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History is against West Indies – they last won a Test in NZ in 1995 – and they have more questions than answers when it comes to their playing XI

Deivarayan Muthu01-Dec-2025

Big picture – all eyes on Kane Williamson

The Christchurch Test against West Indies will mark the start of New Zealand’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle and Kane Williamson’s return to Test cricket.Williamson’s previous Test was in December last year, and quite a lot has happened since.He has tapered back his international commitments, playing more games for others during this period. He has also retired from T20Is, and the entire cricketing landscape seems to be changing in New Zealand as well, with plans being developed for a T20 league in the country in 2027.After the three-match Test series against West Indies, New Zealand fans may have to wait until late 2026 to watch Williamson in Test action at home again (if he continues to play on). This is a rare chance for them, then, as speculation around his international future grows.Related

• Zak Foulkes gears up for 'really special' homecoming at Hagley Oval

• Roach, Hodge recalled to WI squad for NZ Tests

• Williamson returns for WI Tests; Jamieson held back

While New Zealand have won 11 ODI series in a row at home, their recent home Test record isn’t as formidable. They have won just two of their last seven home series, with one of those coming against a second-string South Africa side. A number of New Zealand players are currently injured – or working their way back from injuries – but despite that, they will start as favourites because West Indies have bigger problems to deal with.Both the Josephs – Alzarri and Shamar – are nursing injuries, and West Indies have sent an SOS to Kemar Roach, who hasn’t played Test cricket since January. They have also called up Ojay Shields, a former high-school PE teacher. While Jayden Seales is available for this Test series, before joining the ILT20 in the UAE, there are serious concerns around West Indies’ depth, or lack of it.John Campbell and Shai Hope offered a sliver of hope with the bat in decent batting conditions against India in Delhi, but can they do the job on potentially green pitches in New Zealand? Who should be their No. 3, Alick Athanaze or Brandon King? Can West Indies relieve Hope of wicketkeeping duties, trust Tevin Imlach, and find the right balance? Johann Layne or Anderson Phillip? The visitors find themselves with more questions than answers.History is also against West Indies: the last time they won a Test in New Zealand was way back in 1995.An on-song Jayden Seales can single-handedly carve up batting line-ups with his swing, bounce and control•AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

New Zealand: WWWLL
West Indies: LLLLL

In the spotlight: Tom Latham and Jayden Seales

Since leading New Zealand to a historic 3-0 sweep of India in India in November last year, Tom Latham has endured a difficult time. He oversaw New Zealand’s 2-1 defeat to England at home last December and then missed the Zimbabwe Test series with injury. His last Test hundred came in December 2022, but he has some recent form on his side, having compiled a half-century for Canterbury in the second round of the Plunket Shield. Prior to that, Latham had hit two fifties in three innings in the one-day Ford Trophy, which had kicked off New Zealand’s domestic seasonJayden Seales barely found support at the other end in India, and could face a similar scenario in New Zealand. But an on-song Seales can single-handedly carve up batting line-ups with his swing, bounce and control. His battle against Williamson is one to watch out for – the two have never faced each other in international cricket before.Against West Indies, New Zealand will have to choose between Devon Conway and Will Young•Zimbabwe Cricket

Team news: Devon Conway or Will Young?

With Williamson back, New Zealand will have to choose between Devon Conway and Will Young. On the bowling front, they might also have to choose between Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner. Local boy Zak Foulkes addressed the media on the eve of the game, which was perhaps a hint that he may play. Daryl Mitchell, one of the mainstays of the batting line-up, has recovered from a groin injury that had kept him out of the last two ODIs against West Indies.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway/Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner/Michael Bracewell, 8 Zak Foulkes, 9 Nathan Smith, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob Duffy/Blair TicknerWest Indies’ team management had suggested they had picked Alick Athanaze in India for his ability to counter spin. In seam-friendly New Zealand, they might consider bringing back Brandon King, who is proficient against pace, and leaving out left-arm fingerspinner Jomel Warrican for an extra seamer. It remains to be seen if Jamaican fast bowler Shields gets a debut at 29. Captain Roston Chase could pitch in with his offspin when the quicks need a break.West Indies (probable): 1 John Campbell, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze/Brandon King, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Roston Chase (capt), 7 Tevin Imlach (wk), 8 Justin Greaves, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Johann Layne/Anderson Phillip/Ojay ShieldsNew Zealand have beaten West Indies in their last five Tests•Associated Press

Pitch and conditions

The conditions at Hagley Oval aid swing, though New Zealand surfaces are often misleading with the grass at the toss rarely lasting much beyond the first session. The weather is likely to be clear on the first day, but some showers have been forecast for the second in Christchurch.

