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Newcastle United were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row last night, as Eddie Howe’s men secured a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

After a drab first half with little to shout about for both sides, Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half strike put the Magpies ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Anthony Gordon’s penalty with just a handful of minutes remaining put the hosts ahead once again, but for the second time in the contest, Cristian Romero managed to find a leveller.

The point takes Howe’s men up a place to 13th in the Premier League, but it could have been a whole lot better had his side managed to hold on for all three points.

Despite numerous positive showings, a handful of the players selected to start the game failed to impress, which could lead to numerous changes ahead of the weekend.

Newcastle’s poor performers against Spurs

For the third game in a row, Joelinton was handed a start at the heart of the Newcastle side, this time partnering Lewis Miley and Sandi Tonali, with the latter coming into the starting eleven.

However, the Brazilian was unable to repay the faith shown in him by the manager, with such a showing one to forget for the Magpies’ number seven on Tyneside.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but only managed to come out on top in just 27% of the duels he entered, whilst being dribbled past on three occasions.

Joelinton wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver at St James’, with winger Jacob Murphy also struggling to provide his usual impact off the right-hand side of the attack.

The Englishman was largely unable to deliver in the final third, as seen by his measly tally of just three crosses completed, doing so at an accuracy rate of just 30%.

He also only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles and completed just 16 passes before being substituted for Anthony Elanga with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Spurs

Home games against Spurs have often been a formality for Newcastle, as seen by the club’s recent record against the Lilywhites over the past couple of seasons.

Howe’s men had won four in a row against the North London outfit at St James’, but his men were unable to add to such a record during their lacklustre showing last night.

The inability to secure all three points was no doubt down to the disappointing showings from numerous players, with the aforementioned duo just two of the stars who failed to deliver.

However, they weren’t alone in struggling to match the expectations of the supporters, with winger Harvey Barnes unable to replicate his recent showings in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has now started four league games in a row, with his two-goal game against Manchester City undoubtedly keeping his place in the starting eleven.

He’s now failed to score in each of the last two outings, including against Spurs, with winger Gordon now deserving of a start after his goal off the bench.

However, Barnes’ performance before his teammate’s arrival onto the pitch was certainly below par, which will no doubt contribute to the manager’s thinking.

The winger featured for 66 minutes on Tyneside last night, but could only muster 30 touches of the ball and made just ten passes, six fewer than Aaron Ramsdale, as he struggled to make the desired impact on proceedings.

He also only managed to complete one of his attempted dribbles and one of his crosses, which further highlights his struggles within the final third of the pitch.

Harvey Barnes – stats against Spurs
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	66
Touches	30
Shots taken	2
Dribbles completed	1
Crosses completed	1
Possession lost	12x
Duels lost	75%
Passes into final third	2
Stats via FotMob

Barnes massively struggled to find any of his teammates during the draw, as seen by his tally of 12 times possession lost – ultimately being wasteful when in possession.

The attacker was just as poor without the ball, often being dominated by the opposition, subsequently losing 75% of the ground duels he entered against Thomas Frank’s side.

As a result of his performance, Barnes was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by The Express journalist Lee Ryder – further showcasing his struggles against Spurs.

After such a showing, Howe will no doubt want to shuffle his pack on Saturday against Burnley to attempt to get their recent winning run in the Premier League back on track.

Gordon will no doubt be chomping at the bit after his goal, which could result in his compatriot being dropped after his recent flurry of starts in the North East.

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Prior to the international break Liverpool suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Considering Pep Guardiola’s side are perennial title challengers, you can excuse that blemish on Arne Slot’s copybook.

However, as the Reds welcomed lowly Nottingham Forest to Anfield on Saturday, it was a wonderful opportunity to build some momentum and find some form ahead of a kinder run of fixtures.

How disastrous it has started. Slot’s job was brought under further scrutiny as his men were downed 3-0 in front of their own fans. Gulp, this was not what Liverpool needed.

Across their last 11 games, they have only won three games. This is certainly not the team that won the Premier League at a canter last term.

At the centre of their issues has been Ibrahima Konate.

