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Also: how many players have scored a hundred and taken a hat-trick on the same day in first-class cricket?

Steven Lynch25-Apr-2023Gloucestershire’s Tom Price just scored a century and took a hat-trick – on the same day. Has anyone done this before in first-class cricket? asked Quentin Holt from England
Playing for Gloucestershire against Worcestershire at New Road last week, Tom Price followed a century – after coming at No. 9 with the score 45 for 7 – with a hat-trick (all caught by wicketkeeper James Bracey). This was the 17th time this particular double had been achieved in the same first-class match, but the first time both achievements came entirely on the same day.William Burns (Worcestershire against Gloucestershire in Worcester in 1913), Bob Wyatt (MCC vs Ceylon in Colombo in 1926-27), Learie Constantine (West Indians vs Northamptonshire in Northampton in 1928) and Mike Procter (Gloucestershire vs Essex in Westcliff-on-Sea in 1972) all completed centuries in innings they had started the previous evening, and then took a hat-trick that day. Playing for Bangladesh’s Central Zone in Savar in 2013-14, Mahmudullah ended North Zone’s innings with two wickets in two balls, then next day scored a century and completed his hat-trick when he bowled again in North’s second innings (he took four wickets in four balls in all).Procter and Sohag Gazi both did this double twice – Sohag’s second remains the only instance to date in a Test match, for Bangladesh against New Zealand in Chittagong in 2013-14.Kent’s Joe Denly scored 102 and then took a hat-trick in a T20 Blast match against Surrey at The Oval in July 2018. A month later, Andre Russell followed a hat-trick with 121 not out (from 49 balls, with 13 sixes, having come in at 41 for 5) in a CPL match for Jamaica Tallawahs against Trinbago Knight Riders in Port-of-Spain.I noticed that Taijul Islam has now played Tests against 11 different countries. Has anyone else done this? asked Mithun Mukhtar from Bangladesh
Playing in Bangladesh’s Test against Ireland in Mirpur earlier this month did mean that left-arm spinner Taijul Islam had faced all 11 possible current opponents. He completed the set in his 41st Test. But four of his team-mates were also playing against their 11th opponent, and one of them was quicker to the mark: Mushfiqur Rahim (85 Tests), Shakib Al Hasan (66), Mominul Haque (56) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (38).In ODIs, the Scotland pair of Richie Berrington and Kyle Coetzer have played against 20 different opponents. In T20I, Ireland’s Paul Stirling has chalked up an impressive 26 different oppositions; the UAE pair of Ahmed Raza and Rohan Mustafa have faced 25 (both have played fewer than 60 such matches).Someone else noticed that in the match at Mirpur, Taijul dismissed Peter Moor, who was playing for Ireland, having already done so when Moor played for Zimbabwe. They asked whether anyone else had dismissed the same batter for two different countries, and there had been two previous cases: Alec Bedser dismissed Abdul Hafeez Kardar, who played for India and Pakistan, and Courtney Walsh accounted for Kepler Wessels while he was playing for Australia and South Africa.Ireland used four different wicketkeepers in their first four Tests – has any other country done this? asked Chris O’Donnell from Ireland
Ireland’s wicketkeeper in their inaugural Test, against Pakistan in Malahide in May 2018, was Niall O’Brien, who retired almost immediately afterwards. Stuart Poynter took the gloves for their next match, against Afghanistan in Dehradun in March 2019, but he hasn’t played again; Gary Wilson took over for the match against England at Lord’s three months later, bagged a pair (as did England’s keeper Jonny Bairstow), and retired not long afterwards. Ireland didn’t play a Test for more than three years, but earlier this month Lorcan Tucker made his debut against Bangladesh in Mirpur and scored a century, which ensured he kept the gloves for the ongoing series in Sri Lanka.No other country has fielded four different wicketkeepers in their first four Tests, but India (twice, in 1952-53 and from 1952-53 to 1954-55), West Indies (1961-62 to 1963) and Zimbabwe (2011-12 to 2012-13) also chose four different keepers in the space of four consecutive matches. In the 1952-53 home series against Pakistan, India tried Khokan Sen, Nana Joshi, Vijay Rajindernath and Ebrahim Maka, before reverting to Sen for the final Test. The unfortunate Rajindernath made four stumpings, and was never selected again.But Sri Lanka lead the way here. In five successive Tests between April 1987 and December 1989, their wicketkeepers were Brendon Kuruppu (against New Zealand in Colombo), Guy de Alwis (vs Australia in Perth), Amal Silva (vs England at Lord’s), Gamini Wickremasinghe (vs Australia in Brisbane) and Hashan Tillakaratne (vs Australia in Hobart). Note that all these statistics refer to the designated wicketkeeper for the match, and exclude any temporary replacements.Dinesh Karthik is tied with Mandeep Singh and Sunil Narine for the most ducks in IPL history•BCCIDinesh Karthik has bagged two ducks in this season’s IPL already, and I heard he had 15 overall in his IPL career. Is this the most? asked Mahesh Bhasin from India
Dinesh Karthik’s two ducks for RCB so far this season – against Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals – have taken him up to share the top spot on this particular list. Also on 15 as I write are Sunil Narine and Mandeep Singh, from less than half the number of innings Karthik has had. Rohit Sharma is close behind with 14 ducks.I know Jim Laker did it, but how many others have taken the wicket of all 11 batters in a Test? asked Tim Westcott from England
During the course of his record-breaking 19 for 90 at Old Trafford in 1956, the England offspinner Jim Laker did indeed dismiss all 11 Australians he came up against. Laker was the first to do this in a Test – but it has now been done five more times.The next to achieve it was another offspinner, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, for India against New Zealand in Delhi in 1964-65. He has been followed by Geoff Dymock (Australia vs India in Kanpur in 1979-80), Abdul Qadir (Pakistan vs England in Lahore in 1987-88), Waqar Younis (Pakistan vs New Zealand in Faisalabad in 1990-91), and Muthiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka vs South Africa in Galle in 2000). Venkat, Dymock and Waqar took only 12 wickets in the match overall, the others 13.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Fast bowler set to equal Alastair Cook’s England appearances record with 24th Lord’s Test