Stats and trivia

• Matt Henry has a good Test record at his domestic home ground: 36 wickets in seven games at an average of 23.91, including two five-fors.
• Since his debut in November 2022, Tagenarine Chanderpaul has faced 1564 balls in Test cricket. Only Kraigg Brathwaite (2376) has faced more balls than Chanderpaul for West Indies during this period.
• New Zealand have beaten West Indies in their last five Tests, including three innings wins at home.

Quotes

“It’s the purest form of the game, really, and it’s the first Test series for me at home, and I’m really excited. In December, the Test cricket arena is always the best time of the year, and [this is] certainly a format this team prides itself on playing well.”
“Any bowler will want to come in these conditions and bowl because it’s not too hot. So when it’s nice and cool, the fast bowlers like to bowl very long. The ball is bouncing and seaming around, so the guys are very happy about that and ready to bowl.”

Lionel Messi is one step closer to lifting his first MLS Cup after scoring once and assisting three to power Inter Miami past FC Cincinnati in a dominant 4-0 win that booked their place in the Eastern Conference finals. The Argentine was outstanding throughout, while Tadeo Allende added a brace as Miami snapped a three-year winless run at TQL Stadium.

Miami had less of the ball in the early goings, but were far more clinical with it. They scored from their first real chance. Messi, of course, was the one to finish. But there was some delightful interplay in between, with Mateo Silvetti pinging in the cross for his fellow Argentine to head home. Cincinnati responded with some attacking ideas of their own. Evander – who rather flailed in and out of the game – fired over. Kevin Denkey created chaos. But they couldn't muster an equalizer before the break. 

The second half was all Miami. They added a second after 57 minutes. This time, Messi played provider, pivoting and feeding Silvetti, who curled his shot into the far corner. The third came before Cincinnati could blink. Messi was at the center of it all once again. He won the ball deep in his own half, took three touches, and fed an inch-perfect ball into the feet of  Allende, who slotted home. Allende bagged a fourth after 75 minutes to put the game to bed for good. 

There was even time for a Luis Suárez cameo as he came on in the 76th minute. The Uruguayan star started on the bench in favor of Silvetti – the only real point of drama on the night. Whether he works his way back into the XI remains to be seen, but that’s a question for another day. For now, Miami look as strong as they have all season, breezing into the conference finals – a match in which they will surely be favored.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from TQL Stadium…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Rocco Rios Novo (7/10):

  Barely had anything to do, other than one or two simple saves. Will take the clean sheet. 

  Marceo Weigandt (7/10):

  A solid run out on the right. Didn't have loads to do, but went about his business well.

  Maxi Falcon (7/10):

  Chaotic at all times, yet was remarkably effective in his efforts. 

  Noah Allen (8/10):

  One wonderful burst of pace prevented Denkey a dangerous one-on-one. Went off injured after a tremendous shift. 

  Jordi Alba (7/10):

  Did a little more defending than he would have wanted, but had a key involvement in the first goal. 

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• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Not his best game, all said. Was dragged around here and there. But he still picked out a few silly passes.

  Rodrigo De Paul (7/10):

  Put out fires, won his tackles, moved the ball well. Did all of the dirty work with that extra bit of quality sprinkled in. 

  Baltasar Rodriguez (8/10):

  Never stopped running, supported the attack, and was constantly involved in building up play. 

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Tadeo Allende (8/10):

  Scored twice and put in plenty of legwork, too. A terrific showing. 

  Lionel Messi (10/10):

  What more is there to say? Scored one, assisted the other three. He's making an absolute mockery of this league at the moment. 

  Mateo Silvetti (8/10):

  Absolutely masterful on the night. Assisted the first and scored the second. Miami's second-best attacking player – and that's a compliment. 

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• Getty
  

  Subs & Manager

  Tomas Aviles (7/10):

  Replaced the excellent Allen, and didn't put a foot wrong. 

  Telasco Segovia (6/10):

  Extra legs in the midfield. 