Konate's performance vs Nottingham Forest

Last season, Trent Alexander-Arnold didn’t quite throw in the towel but his performances were abject as he pursued a move to Real Madrid.

This season, the same thing appears to be playing a factor in the performances of Konate who looks a shadow of his former self.

The Frenchman has been error-ridden this season and his display against Forest summed everything up.

Analyst Raj Chohan took to social media to exclaim that “every time he makes one error, he makes multiple.”

He was notably at fault for the controversial moment that Igor Jesus was involved in when his goal was disallowed for handball.

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The Brazilian completely caught out Liverpool’s underperforming centre-back as he threw himself to the floor and was fortunate that it was ruled out.

So poor was Konate’s display that he was dragged off on 55 minutes soon after Liverpool went 2-0 down. He left the pitch with a wry smile, hardly the attitude you want from someone who’s been linked with a move away so regularly, and to Madrid of all places too.

He was handed a 3/10 match rating by GOAL but didn’t leave the pitch as their worst performer.

Liverpool’s worst performer against Nottingham Forest

While Liverpool’s defence will come under the microscope of scrutiny for their failings against Sean Dyche’s men, their forward line is also not pulling up any trees either.

For a side that spent over £200m on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, far far more should be expected.

Wirtz did not start the game at Anfield on Saturday but Isak did. Fans, however, must be wishing he hadn’t.

Signed in a British record £125m deal over the summer, it has been a wretched first few months in Liverpool red for the Swede.

He has played nine times now and only has one goal, a strike in the Carabao Cup, to show for his efforts.

Since then, Isak has failed to score. He’s without a goal in five league games and all four of his Premier League starts have ended in defeat.

The nadir of his Anfield career so far came this weekend when he was anonymous against Forest. GOAL handed the striker a dismal 2/10 rating, writing that he ‘hardly had a kick’ and ‘wasn’t even close to breaking his duck here’.

As a result, he was subbed off for Federico Chiesa after 68 minutes and simply cannot be in the starting lineup for their Champions League clash in midweek.

Isak vs Forest

Minutes played

68

Touches

14

Accurate passes

5/7 (71%)

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0

Shots

1

Shots on target

0

Ground duels won

0

Aerial duels won

0

Stats via Sofascore.

While Hugo Ekitike has barely been in good form himself, Liverpool’s best displays in 2025/26 have come with their fellow summer signing in the team.

Isak’s display this time around was so anonymous that he had just 14 touches of the football. In the process, he gave possession away seven times. For every two touches of the ball, he was squandering possession.

Usually so technically secure and comfortable in possession, it’s a huge worry that he can’t even get himself into the action.

To compound the striker’s woes, he lost every single one of his duels and managed just one shot which wasn’t even on target.

For any new signing to be in such a desperate rut would be a concern, but when he’s the most expensive player in Premier League history, it only heightens the issue. He is paying the price for a lack of pre-season and it’s desperately hurting Liverpool’s season.

Perhaps they should have stuck with Ekitike after all.

Jurgen Klopp has already delivered his verdict on completing a return to Liverpool, who endured yet another disastrous afternoon in the Premier League as Nottingham Forest secured a dominant victory.

It’s hard to believe that the Reds were Premier League champions in May, and impressive ones at that. Arne Slot arrived and quickly conquered to shock the rest of English football. It looked like Michael Edwards had performed another act of recruitment genius, but now uncomfortable questions are beginning to emerge.

Liverpool have lost five of their last eight games and now sit in the bottom-half after 12 league games, all but ending their title defence before January has even arrived. After breaking their transfer record twice to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, it is a run of form that no one saw coming.

It’s now up to Slot to prove his credentials in a crisis. Victory over Real Madrid and Aston Villa proved that there is still plenty of quality in this Liverpool side, it’s just a question of when that quality will be on show.

Just how long Slot will have to turn things around is also a big question. Liverpool have never rushed managerial decisions and Slot has much more credit in the bank than others have done in the past, but the current run of results needs to end – especially if they come at Anfield.