George Dobell29-May-2021There may be absences; there may be new faces. But some things remain reassuringly constant.Barring a late injury, James Anderson will play his 24th Lord’s Test this week. It comes almost exactly 18 years after his first. His record at the ground – 103 wickets at an average of 23.89 with six five-fors – would please most players as full career statistics.If he does play this week, and there is every reason to think he will, he will equal Alastair Cook’s England record of 161 Test caps. It was an outstanding achievement for Cook. For a fast bowler to equal it is… well, it’s ridiculous, really.It’s not the only milestone which beckons for Anderson, either. He is also eight short of a thousand first-class wickets. In the grand sweep of history, that may not seem especially remarkable. He remains more than 3,000 wickets short of Wilfred Rhodes’ first-class tally, after all. At this rate, Anderson will need to play until he’s 100 to match that. You suspect even he might think that beyond him.But in the modern game, it is a staggering achievement. It may be that another spinner or two reaches the milestone in the coming years. But there is every chance Anderson will be the last seamer to do so. The modern schedule, dominated as it is by limited-overs cricket, simply won’t allow.Consider Rhodes’ record: in a career as a left-arm spinner that stretched over three decades, he played 17 seasons in which he featured in 35 first-class games or more. Anderson has never played more than 16 in a season and only played more than 11 on three occasions. He’s never had the chance to bowl on an uncovered wicket, either.James Anderson performed brilliantly in India and Sri Lanka this winter•BCCIAnderson is no stranger to breaking new ground as a bowler, of course. He’s shrugged off record after milestone with the same “it’ll be something that I look back on when I finish” stock answer. But even he appears struck by the magnitude of these landmarks.”1,000 wickets does seem like a lot,” he says with a touch of bewilderment. “In this day and age I don’t know if it’s possible to get that many first-class wickets any more. With the amount of cricket that’s played, there doesn’t seem to be that longevity in bowlers any more, and there’s loads of T20 cricket and whatever else going on around the world. It feels a lot.”He seems equally overwhelmed with equalling the appearances record of Cook.”It does make me feel proud,” he says. “I never imagined in a million years I’d get to this point. Certainly for a bowler to play this amount of games is… I don’t know what the word is. But it’s a bit mind-blowing to me.”I feel really honoured that I’ve managed to do it because it’s such an amazing thing to do. I absolutely love Test cricket. I’ve got a huge passion for it. Growing up, all I wanted to do is play Test cricket for England and I’m honoured I’ve been able to do it for this long.”He has, he says, been “lucky” with injuries. But, like the miracle of childbirth, it seems the good memories have served to block out the bad. Because a list of Anderson’s injuries is long and painful. Remember the stress fracture? And the broken ribs? And the side strains, shoulder issues and knee problem? We’re still waiting for the broken ******* arm but, short of that and nits, he’s pretty much had it all.James Anderson returned to action for Lancashire earlier this summer•Getty Images”I’ve been so lucky with injuries,” he says. “I think about Simon Jones, whose career was seriously affected by injury. Or people who have long lay-offs like Jofra at the minute. Touch wood I’ve not had career-threatening injuries, so to get to 38 and be in that position makes me feel really privileged.”Of course you get injuries and have to bowl when it hurts a bit but I actually get some pleasure out of that. Putting the hard yards in, that’s when it means the most. I get a lot of pleasure out of it. Bowling 10 overs on a green seamer doesn’t really do it for me. I want to put a shift in for the team when it’s tough.”No one should make the mistake that all this talk about what has been achieved has diverted Anderson’s focus from what has not. And for all the talk about ‘new faces’ and ‘rest and rotation’ it is clear that neither Anderson or Stuart Broad’s appetite for the challenge remains unsated. Indeed, Anderson admits the pair have been in contact talking about the prospect of being reunited with the new ball.”I don’t feel like I’ve played that many games,” Anderson, who appeared with his England teammates in the LV= Insurance launch video ‘In With Heart’, says. “My body doesn’t feel old or tired, it’s just incredible.”Yes. I’d love to play all seven Tests this summer. There are five Tests against India after these two Tests against New Zealand, and then the Ashes after that. So we want to start this summer well. So hopefully, if we do pick our strongest team we [Anderson and Broad] would like to think that we’re both in that. And we’d love to share the new ball together, yes.