  Luis Suarez (N/A):

  A brief cameo in which he didn't have much time to make anything happen. 

  Yannick Bright (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Gonzalo Lujan (N/A):

  No time to make an impact. 

  Javier Mascherano (9/10):

  Made a gutsy call to bench Suarez. But it worked. Miami were excellent at both ends. Messi made everyone else look bang average at soccer. Surely his finest night in the job. 

The Mets are on the brink of disaster.

Sporting the second-largest payroll in baseball at $314 million, New York lost 6-2 to the eliminated Marlins on Friday night to drop to 82-78 on the year. That loss—combined with the Reds' 3-1 win over the Brewers—means the Mets no longer control their own destiny.

That's right. Elly De La Cruz and the Reds' $119 million payroll are now in the driver's seat. If Cincinnati beats Milwaukee again on Saturday and Sunday, it doesn't matter what the Mets do against Miami—the Reds would be heading to the postseason.

Entering the slate of games Friday night, Fangraphs gave the Mets a 78.1% chance to make the playoffs. But after the Mets' loss and the Reds' win, Cincinnati now has a 55.4% chance to make the postseason, and New York's odds slumped to 44.6%.

The only other team in the running for the NL's third wild-card spot was the Diamondbacks, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 7-4 loss to the Padres on Friday night at Petco Park.

Elsewhere in the National League, pretty much everything else is decided. The Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers have all been crowned division champs, while the Cubs and Padres will enter the postseason bracket as wild-card teams.

Here's where everything stands in the National League as of Friday night:

National League Playoff Picture

NL DIVISION LEADERS

NL WILD CARD

“We are just two years out of being in that group [the lower tier] for 100 years,” warns Lloyd

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2025

If the ICC does decide that a two-tier system is best for the World Test Championship (WTC), West Indies could well be one of the teams outside the top tier – they were eighth out of nine teams in each of the three editions so far and have lost each of their three Tests in the ongoing cycle, to Australia. It’s a possibility the stakeholders in West Indies cricket are wary of – Clive Lloyd is worried about “being in that group for a hundred years” – and they are hoping to have a say in it, as Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief executive Chris Dehring put it.”All of that we have a role to play [in], we have a seat at the table at the ICC,” Dehring said at a press conference after the CWI’s emergency meeting in Trinidad on Sunday and Monday, organised in the aftermath of their 27 all out at Sabina Park against Australia. “We have to just stay abreast as close as possible to all the changes that could happen, position ourselves, hedging our bets so to speak, to make sure we are in there as West Indies cricket no matter which way the wind blows and try to take advantage of it.”The ICC last month formed a working group, led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, to look into, among other things, improving the WTC ahead of the 2025-2027 cycle. A two-tier system was among the most significant topics discussed at the ICC annual conference in July. Twose, New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) representative on the ICC Board, is expected to make recommendations to the board.Related

Williamson wants 'additional resources to support the growth' of Test cricket globally

CWI works on roadmap with 'about a hundred things to improve'

West Indies come face to face with deepening Test crisis

A two-tier WTC has been debated for more than 15 years, with the ICC showing its willingness to consider the idea as far back as 2009, though Full Members have been split on the issue for various reasons.Lloyd, one of the former cricketers – along with Brian Lara, Viv Richards and others – who were invited to be part of the meeting, pointed his finger at the share of the ICC pie that the member boards are given, saying that West Indies, as the top team in the 1970s and 1980s, and a force even in the 1990s, deserved consideration despite their falling standards.”We have to look at what’s happening at the ICC with the shareout of the money. India, Australia and England get 180 million and West Indies will get 80 million like Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and we are just two years out of being in that group for 100 years,” Lloyd said. “To me, it’s not right. We have to stand up. We have to go to the ICC and ask for special dispensation. Because when we were in the ascendancy, and we were playing so well, everyone wanted to play with us.”We were playing Australia very often, with England very often, and when we went to Pakistan or India, getting millions of people [to the grounds]. We need to get a better share of the pie, because we were the cash cows for a long time. And we need to get some of that. I am hoping the board follows up on that recommendation where we can be adequately given the money that is needed.”Daren Sammy’s stint as West Indies’ Test coach began with a crushing 3-0 defeat•Getty Images