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With the pressure building, Liverpool are set to play host to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. Defeat there would certainly do further damage to the credit that Slot banked last season and perhaps send a timely reminder about Klopp’s answer about if he’d ever make a shock return.

Klopp's seven-word answer when asked if he was returning to Liverpool

Just before leaving the club, Klopp was asked if he’d ever make a return to the Anfield dugout if Liverpool needed him.

At the time and certainly for the entirety of last season, it was simply a throw-away answer and one that looked unlikely to rear its head again. Now, however, those at Anfield could do with their iconic manager’s energy more than ever.

They won’t and shouldn’t panic about Slot’s current run, but Liverpool should ensure that the Dutchman channels his very own version of Klopp. When Klopp’s sides were up against it, he had that unique ability to pull off what many still deem miracles to this day. He turned doubters to believers to champions. Slot must now remind his very own champions just who they are in similar fashion.

Meanwhile, if the manager’s run continues then Edwards could yet turn back towards one of the best managers in the club’s history for a stunning second stint.

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Salman made a 36-ball 53 not out before Rauf’s four-wicket haul, including a double-wicket maiden, sealed Afghanistan’s fate

Danyal Rasool29-Aug-2025An unbeaten half-century from captain Salman Agha and disciplined bowling from their quartet took Pakistan to a 39-run victory in the first game of the T20I tri-series against Afghanistan. After batting first on a surface curiously supportive of quick runs in Sharjah, Pakistan flew out of the blocks before Rashid Khan dragged them back after the powerplay.But their gameplan encourages attack right through the innings, and equipped with a deep batting line-up, Pakistan had the ammunition to keep going hard till the end. It was best summed up by their Nos. 6, 7 and 8 – Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris and Faheem Ashraf – who combined to score 50 runs in 29 balls.Afghanistan’s pursuit combined purpose with craft, tempering their strokeplay in favour of faithfully tailgating the required rate. Rahmanullah Gurbaz had the license to take advantage of the powerplay, but with Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal more cautious, it was clear Afghanistan were trusting their lower order to make up if they fell behind.It worked nicely until the 11th over, but that plan was blown to shreds with a double-wicket maiden from Haris Rauf in the 12th over, which triggered an Afghanistan capitulation. They lost five wickets for four runs in 16 balls, and though Rashid gave his side fleeting hope with a delightfully entertaining 16-ball 39, Afghanistan had drifted far out of the game by then to swim their way back into it.

Farhan’s start gives Pakistan early ground

Afghanistan had the better of all Pakistan batters in the powerplay bar one, and that was the one who counted. Sahibzada Farhan had made up his mind to take on Fazalhaq Farooqi straight from the outset, and intent crystallised into action when he drove him back over his head off the game’s fourth ball. A four followed that six, before Azmatullah Omarzai was greeted with another piledriver over midwicket.Azmatullah Omarzai cut a free-slowing Sahibzada Farhan’s innings short•Emirates Cricket Board

He was gone by the 15th ball of the game, though, when Omarzai strangled him down leg to short fine, but there had been time enough to smash his way to 21 off ten balls. Afghanistan’s spinners applied the squeeze effectively for the next eight overs as Pakistan kept losing wickets and scored just 51 in that period, but the buffer Farhan had provided his side meant they hadn’t lost too much ground before the picked up the pace again.

Captain takes on captain

Rashid is arguably the best T20I bowler in the world, while Salman is inarguably not the best T20I batter. However, in this battle of captains, it was the less fancied skipper who landed all the telling blows. Having dispatched a couple of boundaries off Fareed Ahmad in the previous over, he took on Afghanistan’s talisman, slapping a couple of on-side sixes in an over that leaked 17.Mohammad Nawaz, watching from the other end, joined the action when Omarzai returned, taking his captain’s lead and slapping a couple of sixes in that 15th over.Salman continued, and though that kind of explosiveness wasn’t ever-present, he still finished with an unbeaten 53 off 36; Pakistan scored 99 in the final nine overs, and it had all begun with Salman’s unlikely takedown of the Afghan superstar.Haris Rauf’s double-wicket maiden turned it in Pakistan’s favour•AFP/Getty Images