I’d love to play all seven Tests this summer. Hopefully, if we do pick our strongest team we [Anderson and Broad] would like to think that we’re both in that. And we’d love to share the new ball together, yes.Anderson’s ambitions are undimmed at the age of 38

“Stuart and I have sent a few texts to each other saying it’d be nice if we did get to play together. Obviously it’s completely down to the coach and captain. But I think, from the team’s point of view, we want to get some momentum going into a big summer.”The rotation in the winter was completely understandable with the amount of cricket we had and the amount of time in bubbles that we were spending. It’s going to be slightly different this summer. If everything goes well, I think it will start to get relaxed. We won’t be in the sort of bubble life that we’ve experienced in the last 12 months. So there might be not as much reason to rest people”I know it’s probably not that realistic [to play all seven Tests]. Especially with the depth we have in the bowling group, it makes sense to keep everyone fresh. So it’s just a case of managing workloads. If I played the first Test and bowled 20 overs, then obviously I’d want to play in the second Test. But if it’s a game where I bowled 50 overs, then you’d obviously review that. So yes, I’d love to play this first two. I know they’re back to back, but there is a bit of a break after them.”The five Tests against India might be a different story with back-to-backs in quite quick succession. That might be where people get rotated a bit more.”There are caveats to all this, of course. It’s less than a year ago that Anderson’s second-innings record – and, in particular, his ability to maintain his level of performance towards the back-end of games – was beginning to raise questions and, even this season, he has been sidelined by a calf injury. He’s 39 in July. At some stage, Time will catch up even with him.But anyone who saw him bowl in India and Sri Lanka will be assured there is no obvious decline. Quite the opposite, really. And while Anderson is full of praise for the younger bowlers in the side – at various times, he describes Ollie Robinson as “brilliant” and “extremely impressive” – he does point out that bowling at Lord’s brings challenges.Related

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England's freak injury list: From Stokes' locker punch to Roy's bat rebound