Is Daren Sammy’s honeymoon period over?Daren Sammy, the former allrounder and captain of the West Indies teams that won the World Cup in 2012 and 2016, took over as the all-format West Indies coach in April this year. All three of their Tests since then have been lost. Australia were the opponents, in the Caribbean, and were favourites, but 3-0 was a bit too one-sided, and the 27 all out in the last innings of the series was humiliating.Was it the wrong call to increase Sammy’s responsibilities?Miles Bascombe, the CWI director of cricket, pointed to the handicaps Sammy had been working with, but didn’t confirm or deny anything about the future.”We still need additional support for him. We still have to have camps. Many times, he would not be available himself, because he would be on tour. We still need to bring in other support staff, which would come at a cost. There was no financial consideration in terms of merging the roles,” Bascombe said. “The underlying reason [for choosing Sammy] was that we felt Daren had been able to articulate a clear plan, and we saw him do that in the white-ball formats, both T20 and ODI. And we pretty much wanted the same sort of approach. We saw some success once we had gotten that done. And we wanted to see that approach in Test cricket.”He is still only one series into his tenure as all-format coach, and while the 27 might be the highlight, or lowlight, of that series, we have to admit that we saw substantial improvement in terms of our bowling unit. We saw even Brandon King, who is one of those players who some persons might have pigeonholed as a white-ball player, was able to show that he was up for the challenge for Test cricket. Some light there.”As Daren goes on, and as we start to put some of the strategic initiatives in place, we expect that performances will be better.”

Manchester United’s poor form under Ruben Amorim has continued, with the Red Devils currently on a run of just one win in their last five matches.

However, Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed the higher-ups at Old Trafford will continue backing the Portuguese manager and are not considering a change.

That could mean Amorim is once again backed in the January transfer window, as INEOS look to find players who are better suited to his infamous 3-4-2-1 system.

Indeed, they spent over £200m in the summer to sign a new-look attack and Senne Lammens as their new goalkeeper.

If recent reports are to be believed, United will be dipping back into the market in January.

United’s latest transfer target

There have already been several reports linking United to a new midfielder, a clear focus for them over the next two windows.

Transfer Focus

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Two of those are English duo Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton, although there could be a sizeable price tag for each Three Lions international.

Instead, the Red Devils have been linked with a more budget-friendly option. According to a report from Football Insider, Olympiacos midfielder Christos Mouzakitis is ‘definitely on the radar’ of the 13-time Premier League champions.

However, this is not going to be a straightforward deal for United to do. Mouzakitis is said to be wanted by ‘probably every big club in Europe right now,’ so it’ll be tough competition for Amorim’s side.

Real Madrid, for example, are one of the sides vying for his signature, although United are ready to ‘push’ the LaLiga outfit for his signature.

At a fee of just £30m, it represents great value, especially in January.

Why Mouzakitis would be a good signing

There is no doubt that 18-year-old Mouzakitis, who turns 19 on Christmas Day, is one of the most talented young midfielders in Europe.

That was recognised earlier this week when he won the 2025 Golden Boy fans’ choice award.

Indeed, it is clear to see why the Greek international, who already has seven caps for his country, is so highly rated. Despite being so young, he’s already played 52 times for Olympiacos, bagging two goals and assisting six in that time.

One of the real positives to Mouzakitis’ game is the fact that he is a versatile player. Whilst he has played most of his career as a number eight, the teenager has also operated in a deeper role for Olympiacos.

Como scout Ben Mattinson is someone who has been full of praise for the Athens-born midfielder. He even said Mouzakitis’ profile is “similar to Granit Xhaka,” suggesting he is a true controller in the middle of the park, just like the Swiss veteran.

Indeed, his underlying numbers perfectly highlight just how good he is in possession. For example, the 18-year-old 1.73 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes.

That number ranks him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe over the last 365 days.

Of course, going into the next couple of windows, United would love to bring a player like Wharton to Old Trafford.

Described as “very calm, composed, and a joy to play with” by Eberechi Eze, he is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe.

However, his price tag could be a sticking point for United. The Eagles are said to want £100m for their prized midfield asset.

That would be a club-record deal for the Red Devils if they were to pay that fee.

Signing Mouzakitis, though, could be the dream alternative. Mattinson has previously said he would “compare him” to Wharton.

Like the Blackburn-born midfielder, he is a true controller in the middle of the park.