Rauf’s double-wicket maiden crushes Afghanistan

Well-managed chases are not Afghanistan’s renowned strength, but you could have been fooled for thinking otherwise halfway through their innings. Atal and Darwish Rasooli had struck up a menacing partnership, and Rashid’s side were nicely placed at 93 for 2 with nine overs in which to launch their onslaught.Until Rauf returned to the attack. A couple of furious hard -ength deliveries that flirted with the 150kph mark elicited no runs, and as the pressure built, Atal grew desperate. He lashed out at a slower ball only to find Shaheen Shah Afridi at deep third. Karim Janat failed to get bat on ball on the first two deliveries and then smeared one to deep square-leg, bringing down the curtain on a double-wicket maiden.Afghanistan imploded over the next few minutes. Sufiyan Muqeem removed Rasooli the following delivery, and Mohammad Nabi in his next over. Mohammad Nawaz accounted for Omarzai as he charged down the pitch leaving Haris with a straightforward stumping.From the 12th to the 16th over, Afghanistan scored a mere 6 runs in 24 balls and lost five wickets. It left Rashid’s ensuing onslaught as light entertainment in an already lost cause.

Certain pundits and fanbases might be trying to hold their set-piece dominance against them, but it’s currently an excellent time to be an Arsenal fan.

Mikel Arteta’s side are undefeated in the Champions League, flying high at the top of the Premier League, and look like the best defensive side in world football.

Yet, the Gunners cannot rest on their laurels as their next opponent is the always dangerous Brighton & Hove Albion in the Fourth Round of the League Cup.

With that said, Arteta will need to make some changes to his team for the game, including dropping the talismanic Bukayo Saka.

Why Arteta should drop Saka

Now, there is undoubtedly an argument to be made that Arteta should keep Saka in the team for Wednesday’s game in a bid to help him build up more match fitness and momentum.

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However, such an argument loses a lot of weight when you consider that the Gunners’ next three games are against Burnley, Slavia Prague and Sunderland.

In other words, while those won’t be easy matches, they should be that bit more straightforward than a clash with the Seagulls and, in turn, even better opportunities for the 24-year-old to find some rhythm.

Moreover, and this interlinks with the main reason the manager should be dropping the Hale Ender: they are far more important games.

Following the last three years of almost getting there, it is far more important for Arsenal to win the Premier League or the Champions League; therefore, they need to play their best players in those competitions, not risk injury in lesser competitions.

25/26

26 days

6

24/25

122 days

25

23/24

36 days

10

21/22

6 days

1

20/21

13 days

2

19/20

13 days

0

Were this a couple of years ago, then perhaps it would be fine to play the Hale Ender in all four games.

Still, after he missed almost four months of action with a hamstring problem last season, and has already missed a month of action this year with another, it would be unwise to do so today.

Furthermore, with Noni Madueke and now Gabriel Martinelli out of action, risking the Ealing-born gem feels like it would be even more foolish than usual.

Finally, Arteta can happily rest Saka for the game against Brighton because, even with the other injuries, there is one player who could step in.

The Arsenal player Arteta must start over Saka

With Madueke and Martinelli out, the player who should and probably will come in for Saka against Brighton is Ethan Nwaneri.

The Hale End gem might be seen more as a central player in the long term, but last year proved he is more than capable of filling in for Saka on the right.

For example, in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes, the “phenomenal” game-changer, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, managed to score nine goals and provide two assists.

That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which is a rate of return many seasoned professionals can’t even match.

Moreover, the manager knows he can deal with the Seagulls, as the Enfield-born gem scored a brilliant goal at the Amex in the league last season.

Additionally, it’s not like he was just lucky last season, as the 18-year-old’s underlying numbers were just as impressive as his output.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league last season for successful take-ons, the top 6% for take-ons attempted and carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses, the top 9% for non-penalty goals and more, all per 90.