“Once you get used to the slope, it can be a huge advantage to you as a bowler, because even when it’s flat, you feel like you’re in the game with some movement,” Anderson says. “But when you’re not quite there as a bowler, when your rhythm might be off, it can really affect you. It can push you in tight to the stumps from the Pavilion End and it can sort of make you fall away a little bit more from the Nursery End. I’ve had times where I’ve bowled too wide from the Nursery End and too straight from the Pavilion End. Once you get used to it, it’s great, but sometimes it can be a bit tricky.”This determination to play might give Chris Silverwood, the coach and selector these days, something of a headache. He has made it clear he wants to provide opportunities to fringe players and he knows Anderson and Broad have been known to react less than phlegmatically to disappointment. But he might take heart in Anderson’s long-term response to being dropped from the ODI side, in the wake of the 2015 World Cup.”I was slightly annoyed at the time,” he says with understatement. “But looking back, it’s been an absolute God-send because I certainly wouldn’t still be playing now if I’d carried on playing one-day cricket. Having the breaks between series to work on my fitness and recover has made such a big difference being.”And being able to fully focus on one format, too. I remember getting to the end of a Test series and the day after you’re practising your white-ball skills.”It can be quite difficult to switch. It affected my action a bit at times. When you’re trying to bowl yorkers, you do things slightly different with your action. You might try to bowl faster, you might lose your seam position and not swing it as much in red-ball cricket. It’s definitely helped having my sole focus on Test cricket.”England really do have an exciting crop of seamers pushing for Test recognition. And a certain degree of succession planning no doubt makes sense. But bowlers like Anderson come along very rarely. England have been lucky to have him. There may be a chapter or two of his story left to be written.James Anderson and other England cricket stars appear in the LV= Insurance “In With Heart” film celebrating England’s cricket community ahead of the LV= Insurance 1st Test against New Zealand. Watch the video here

It has been a roller coaster of a season for Chelsea so far this year.

One week, it feels like Enzo Maresca’s side are on the brink of a crisis, and then the next, they look like one of the best sides in the Premier League.

Fortunately, despite some disappointing results, the Blues sit just six points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, although to further close the gap in the coming months, they need to be more clinical in attack.

The club might feel the same way, as recent reports have linked them with one of the best strikers in the world, someone who’d be a significant upgrade on Joao Pedro.

Chelsea's striker options

Despite spending as much as they have over the last few years, Chelsea’s centre-forward options are not ideal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

With Nicolas Jackson at Bayern Munich, Maresca has to choose from Marc Guiu, who is not yet ready, Liam Delap, who has had a rough start to life in West London, and Pedro, who has underwhelmed in recent weeks.

So with this in mind, it’s not a surprise to see that the club are interested in signing a blockbuster centre-forward as soon as possible.

At least that is according to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, who has revealed that Chelsea are interested in Julian Alvarez.

Baliey has revealed that the player’s representatives have made it “clear that he is considering his options” and that the Blues are one of several sides “keeping close tabs on the situation.”

While it’s unclear just how much the Argentine striker would cost, he’d likely become one of the West Londoners’ most expensive signings as he only joined Atlético Madrid for around £81m last summer.

With that said, Chelsea should still do what they can to sign Alvarez, as he’d supercharge their attack and be a significant upgrade on Pedro.

How Alvarez compares to Pedro

Now, although Pedro can play in attacking midfield and has done so on several occasions this season, he has spent more time this year and throughout his entire career as a striker.

In other words, his primary role is to score or assist goals for his side, but when you then compare his output with Alvarez’s, he comes out miles behind.

For example, in 30 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion last season, totalling 2136 minutes, he scored ten goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.76 games, or every 125.64 minutes.

In contrast, the Atleti star ended last year with an astounding tally of 29 goals and eight assists in 57 appearances, totalling 3967 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.54 games, or every 107.21 minutes.

Then this season, the Argentine has already amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 15 appearances, totalling 1216 minutes, which is an average of one every 1.15 games or every 93.53 minutes.

For his efforts, the Blues’ new man has produced seven goal involvements in 14 appearances, totalling 1124 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 160.57 minutes.

Okay, so the former Manchester City star is clearly the more dangerous attacker, but who comes out on top when you take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers?

Alvarez vs Pedro
Statistics	Alvarez	Pedro
Non-Penalty Expected G+As	0.68	0.61
Progressive Carries	2.79	2.43
Progressive Passes	4.81	3.20
Shots	2.59	1.84
Shots on Target	1.34	0.97
Passing Accuracy	79.5%	78.5%
Key Passes	2.50	1.36
Passes into the Penalty Area	2.31	0.87
Shot-Creating Actions	4.60	2.42
Goal-Creating Actions	0.38	0.29
Carries	26.3	24.1
All Stats Via FBref for the 25/26 League Campaign

Well, it’s even worse for the former Seagulls star, as the Calchín-born star comes out ahead in every relevant metric from non-penalty expected goals plus assists to key passes and shot and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

In other words, the former City star is simply better than the Blues ace in every measurable metric, which helps explain why journalist Roy Nemer once labelled him “the best forward in the world.”

Ultimately, while it would likely cost a king’s ransom, Chelsea should do everything in their power to sign Alvarez, as he would be a massive upgrade on Pedro.

