taking all the ones,” Labuschagne said. “When Pat came out, I said to Sean Abbott, who is the 12th man, I think I should just face Bumrah here, because obviously I’d been batting for maybe 90 balls or something and I had a fair feeling lining him up, and he was hot.”He got three wickets in two overs. I just said to Pat when he came out, what do you think? I’ll just take Bumrah and we can run on the other guys but let’s just make sure that I’m at the non-striker’s end at the end of each over to make sure that if Bumrah bowls it I can just face as many overs as we can. And we kind of stuck to that process.”Pat Cummins helped Australia stretch their lead past the 250-mark•Getty ImagesMuch was made of Labuschagne’s approach to Bumrah in Perth where he barely offered a shot. That approach still had question marks leading into this Test as Nathan McSweeney paid a price for having too similar a style to Labuschagne. Konstas was picked to throw something different at Bumrah which he did so successfully in the first innings.But Labuschagne’s methods have stood up. Only three players in Test cricket have faced more than 300 deliveries from Bumrah and Labuschagne has the highest average of 42 and has only been dismissed twice. Only five players have a higher average against Bumrah overall and Aiden Markram is the only right-hander among them. The only other Australian aside from Labuschagne and Konstas to average more than 26 against Bumrah is Marcus Harris, who was not selected in this series. He averaged 35 against him in 2018-19, but Bumrah had just 28 Test wickets at 25.57 back then, compared to 202 at 19.51 now.Labuschagne’s method works against the master, despite the optics. He was beaten 12 times today but played the line and never once nicked him. It was pure grit and determination as opposed to Konstas’ flight and flash. Labuschagne had luck at the other end, dropped off Akash Deep on 46 playing a flirty late cut that had also brought him undone earlier in the series.He eventually fell lbw to Siraj to a ball that kept low and hit the stumps from a length of 8.1 metres. But his job was done. Cummins made the most runs he’s ever made in a Test match thanks to Labuschagne’s protection and Lyon and Boland added an extra layer of insurance to their fourth-innings defence.

“The way the wicket played and the way India bowled and came out and put us under pressure in that first 40 to 50 overs, that [declaration] wasn’t an option for us, and it became let’s get as many runs as we can”Marnus Labuschagne

There will be questions as to why Australia didn’t declare.”We obviously had the perfect outcome for us and that probably looked like having a bowl tonight and putting them under pressure,” Labuschagne said. “But the way the wicket played and the way India bowled and came out and put us under pressure in that first 40 to 50 overs, that [declaration] wasn’t an option for us, and it became let’s get as many runs as we can.”In the past India’s middle to lower order have been very good. Obviously we want to make sure we get enough runs, but I think we also need to back ourselves and trust that we can bowl India out.”Both Bumrah and the ghosts of the Gabba continue to haunt Australia. But Labuschagne, Cummins, Lyon and Boland found a way to give them a decent night’s rest ahead of an enthralling final day.

Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made several additions to the playing squad during the summer transfer window, and Wilfried Nancy is tasked with getting the best out of them.

The Northern Irish boss made 11 signings to bolster his options across the pitch before he eventually resigned after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts at the end of October.

Nancy has to try to get the best out of those signings in the coming months and years, as many of them have failed to live up to the hype so far this season.

Ranking Celtic's summer signings

Whilst this may say more about the rest of the business done in the summer, Benjamin Nygren has been the club’s best signing of the season, as he is currently Celtic’s top goalscorer in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, with seven goals in 25 games.

Kieran Tierney, who arrived on a free transfer, and Marcelo Saracchi, who joined on loan from Boca Juniors, have also been solid additions in the left-back position, sharing duties in that role.

Callum Osmand joined from Fulham after his contract expired with the English side and scored one goal and won a penalty in three first-team matches before picking up an injury, which suggests that he is an exciting talent to watch out for when he is back fit.

1

Benjamin Nygren

2

Kieran Tierney

3

Callum Osmand

4

Kelechi Iheanacho

5

Marcelo Saracchi

6

Ross Doohan

7

Sebastian Tounekti

8

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

9

Hayato Inamura

10

Shin Yamada

11

Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Ross Doohan, who joined on a free transfer as a third-choice goalkeeper, is the dividing player between poor and good signings in the rankings above, as the most average addition to the squad.

We have Sebastian Tounekti in the lower half of the rankings because he is starting to look like one of the biggest wastes of money since Albian Ajeti.

Why Sebastian Tounekti looks like a waste of money

After creating four chances, completing five dribbles, and scoring one goal in his first two matches, per Sofascore, the Tunisia international looked primed to be a star for the Hoops. Rodgers even claimed that he “excites the crowd”.

Celtic paid £5.2m to sign the forward from Hammarby to make him the most expensive signing of the summer, falling just shy of the £6m mark that would have taken him into the club’s top ten most expensive signings in their history.

Unfortunately, three months later, Tounekti has recorded two goals and zero assists in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has struggled to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Since Celtic paid £5m for Ajeti, who scored just nine goals in 48 games as a striker (Transfermarkt), the Hoops have signed six players for more than £5m: Jota (twice), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Auston Trusty, and Tounekti.

Jota was sold for £25m, before being re-signed, and Idah was sold for £6m after scoring 20 goals in all competitions last season, which shows that they were not complete wastes of money.

Carter-Vickers, of course, has been a long-serving regular starter for the club and Auston Trusty has made 50 appearances, now established as a regular starter, per Transfermarkt.

Engels, signed for £11m from Augsburg, has been fairly effective at the top end of the pitch, per Transfermarkt, with a return of 12 goals and 17 assists in 76 appearances since the start of last season.

This shows that the five other most expensive signings since Ajeti flopped at Parkhead have either been successful signings or had plenty of positives in their time at Celtic, even if it did not work out perfectly.

Tounekti, though, has one goal and no assists in his last 16 appearances for Celtic, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be a regular starter under the new manager, after he was the first player to be substituted in the 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

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For a player signed for £5.2m, he has not delivered enough quality at the top end of the pitch to suggest that he was a worthwhile signing, which is why he currently looks like one of their biggest wastes of money since Ajeti flopped at the club with his nine goals in 48 games.