Goals – xG

+0.28

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.28

Top 1%

Successful Take-Ons

3.72

Top 2%

Successful Take-On %

59.7%

Top 2%

Take-Ons Attempted

6.23

Top 6%

Total Carrying Distance

286.79

Top 6%

Crosses

5.43

Top 8%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.40

Top 9%

Crosses into Penalty Area

0.60

Top 9%

Touches (Att 3rd)

34.09

Top 9%

Progressive Passes Rec

11.36

Top 11%

Progressive Carrying Distance

133.64

Top 11%

Goals

0.40

Top 12%

Goals/Shot

0.17

Top 12%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.44

Top 12%

Passes Completed (Short)

21.72

Top 12%

Carries

36.70

Top 12%

Finally, regardless of the rest of the team, the manager should be looking to start the teenager in this game, as he needs more minutes to keep him content with his squad role at present.

Ultimately, Arteta should drop Saka for the game against Brighton and start the incredibly exciting Nwaneri in his place.

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Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry has become the latest pundit to weigh in on Mohamed Salah's remarks after being left on the Liverpool bench for the 3-3 draw against Leeds United. Salah accused the club of throwing him "under the bus" and was subsequently left out of Arne Slot's squad for the 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Salah left out of Liverpool squad for Inter win

In the wake of his outburst, Salah was omitted from Slot's squad for the trip to Inter on Tuesday night. The Reds managed to put the drama to one side and delivered a crucial win for their under-pressure manager, claiming a 1-0 victory thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai's late penalty which was awarded after Alessandro Bastoni pulled Florian Wirtz's shirt in the penalty area. The Egyptian's absence was still a major talking point in the aftermath of the victory, with Slot indicating he needs the legendary forward to make the first move and show some contrition before he can be reintegrated into the matchday squad. Captain Virgil van Dijk struck a similar tone, indicating he will talk to Salah ahead of Saturday's clash with Brighton, which would be the last chance Liverpool fans get to see the 33-year-old in action before he leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHenry insists Salah criticism was 'wrong'

Henry is widely regarded as one of the Premier League's greatest ever players, having won the league title twice during his time at Arsenal. He has since held managerial positions with Monaco, the Montreal Impact and France's Under-21s side and their team for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The former striker also enjoyed assistant roles with Belgium and has now entered the discourse surrounding Salah, insisting the forward should have known his position would be under threat following a series of below-par performances in comparison to his incredible showings in 2024-25.

Henry told CBS Sports: "You need to protect your team at all costs, all the time. I can understand you want to speak. I can understand the frustration. I don't [understand] the how and the when. That doesn't make sense to me. That was wrong and when people talk about relationships, the only relationship a coach wants to have with a player is for him to perform. 

"If you're not performing, then your position is in danger. It's not [your] due to have a position, especially at a club like Liverpool…It has nothing to do, again, with what he has achieved. I repeat – I love Mo Salah. I love what he has done in the game. That's a different topic. There, that's not how you go about stuff."

Pundits continue Salah criticism

Henry is the latest pundit to give his take on the controversial situation currently engulfing Salah. He was labelled a "disgrace" by Jamie Carragher in the immediate aftermath, being criticised for causing "maximum damage" with the timing of his remarks. The former Reds defender then took another pop at the former Roma star after Salah posted a selfie of himself training in Liverpool's gym alone, having been left at home as the rest of the squad jetted across Europe to Italy.

Danny Murphy also wasn't too happy with Salah's antics, insisting the claim he was "thrown under the bus" after another starting XI omission "doesn't stack up". Michael Owen was similarly unimpressed, insisting the star forward should have "bitten his lip" instead of going to the media with his complaints.

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Salah and Liverpool?

The next few days will be critical in whether Salah is brought back into the squad for the game against Brighton on Saturday. It seems Slot is keen for Salah to apologise first but he has been open to welcoming Salah back into the squad, though whether that happens before he leaves for the AFCON remains to be seen. Right now, it's unlikely that he will be gifted a starting XI place barely a week after his outburst, but a position on the bench could give the attacker the opportunity to wave goodbye – either temporarily or permanently – before he leaves for international duty.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo still justifies his place in the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, highlighting not only his recent goalscoring form at international level but also the "hunger" that drives the 40-year-old five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Ronaldo is set to play at his sixth World Cup tournament, which is likely to be his last.