Chelsea's Yamal rival can surpass Palmer & Caicedo to become the world's best

The incredible prospect could be an even bigger superstar than Palmer and Caicedo for Chelsea.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 11, 2025

Pep Guardiola remains coy, but the plain truth is that Manchester City have closed ground on Premier League table-toppers Arsenal ahead of the Christmas period, and Sky Blue supporters know they would be wise to buckle in.

But then, another truth would be that this is simply not Pep’s strongest City squad. That said, there is enough quality within the Etihad Stadium to challenge for and potentially win the league title, especially with Erling Haaland in such impudent goalscoring form.

However, Haaland can’t do it alone all year long, with the list of the club’s top scorers underscoring the need for more firepower.

Erling Haaland

20

20

Phil Foden

19

9

Jeremy Doku

21

3

Rayan Cherki

14

3

Josko Gvardiol

16

2

Ruben Dias

20

2

Tijjani Reijnders

21

2

Phil Foden is going from strength to strength, and that could be a defining factor in City’s revival, but it’s understandable that Guardiola and the board are hoping to sign a new wide forward.

City's winter transfer plans

Haaland continues to defy expectations. Even his soaring expectations. But there’s no question that Guardiola’s side could pack a few more angles into their punches, and that’s something that may need to be fixed in January if the Premier League title is to return to the blue side of Manchester.

Given that the Norwegian goal machine is fixed into his starting berth at number nine, perhaps a goalscoring wideman could be what Pep needs.

According to TEAMtalk, Man City still have a strong interest in signing Antoine Semenyo despite Liverpool’s ostensible lead in the race. All the pointers suggest the 26-year-old is inching toward an exit from Bournemouth in 2026.

Semenyo has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, and with his £65m release clause switching on in January, City will need to pounce quickly to beat off the thick competition for his signature.

Why Pep wants to sign Semenyo

Most of the noise surrounding Semenyo and his future centres around struggling Premier League champions Liverpool, but City know they have it in their power to convince him to join their project.

A big-game player and with six goals and three assists to his name in the English top flight this term, Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave, with a skillset that looks perfect for a team fighting at the top.

His potency and pace could lead him to rival Jeremy Doku as City’s new version of Leroy Sane, who is fondly remembered to this day for his exploits in Manchester.

But, more accurately, Semenyo could actually emerge as Pep’s own version of Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool attacker.

Liverpool analyst Josh Williams has actually suggested that the Ghana international is “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” , and given the terrorising of Premier League defences – including City’s – that the Senegalese winger used to inflict, Pep could do a lot worse than add a new version to his ranks.

Looking at the former Liverpool man during the 2021/22 campaign, leading to a second-place finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, in comparison to Semenyo this season, you can perhaps see why such a claim was made, with the Cherries star boasting a completeness that few can claim they have within their locker.

Matches (starts)

34 (32)

14 (14)

Goals

16

6

Assists

2

3

Shots (on target)*

2.9 (1.1)

2.4 (1.4)

Big chances missed

13

5

Accurate passes

23.6 (77%)

19.8 (78%)

Chances created*

1.3

1.3

Succ. dribbles*

1.4

1.6

Tackles*

1.0

1.7

Duels won*

4.7

6.5

Both players are combative and dynamic and deadly in the final third, and while Semenyo has the pace and athleticism to rekindle memories of a star like Sane, it is the one-time Liverpool icon, who he bears a more striking tactical likeness.

Two-footed and able to play across both wings, Semenyo is the real deal, and though Bournemouth are struggling for form at this moment in time, he remains a beaming beacon for Andoni Iraola in the final third, having been named the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle for his efforts this season.

How City could do with a fleet-footed winger in their mix like Sane right now, someone to contrast with the electric Jeremy Doku.

Semenyo, with all his hustle and bustle, could be the perfect man for the title-chasing task at hand.

Worse than Nunes: Pep must drop Man City star who "doesn't have the legs"

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola should drop this star who was worse than Matheus Nunes against Fulham.

ByDan Emery Dec 3, 2025

Chelsea must now be longing for a swift return to Stamford Bridge in Premier League action.

Indeed, the Blues’ push towards the top of the table to challenge Arsenal has stalled after two disappointing performances on the road, with a 3-1 collapse away at Leeds United, followed up by a lacklustre showing on the South Coast to secure a 0-0 draw at AFC Bournemouth.