Not only are their profiles similar, but he’d also save United £70m, according to their reported price tags. That is a huge saving which could weigh into INEOS’ thinking, in a window where they need to spread their money out to sign a few players.

Signing Mouzakitis represents a deal for the present and future, saves them a fortune and helps them sign a needed profile in midfield. It certainly seems like a great option for United.

Cunha 2.0: INEOS to fast-track Man Utd bid for 'best winger in England'

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for one player in the upcoming January window.

By
Ethan Lamb

6 days ago

Elland Road was a very toxic place to be at the full-time whistle on Sunday as Leeds United slipped into the Premier League relegation spaces.

Leeds weren’t completely abject against Aston Villa, but football is a game of fine margins, and Unai Emery’s travelling side just about managed to get the better of the Whites in the 2-1 loss, to hand them their fifth defeat from their last six Premier League games.

That is the sort of dire form that gets you sacked, with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” even being hurled Daniel Farke’s way as he continues to remain on very thin ice in the Leeds dug-out.

Names are beginning to emerge that could replace the under-fire German, too, as a dismissal begins to feel somewhat inevitable…

Who could replace Farke at Leeds?

The Mirror has speculated on a couple of contenders who could come into the relegation-threatened hot seat if Farke is to be put out of his misery soon.

Indeed, Carlos Corberan is named as one possible replacement for the ex-Norwich City boss, with the Spaniard previously calling West Yorkshire home with Huddersfield Town, alongside also formerly being on the coaching staff at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa’s revered tenure.

Moreover, the Mirror also throws Marco Rose, Brendan Rodgers, and Ange Postecoglou into the mix, with the high-energy football Bielsa used to serve up no doubt coming back to the forefront if the out-of-work Australian were to take on another Premier League vacancy.

Yet, he isn’t the only face that holds some similarities to the enigmatic Argentine, who could soon be Leeds’ saviour. Thiago Motta is certainly another name that catches the eye.

The report states that he models his game on Bielsa, and the ex-Bologna manager has been previously linked with a switch to England, so this could go down as a match made in heaven.

How Motta could be Leeds' next Bielsa

Amazingly, Motta’s name has been floating about as a candidate to be the next manager at Elland Road since April, with the time now looking right for Leeds to swoop in and win their next boss, as he remains out of work and Farke remains on a precarious tight-rope.

As per The Athletic, the former Italy international is a disciple of Bielsa, with both his Bologna and Juventus teams being structured around playing the same vibrant, fast, forward-thinking football that the Uruguay manager became known for during his memorable stay in West Yorkshire.

Motta’s managerial record to date

Stat

Motta

Games managed

195

Wins

84

Draws

52

Losses

59

Goals scored

302

Goals conceded

249

Points accumulated

304

Sourced by Transfermarkt

That is seen looking at the table above, with 302 goals put away in some tense environments in the Serie A at the helm of both Bologna and Juventus.

While he did get the sack from the Old Lady, Leeds fans, in particular, will look at his Bologna stint with plenty of promise as to how he could transform the relegation-doomed outfit’s fortunes.

From his two seasons at the helm of the Serie A side, he turned the usual relegation strugglers into an easy-on-the-eye watch heading for the European positions.

Motta secured a ninth-place finish and a fifth-place finish during his two seasons at the club, which included Champions League football coming on the menu, much like Bielsa managed to steer Leeds to an unexpected ninth spot during the 2020/21 season, right after promotion.

Serie A expert James Horncastle would even go out of his way to label the 4-2-3-1-focused manager as “special” for his achievements in Italy, with Bielsa no stranger to similar latherings of praise when he was still in West Yorkshire, as murals even ended up being dedicated to the transformative South American.

Bielsa also managed to be a breath of fresh air that was desperately needed after Leeds had struggled for some time. Could Motta be the same spark in the here and now that finally allows the Whites to be seen as a team capable of survival and far more in the Premier League?

Of course, it would be an almighty gamble to throw in a manager, no matter his reputation, into a relegation dog-fight, in a country he isn’t all too aware of.

But, Bielsa instantly hit the ground running in the Championship, and if Leeds want to be bold and try something new away from the defeats currently piling up under Farke, Motta might well be their desired man.