Ronaldo's record is 'incredible'

Appearing as a guest analyst on , Martinez spoke at length about Ronaldo and why he remains an important asset for Portugal, even at an age when most players are long retired.He will be 41 by the time the World Cup comes around and has a contract with Al-Nassr that runs until after his 42nd birthday in 2027.

"Obviously, everybody has an opinion [on Ronaldo]," Martinez said. "What I've been seeing is that, when we win and Cristiano scores the goal or two goals, the question in the press is, 'What are you going to do when Cristiano is not there? The team depends on Cristiano too much.' When Cristiano doesn't score, it's 'How are you going to win when you've got a 40-year-old in the team?'

"For us, it's easier than that. He plays because he's scored 25 goals in the last 30 games. His record is incredible. When he walks into the training camp, he's an example of professionalism, looking after himself, and using every day to become better. Then it's that pride of playing for the national team. He's the only [male] player in the world, in history, to play 227 [international] games.

"There are aspects that go down to the behaviour now. Nobody has anything given in international football. Every player has got an incredible competitive edge and what Cristiano brings alongside goalscoring – he's changed as a player, he's not the 18, 19-year-old winger that we saw – is his attitude and hungry feeling for the national team. So, while he has that, he's an incredible source of contagious positivity in the dressing room."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRonaldo has the 'biggest hunger' of any player

After everything he's achieved in his career, Martinez noted that Ronaldo is still determined to get better. His physical body is serving him well and it’s only his mindset that will change that.

"He's become a specialist in the box as a finisher, and it's this desire to carry on improving," the Portugal boss continued. "I always believed that the body retires the player. When I've seen Cristiano work, I'm convinced it's the brain that retires the footballer. His body follows his focus and mindset.

"He doesn't do it for anybody [else], he does it for himself. When we're analysing players, we can speak about any aspect, [but] we never analyse the hunger. He's got the biggest hunger that I've seen in a player. Normally a player wins a trophy and there is not the same hunger the next day in their way of working. He has that. I don't know if it's natural or something he works hard at, but he's got that hungriness not to let himself down.

"I don't think he needs to show anything. I think he's got to a point now that he plays for himself and the people he loves because he doesn't need to prove anybody wrong. What he's achieved already is enough to leave a legacy."

Ronaldo's recent lack of tournament goals

But even with Ronaldo continuing to score goals for Portugal at a prolific rate, including in the summer's UEFA Nations League final against Spain, his record in major international tournaments has been surprisingly poor by his overall career standard.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has only found the net eight times across his five previous World Cups, spanning 22 appearances. His European Championship record is better, 14 goals in 30 games, but it's still only 22 goals in more than 50 tournament games for a player who holds the world record for goals in men's international football.

Ronaldo found the net only once at the 2022 World Cup and was actually dropped from the starting XI by ex-Portugal coach Fernando Santos after the group stage. At Euro 2024, it was no goals at all.

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AFPRonaldo's exemplary fitness record

Ronaldo has never missed an international tournament because of injury, nor has he ever suffered any kind of significant absence during 23 years as a professional player – it's a major factor why he's been able to play more than 1,000 career games for club and country.

Keeping himself fit over the next six months, whilst also aiming to win a first piece of major silverware at club level since leaving Juventus in 2021, is going to be crucial.

Tottenham are reportedly looking at signing a new centre-forward ahead of the January transfer window, which opens in just over a month’s time.

It’s been a promising start to the season for new manager Thomas Frank on paper, with his new-look Spurs side remaining undefeated in the Champions League and fifth in the Premier League table. However, it is worth nothing that a few of their on-field performances have left a lot to be desired so far.

The north Londoners were booed off following an abject 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea in the London derby recently, finishing the 90 minutes with just one shot on target all game as Frank’s side continued their atrocious home form.

Spurs have won just three of their last 20 Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Frank’s only top flight victory on home turf remains that 3-1 win at home to league newcomers Burnley on the opening weekend.