Not even Cole Palmer’s re-entry into Enzo Maresca’s starting XI could shake Chelsea into life away at the Cherries, as the former Manchester City superstar ended up losing possession a costly 16 times in a drab individual performance.

He was far from being the only underperformer in attack up against Andoni Iraola’s hosts, though, as Chelsea now looks at the January transfer window with hope that they can boost their underwhelming options up top.

Chelsea's attacking woes vs Bournemouth

Liam Delap must have thought that grabbing a much-needed Blues goal against Barcelona at the tail-end of November would kickstart his faltering Stamford Bridge spell.

Unfortunately, though, the former Ipswich Town striker remains without a goal in Premier League action for Maresca’s men, as the £30m summer recruit hobbled off after just 32 minutes to continue on his ongoing Chelsea nightmare.

Neither Marc Guiu nor Joao Pedro could break the deadlock either against a stubborn Cherries defence, with Guiu only managing an unconvincing two shots at the Bournemouth goal from his minimal 25 touches.

Pedro will also have Chelsea punching the panic button at this point, with the bumper £60m signing now goalless across his last four games for Maresca and Co.

It’s not the greatest shock in the world, therefore, to read that the frustrated West Londoners are targeting a move for Borussia Dortmund ace Serhou Guirassy in January, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville weighing in after the Blues’ disastrous 3-1 loss at Elland Road to say that the attackers Chelsea currently possess are not “of the level” to lift the Premier League title.

However, it’s not just in the sole striker spot where grumbles are beginning to emerge, with other pitiful performances on the South Coast giving Maresca plenty of food for thought over what his consistent starting lineup should be.

Chelsea duo must never start together again

The former Leicester City boss would lament his side’s indecisive nature in the forward areas at the full-time whistle, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho very much not helping proceedings as Chelsea’s main options down either flank.

Between them during the 0-0 stalemate, they only completed one of six dribbles, with plenty more unsatisfactory numbers tallied up by the frustrating pairing come the close of the dull affair.

Neto + Garnacho vs Bournemouth

Stat

Neto

Garnacho

Minutes played

90

77

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

35

55

Shots

2

2

Accurate passes

34/41 (83%)

17/20 (85%)

Key passes

4

1

Accurate crosses

3/6

2/3

Accurate dribbles

0/2

1/4

Possession lost

12x

10x

Duels won

4/7

1/5

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above in detail, it really doesn’t make for pretty reading for the number seven and the number 49, with possession given up a high 22 times between them, on top of just one of their combined efforts being hit on target at Dorde Petrovic’s goal.

If Chelsea is to instantly respond to this shambolic performance at the Cherries against Atalanta in the Champions League, Maresca will surely have to ditch this duo, with Estevao hopeful of a starting spot in place of Neto on the right, after scoring a stunning effort last time out in Europe’s premier competition versus Barcelona.

His constant determination to burst forward with pace and terrorise defenders would be a clear departure from the out-of-sorts offerings from both Neto and Garnacho, with five goals and one assist already tallied up in Chelsea blue by the Brazilian, seeing pundit Pat Nevin hail him as an “utterly brilliant” asset to have around.

Neto does have credit in his bank, arguably, considering he bagged his side’s only goal of the game in West Yorkshire, but an injection of freshness could still go down a treat.

This might also result in Jamie Gittens getting the nod to start on the left over Garnacho, after successfully completing all 100% of his dribbles versus Leeds as a rare bright spark.

Whatever lineup does end up taking to the field, Maresca will be hoping for an immediate response.

If he wants more energy and excitement from the get-go mid-week, he needs to ensure both Neto and Garnacho don’t start together again, after they passively went about their business at Bournemouth.

Related Worse than Enzo: Maresca must drop Chelsea star who lost the ball 17x

This Chelsea ace struggled in the 0-0 draw away to Bournemouth

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Dec 6, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten run in the Champions League came to an abrupt end last night, with holders PSG securing a huge 5-3 triumph in Paris.

The Lilywhites twice took the lead at the Parc des Princes, but Thomas Frank’s men were unable to hold and secure yet another victory in Europe’s biggest competition.

Vitinha’s hat-trick was enough to get Luis Enrique’s men across the line on home soil, leaving Frank with huge work to do to get his squad out of their current losing spree.

Goals from Kolo Muani and Richarlison weren’t enough to get the Lilywhites all three points, but it certainly does give the manager something to build on in the final third.