Related Forget Aaronson: It's a sackable offence if Farke starts £14m Leeds man again

Daniel Farke must be sacked at Leeds United if he continues to start this ropey dud.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

تحدث الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن مباراة فريقه أمام سندرلاند، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره سندرلاند مساء غدٍ، الأربعاء، في تمام الساعة العاشرة والربع بتوقيت القاهرة، الحادية عشرة والربع بتوقيت مكة المكرمة.

ويستضيف ملعب آنفيلد المباراة بين ليفربول وسندرلاند والتي تجمعهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشرة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

وقال سلوت في المؤتمر الصحفي الذي نقلته صحيفة “ليفربول إيكو” عن تدوير التشكيل: “لم أشعر بالكثير حيال ذلك، حيث كانت لدينا فترة تعافي بالأمس، ثم سنتدرب اليوم، لذلك دعونا نرى كيف يشعر اللاعبون”.

وأضاف: “لقد غاب فلوريان عن التدريب لمدة أسبوع ونصف أو أسبوعين، إن لعبه لعدة دقائق كان بالفعل أمرًا جيدًا، من المشجع لنا أن نراه يلعب بهذه الجودة على الرغم من أنها ليست المرة الأولى بالنسبة لنا، ربما المرة الأولى التي يلاحظ عدد كبير من الناس تلك الجودة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ليفربول يأمل شيئًا ما بعد استدعاء محمد صلاح لقائمة منتخب مصر

وأكمل: “كما أن تسجيل أليكس (إيزاك) لهدفه الأول أمر إيجابي، فهو لم يتمكن من اللعب لمدة 5 إلى 10 دقائق أخرى لأنه كان يشعر بالفعل ببعض التقلصات العضلية، إنه لاعب آخر علينا أن نرى كيف سيتصرف”.

وعن غضب محمد صلاح بسبب عدم لعبه مباراة وست هام الماضية: “افتراض عادل ورد فعل طبيعي لشخص يمكنه اللعب معنا، بالطبع، اللاعب ليس سعيدًا لأنه لا يلعب وهو ليس الوحيد الذي أستطيع أن أخبرك بذلك”.

وأردف: “لقد كان سلوكه كما تتوقع من المحترف الذي هو عليه، لقد كان داعمًا جدًا لزملائه في الفريق وتعامل مع نفسه بشكل جيد حقًا”.

واستطرد: “لا يمكنك اللعب بهذه الجودة كل ثلاثة أيام إذا ذهبت وراء عواطفك لكن مو منضبط للغاية، سيظل دائمًا ذلك اللاعب المحترف المتميز كما كان في الأيام القليلة الماضية، إنه لاعب من الطراز الرفيع”.

وعن موعد مغادرة محمد صلاح لمعسكر منتخب مصر استعدادًا لكأس أمم إفريقيا أوضح سلوت: “سيغادر يوم 15 ديسمبر، الطريقة التي عملنا بها هي أن يكون هناك تواصل بين الأطراف الثلاثة، اللاعب والنادي والمنتخب، هذا ليس جديدًا لكن فيفا أعلنت أن 15 ديسمبر هو آخر يوم لترك اللاعبين”.

وحول كيفية اللعب بدون صلاح خلال فترة تواجده في كأس أمم إفريقيا تابع: “علينا التكيف وإيجاد طريقة لعب بدونه”.

وأتم: “لحسن الحظ، خلال الفترة التي قضيتها هنا، كان شخصًا خارقًا ولكن بالنسبة لجميع اللاعبين حول العالم، هناك أوقات في النادي يكون فيها المرء بشرًا، لقد سجل العديد من الأهداف لنا وأنا متأكد من أنه سيفعل ذلك في المستقبل”

After sacking Will Still, Southampton have now reportedly set their sights on hiring Stoke City manager Mark Robins, who scores well in their data-driven recruitment model.

The Saints have had a nightmare 18 months. Following relegation from the Premier League, which very nearly saw them break Derby County’s record-low points total, they turned to Still in an attempt to bounce straight back. Things didn’t quite go as planned, however, and the former Reims boss has now been relieved of his duties.

Releasing a statement after sacking Still, who won just two Championship games, technical director Johannes Spors said: “Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results.

“Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table.”

Sitting as low as 21st in the Championship, the Saints can’t afford to get their next appointment wrong. Already, names like Russell Martin have been mentioned in a return that is likely to spark mixed reactions.