The Dane has attracted some criticism over Tottenham’s ‘one-dimensional’ style and serious lack of creativity in open play, but he hasn’t been helped by a plethora of injuries to key attacking players.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Playmaker James Maddison will miss practically all the 2025/2026 season after rupturing his ACL in pre-season, while last season’s second top scorer and club-record signing, Dominic Solanke, continues his slow recovery from what was a ‘minor’ ankle problem.

Solanke is apparently ‘unlikely’ to return for this weekend’s pivotal North London derby as well, leaving Frank to once again call on either the out-of-form Richarlison or Mathys Tel to lead the line.

Reports suggest that Frank views Richarlison and Solanke as ‘expendable’ members of his Spurs squad, and Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport believes that Tel is ‘unhappy’ at Tottenham with a potential loan move to Roma on the cards in January.

These claims will fuel other reports that Tottenham are prioritising the signing of another centre-forward.

Former Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who’s been in red-hot form for Al-Ahli since his 2024 move to the Middle East, is believed to be on both Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange’s radar ahead of January.

Tottenham hold 'preliminary talks' to sign Ivan Toney

While the England international outcast has bagged 41 goals in 59 appearances for the Saudi Pro League side, he’s largely been excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad, bar the one call-up earlier this year.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, it is believed that Toney could instigate a return home to increase his chances of returning to the England fold.

According to TEAMtalk, the 29-year-old has already informed Al-Ahli of his desire to leave in January, and Spurs have taken the lead in the race for his signature.

Frank views him as the ‘clinical’ striker that Spurs need to propel them towards major silverware, with Tottenham holding ‘preliminary talks’ over signing Toney, who’s also willing to take a seismic 50 per cent pay cut on his rumoured £427,000-per-week wages to make a move happen.

Appearances

59

Goals

41

Assists

8

Bookings

7

Red cards

0

Minutes played

4,796

Toney bagged 20 Premier League goals in his best season at Brentford under Frank, with the tactician labelling him England’s second-best striker behind Harry Kane at the time.

Other reports claim that Al-Ahli value him at around £30 million for a permanent deal and Toney has already ‘directly’ spoken to Frank about a move to Tottenham.

However, a loan deal may be more feasible due to complications surrounding what would be a very large tax bill if Toney comes back to England permanently so soon after arriving in the Gulf.

Martin O’Neill’s future as Celtic’s interim manager remains unknown for the time being, but a new update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The 4-2-3-1-playing O’Neill has enjoyed a successful return to Parkhead, winning three of his four matches in temporary charge of the Hoops.

The 73-year-old remains as popular as ever among the Celtic supporters, while Ian Wright has recently heaped praise on the job he is doing at the Scottish Premiership champions, calling him “amazing”, and Paul Scholes has lauded the “unbelievable energy” that he has.

It has recently been claimed that O’Neill’s time in charge of the Hoops could come to an end during the current international break, however, with the Scottish giants seeing Wilfried Nancy and Kjetil Knutsen as the front-runners to come in.

There are some Celtic fans who would like the idea of him staying on, though, given his history with the club and the results he has masterminded since returning, and now a new update has emerged over his future.

Dermot Desmond set for Martin O'Neill talks this week

According to a new claim from Sky Sports, Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is set to hold “discussions” with O’Neill this week, although it isn’t specified whether it is to do with staying on until the end of the season or bringing someone else in.

That said, the report states that the Hoops are “pleased with the way O’Neill has galvanised the squad and lifted the mood at Celtic Park”, which can only be a good thing for him.

As is always the case with a manager, opinion is sure to be split over O’Neill’s future, with some feeling that he is the right man for the job until next summer, and others perhaps thinking a younger and more long-term option is required right now.

The Northern Irishman has even admitted himself that the demands are tough on a 73-year-old, perhaps showing that he may not have it in him to take the Hoops job on a permanent basis.

“Do you know, that is a genuinely good point, so I’m going to be serious here. I really don’t know. It’s a young man’s game, and I’m almost talking myself out of this here, but it’s been tough, you know. All the things that I kind of thought I knew about it have come to sort of fruition.”