However, the same can’t be said for numerous members of the first-team squad, with various starters unable to take full advantage of the chances handed their way.

Spurs’ poor performers against PSG last night

After questions were asked about the midfield department following the defeat against Arsenal, Frank decided to once again change shape and hand Pape Sarr a start in central midfield.

Many were crying out for the Senegalese international to return to the starting eleven, but ultimately, he was unable to take advantage of his opportunity.

He was arguably at fault for PSG’s third effort, with the 23-year-old robbed of possession in his own defensive third before Fabian Ruiz fired home for the hosts.

The youngster wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with full-back Djed Spence once again unable to pounce on his starting role on the left-hand side of the back four.

The Englishman failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles or crosses, subsequently highlighting the lack of contribution he made when in transition.

However, without the ball, the 25-year-old was just as lacklustre, as seen by his measly tally of just 33% ground duels won whilst also being dribbled past on one occasion.

The Spurs star who had his worst game for the club v PSG

After Kolo Muani put Spurs ahead for the second time at the Parc des Princes last night, there was a belief within the Spurs faithful that the club could pull off a famous European result.

However, in true Lilywhites fashion, as of late, they were unable to sustain such a scoreline, with the collapse in the last half an hour no doubt frustrating manager Frank.

Certain players can absolutely leave such a defeat with credit and with their heads held high, with the aforementioned Kolo Muani undoubtedly having his best game for the club.

Other players, like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray also impressed at the heart of the side, with the pair the beneficiaries of the manager’s selection roulette.

The same can’t be said for numerous players, with Cristian Romero undoubtedly one that springs to mind when focusing on players who failed to deliver in Paris.

The Argentine, who’s the Lilywhites captain, endured a torrid evening against the reigning European champions, which no doubt contributed to the loss last night.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but not without struggle, with the centre-back needing to share some of the blame for Sarr’s mistake with his poorly timed pass into the midfielder.

Romero was also adjudged to have handled Vitinha’s effort late on, which led to the Portuguese international stepping up from the penalty spot to complete his first senior hat-trick.

His underlying stats further showcase his lack of impact, with the defender committing two further fouls and being dribbled past on two separate occasions.

Cristian Romero – stats against PSG

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

37

Passes completed

22

Possession lost

6x

Duels lost

50%

Fouls committed

3

Penalties conceded

1

Dribbled past

2x

Stats via FotMob

Other numbers, such as six times possession lost and 50% duels lost, further highlight his lack of impact and why it was perhaps his worst display in a Spurs shirt yet.

To top off his dismal night in Paris, Romero was handed a measly 3/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold, reaffirming how disappointing he was against the Frenchmen.

After such a showing, Frank will no doubt be questioning his starting role, with flashes of the Argentine’s rash nature rearing their head during the defeat.

However, the player will be hoping he’s still selected at the weekend to try and make amends and lead the club to a needed win the Premier League against Fulham.

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The National Baseball Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for the class of 2025. Three players are set to be enshrined in Cooperstown in this year's class: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.

Ichiro received 99.7% of the vote, meaning just one Hall of Fame voter left him off their ballot. As such, former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera remains the only player to ever get the nod from 100% of voters.

A legendary outfielder and one of baseball's most unique hitters, Ichiro was a one-time AL MVP, a 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner and two-time batting champ. He collected 3,089 hits in his 19-year career, despite not debuting in MLB until the age of 27. He becomes the first Asian-born player inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Sabathia, one of the all-time great left-handed pitchers, racked up 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts in his illustrious career for the New York Yankees, Cleveland and the Milwaukee Brewers. He ends his career as a Cy Young winner, a six-time All-Star and a World Series champion, and now, a Hall of Famer.

Both Sabathia and Ichiro got in on their first year of eligibility.

Wagner was one of the most dominant relief pitchers in history, racking up 422 saves across a 16-year career that saw him make seven All-Star teams. 2025 was his final year on the ballot, but he made it into the Hall of Fame nonetheless.

Just missing out on the 75% requirement this year included Carlos Beltran (70.3%) and Andruw Jones (66.2%). This was Beltran's third year on the ballot and Jones's eighth.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for “one of the best coaches ever” to replace Daniel Farke at Elland Road.

Pressure mounting on Farke at Leeds

After a promising start back in the Premier League which began with a 1-0 win over Everton, the pressure is starting to build on Farke in Yorkshire.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to rivals Burnley means it is now one win in the Whites’ last eight games in all competitions, with Leeds sitting two places and three points clear of the relegation zone.