The former Saints boss was sacked by Rangers earlier this season following a dire spell in charge, but could yet get the chance to restore his damaged reputation at St Mary’s.

Frank Lampard has also been mentioned as a potential candidate following the work that he’s done at Coventry City. Alas, the Sky Blues currently sit top of the Championship and luring Lampard away at such a promising stage of his project would be no easy task.

Instead, another manager that Coventry fans know all too well could yet arrive to steer the Saints in the right direction.

Southampton now eyeing Mark Robins

According to talkSPORT, Southampton have also set their sights on Mark Robins. The Stoke City boss has scored well on their data-driven recruitment model as they look to hire the perfect next manager. Whether they can lure him away from Stoke is another question, however.

Having taken Coventry to the play-off final in the past, Robins has more than proved his ability to compete at the top of the second tier. And that has only continued at Stoke, who sit as high as third in the league after playing 13 games.

The fact that the 55-year-old turned Coventry into a side capable of reaching Wembley across a long-term project should make him a standout candidate for Southampton, who need a transformation themselves.

Unsurprisingly, Robins earned plenty of praise during his time at his former club. Former Coventry player Garry Thompson told reporters when the club sacked the veteran manager: “He got on with his job nice and quietly, he did a fantastic job.

“I’d be very surprised if he’s out of a job for another three or four months because he did such a good job at Coventry, a lot of clubs when they are looking for a manager will look towards Mark Robins.”

Southampton set sights on Russell Martin return

While the defeat to Aston Villa has taken the wind out of their sails somewhat, Arsenal are still having an excellent season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Champions League table, having won five of five, and still sit two points clear atop the Premier League table.

However, while most of the team are playing at the level expected, a few stars aren’t quite where the manager would want them to be.

This latter camp includes one of Arteta’s most significant signings, who, if he doesn’t start improving, could become Arsenal’s new Nicolas Pepe.

What went wrong for Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal

In the summer of 2019, after Unai Emery’s first season in the dugout, Arsenal decided to go big in the transfer market, spending what was then a club record fee of around £72m to sign Pepe.

While the figure did raise a few eyebrows at the time, it wasn’t considered too outlandish as, in 41 appearances in the 17/18 season, the winger racked up a sensational haul of 23 goals and 12 assists.

Unfortunately, the Emirates faithful would never see the talented international reach that level during his time in North London.

In his first campaign in England, the former LOSC Lille star managed a reasonable, if a little underwhelming tally of eight goals and ten assists in 42 appearances.

However, as it was his first season in a new league, and he produced a goal involvement in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of the FA Cup, fans gave him some leeway.

Unfortunately, he also failed to hit the heady height of his Lille numbers the following season, ending it with a tally of 16 goals and five assists in 47 games, with ten of those goal involvements coming in the Europa League.

The 21/22 campaign would prove to be his last in red and white as Bukayo Saka was now well and truly Arteta’s first-choice right winger.

The 30-year-old spent the next two years on loan, first with Nice in France, and then with Turkish outfit Trabzonspor.

Arsenal finally agreed to terminate Pepe’s contract in the summer of 2024, and the player who was supposed to be the club’s superstar attacker left with a middling tally of 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances.

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Since then, the Gunners have been a bit better at spending money, but there is one of Arteta’s signings who could end up following the Ivorian’s path, lest he improve, and quickly.

Arsenal's new Nicolas Pepe

Now, it’s still early in the season, so making any concrete predictions about Arsenal’s summer signings would be unwise.

However, as things stand, the attacker who has somewhat underwhelmed since his big-money move, and could go down a similar route to Pepe, is Viktor Gyokeres.

Like the Ivorian, the Swedish international joined the Gunners for a fairly sizable fee off the back of a truly sensational season in a weaker league.

For example, the “absolute steam train,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in just 52 appearances.

Moreover, while nobody expected him to recreate those numbers in England, fans would have expected more than what he has delivered thus far.

For example, even though he hasn’t been a total flop like some other striker signings this season, the 27-year-old’s return of just six goals in 17 appearances is underwhelming.

Furthermore, all four of his Premier League goals have come against relegation candidates, and in games against the big sides earlier in the season, he looked somewhat out of his depth. As Gary Neville said earlier this term, he’s a bit of a “misfit.”