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It still feels more likely that O’Neill will be moved on, with a younger alternative coming in soon, but he has a good relationship with Desmond, which can’t be a bad thing, and there would be clear positives to him staying on if he is keen to.

Shock Celtic manager frontrunner receives backing from Parkhead higher-up

Pant was the main attraction on Tuesday before Kohli hit the nets on Wednesday afternoon

Tristan Lavalette13-Nov-20242:06

Straight Talk: Will the lack of warm-up matches cost India?

While the shiny 60,000-seat Optus Stadium, the site of the series-opener in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, takes centre stage in Perth these days, the WACA ground – that old warhorse located on the opposite bank of the Swan River – remains the spiritual home of Western Australian cricket.Walk along Braithwaite Street in East Perth and you pass the famed WACA nets where there is the familiar sight of cricketers – ranging from state to junior players – going through the paces.But on Tuesday it was rather an eyesore, with the nets completely covered by black shade cloth that snaked around near a construction site amid the ground’s major redevelopment, which is expected to be completed before next season.Related

Fast and furious: A spicy pitch awaits India in Perth

India shelve intra-squad match in favour of training, centre-wicket

It was day one of India’s tour of Australia and the secrecy was reminiscent of their last visit to Perth during the 2022 T20 World Cup when a similar effort to thwart prying eyes took place. On that occasion, however, India did play two matches against a WA XI side that attracted near capacity crowds with the entry fee donated to the WA Cricket Foundation.This time around India have opted for total privacy, though the BCCI clarified* that no instruction was given by the team to the WACA stadium authorities or the media that Wednesday’s training would be behind closed doors.As ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier in the month, India opted to scrap a three-day intra-squad game – which would have been played behind closed doors – at the WACA from November 15 to 17 and instead the squad will train during those three days.It was unclear exactly what their training plans are this week, but India decided to get to work quickly having had staggered arrivals into Perth at the weekend. After the WACA ground staff spent Tuesday morning getting the nets into shape, India arrived in the early afternoon to a quiet reception with only a sprinkling of fans greeting them off the team bus.The WACA was in a state of “lockdown”, as splashed around the media, although perhaps slightly alarmist as its front gates were open and staff strolled in and out. But staff – with the ground doubling as WA Cricket’s headquarters – and construction workers have been told not to film or take photos of the training sessions.India have been training behind a black cloth at the WACA in Perth•Tristan LavaletteWhile the massive tarp obscured most of the public view, there were several vantage points along Nelson Crescent – right behind the batters in the nets. The secret training session suddenly became a free for all although onlookers had to take turns standing along a retaining wall with limited space.India’s net session lasted a few hours on Tuesday, but experienced players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin were not present. Among those in the nets were Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. They faced around six deliveries at a time and spent about an hour in total in the nets.With fast and bouncy conditions expected at Optus Stadium, the WACA nets are hoped to acclimatise India’s batters. Several local Perth club quicks, undoubtedly selected for their pace, unleashed hostile bowling with a back of a length seemingly encouraged. But bouncers were rare.Jaiswal was intent on aggression and one of his mighty blows cleared the nets and sailed onto Braithwaite Street which at that time of day is usually teeming with cars and students around the nearby school. Fortunately, the street was momentarily quiet as a keen fan scurried to pocket a memento. Pant was in fluent touch but did cop a blow to his body, while another fierce delivery also hit his bat flush and flew out of his hands. He glanced at the onlookers, some of whom giggled, and sported a wry smile.With Kohli not around on Tuesday, Pant became the main attraction although perhaps in an indication of cricket’s standing in an Australian-rules-football-obsessed city, many locals didn’t seem to know who he was.”Do you know which one is Pant?” an exasperated photographer asked me. “I thought I’ve been shooting him, but it’s actually Jaiswal!”

Virat Kohli has started his Test preparations. He’s in the nets along with India’s other senior players.

Kohli is looking sharp against some short of a length quick bowling pic.twitter.com/JcTTpza7Ga

— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette) November 13, 2024