Appearances

52

17

Minutes

4248′

1130′

Goals

54

6

Assists

13

0

Finally, with Mikel Merino contributing up top, Gabriel Jesus back in matchday squads and reports that Kai Havertz is set to come right back in as Arteta’s first choice before Christmas, it’s not difficult to see a world in which the Stockholm-born powerhouse becomes a rotation option.

That was evident against Aston Villa. Arteta relied on the Swede to make a difference, bring him on at half-time for Merino. Yet, in his 45 minutes on the field, the centre-forward only had 11 touches of the ball and completed just four passes. He didn’t even have a single shot.

With all that said, there is still plenty of time for the former Coventry City star to come good, especially if he starts the next two games against Club Brugge and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ultimately, the next six months will be vital in determining whether Gyokeres becomes Arsenal’s next superstar striker or their next Nicolas Pepe.

Their new Ozil: Arsenal ramp up move to sign £88m "generational talent"

The incredible talent could be a real game-changer for Arsenal and become Arteta’s own Mesut Ozil.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

Arsenal midfield star Martin Zubimendi is blown away by a Gunners team-mate who has 'surprised' him the most. Zubimendi joined Arsenal this summer, 12 months after he rejected a move to the reigning Premier League champions Liverpool. The Spain international has had an immediate impact on Mikel Arteta's side, who are leading the title race this year and have been in exceptional form thus far.

Zubimendi-Rice midfield pairing key to Arsenal's success

Arsenal have endured a tremendous run of form since the start of the season as they have lost just one game in the Premier League and are sitting comfortably at the top of the table with a four-point gap over second-placed Manchester City with a game in hand. After heartbreaks in the past couple of seasons, where the Gunners missed out on the league title towards the end of the season, the 2025-26 campaign finally looks like they will finally cross the line, going by the current run of form. 

A lot of credit goes to Arteta for rebuilding the squad in the summer and making some valuable additions to the squad. One such key signing would of Zubimendi, who joined the Gunners from Real Sociedad. Zubimendi has impressed in his maiden campaign in England and has formed a formidable midfield partnership with England international Declan Rice. Rice's performance has also been elevated since the Spaniard's arrival at the club. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportZubimendi labels Rice 'a complete player'

Speaking about Rice, the Spain international told : "Once I came here one of the things that motivated me the most was playing with a player like Declan. I think he’s been a good player until this year, but I think this year, from what I see and how happy I see him, I think he’s taking a leap forward so I’m very happy to be able to help him in that regard. And he helps me too. We all know how Declan is. A very complete player, physically, technically, set pieces. And his personality is something that has surprised me. He wants to be a protagonist in the dressing room. And on the pitch for a teammate like me in midfield, I think it’s vital having someone who wants to be the protagonist who wants the ball, who helps you. It’s the perfect complement."

'The impact he has on the team, it’s huge'

Arteta also spoke about Rice's influence on the team, as he added: "Probably a year or two ago, yes, but now being with him every single day, understanding and connecting with him in the way I have done, we are going to get more. Because he wants more, the team knows him better, his role is growing around the team. The impact he has on the team it’s huge. I knew him for a long time (before signing) and I knew how he could evolve and change the team. He has certainly done it and probably improved on those expectations.

"I would have to think about it but most of the time, if you have the option to see a player live and sense him, get that energy, presence and charisma, on top of his qualities, it’s something else. Probably when he was around I said, 'Hmm, that’s a special player.' To be fair I had this one, I had another position that was a little bit further back to do something else and he can adapt to anything you throw at him. At the moment, that is what we were thinking, in front is probably much more positive for the team."

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Getty/GoalZubimendi compared to Ballon d'Or winner Rodri

Former Spain star Gaizka Mendieta drew comparisons between Manchester City star Rodri and Zubimendi as he told : "When I think of Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal, I think of Rodri at Manchester City. City can have other players that can play in that role like Nico Gonzalez but it's not the same. That's why Rodri has been one of the best players in the Premier League since he arrived. He's the kind of player that you might not see much because they're not always on the ball or not allowed on the ball. But his position, how they give freedom to teammates, how he allows other players around him to do things is not always visible, but it's very important. You can't put your finger on why it's not happening when Rodri isn’t there, but it makes a difference whether they are on the pitch or not. They allow other players to do things that they can't do when they're not there, it’s a very similar situation for both."