Leeds vs West Ham

October 24

Brighton vs Leeds

November 1

Nottingham Forest vs Leeds

November 9

Leeds vs Aston Villa

November 23

Man City vs Leeds

November 29

Taking chances, injuries in the final third and a lack of clinical edge are already proving to be a real problem for Leeds, with Brenden Aaronson guilty of missing a big chance last time out.

Talking after the defeat at Turf Moor, former Leeds United left-back Aidy White played down claims that the 49ers Enterprises should be looking to replace the German.

“I don’t think changing manager, in this period over the next three or four games, is wise. This is an important period. I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. If he doesn’t do well in this period, then huge decisions will need to be made.”

The 49ers have already pulled the plug on Russell Martin’s tenure as Rangers boss, and if things don’t improve for Farke in Yorkshire, the American owners could have another managerial search on their hands.

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Next up for Farke and Leeds is a crucial fixture at Elland Road against West Ham United on Friday evening, with the Hammers currently sitting second bottom and four points adrift of Leeds.

Liam Rosenior linked with Leeds move

As shared by TEAMtalk, Liam Rosenior is one manager who has been linked with a move to Leeds after impressing in France with Strasbourg.

Rosenior’s side currently sit 3rd in Ligue 1 and drew 3-3 against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain last time out.

The 41-year-old, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, has experience of managing in England with Hull and appears to be going from strength abroad.

Former striker and now pundit Clinton Morrison is also a fan of Rosenior’s, going as far as calling him “one of the best coaches ever”.

“I actually think he’s a top manager. I spoke to a few people at Derby. He was unlucky to lose his job, the players respected him. He’s one of the best coaches ever.”

Rosenior also shares the same agency as Leeds attacker Aaronson, and if things don’t get better on the pitch, the 49ers may look to firm up their reported interest in the English coach.

He will take over the position from Jon Lewis at a franchise that has struggled since reaching the playoffs in WPL’s inaugural season

Nagraj Gollapudi and Ashish Pant25-Jul-2025

This will be Abhishek Nayar’s first stint in the WPL•PTI

UP Warriorz (UPW) have appointed former India allrounder Abhishek Nayar as their head coach for the next edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Nayar’s appointment comes after the franchise parted ways with Jon Lewis, who had been at the helm for the last three seasons.Nayar comes to the set-up with an extensive coaching background. A Mumbai stalwart in first-class cricket, Nayar also played three ODIs for India before his retirement in 2019. Since then, he has transitioned into coaching. He was the lead coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders academy in 2018 and then joined the KKR support staff as assistant coach. Nayar also served as the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) head coach in CPL 2022.While Nayar has never coached a women’s team, he oversaw a week-long off-season camp with UPW in August 2023 in Bengaluru. He has also worked on a one-on-one basis with several international and uncapped Indian players over the years.”I really enjoyed my time working with the UP Warriorz before and I’m thrilled to take on this new role,” Nayar said. “WPL is a fantastic platform for women’s cricket and I’m looking forward to working closely with the management to build a strong team for Season 4. UP Warriorz already have a strong foundation in place, and I believe we can build something truly special. There is incredible potential and I will give it my all to help win their first-ever title this season.”During his stint at KKR, Nayar built a rapport with mentor Gautam Gambhir, and their partnership helped the franchise lift their IPL third title in 2024. When Gambhir was appointed the head coach of the Indian side the same year, Nayar joined it as assistant coach, but his contract was terminated less than a year into the job. He subsequently returned as KKR’s assistant coach for IPL 2025, having been a part of their backroom staff from 2018 to 2024.Related

UP Warriorz and coach Jon Lewis part ways

“Bringing Abhishek Nayar on board as head coach feels like a natural and exciting step forward for UP Warriorz,” Kshemal Waingankar, COO and director of cricket UPW, told ESPNcricinfo. “When someone of Abhishek’s calibre became available, it was a no-brainer. Few in Indian cricket bring the same depth of experience when it comes to shaping players and shaping winning cultures.”In just the past 18 months alone, Abhishek has been part of three championship-winning campaigns, each in a different role, each leaving a lasting impact. We are thrilled to have him lead a Warriorz side that’s united, fearless and hungry to grow. With Abhishek at the helm, we believe this group can do something truly special.”Nayar played a crucial part in unlocking Dinesh Karthik’s potential as a finisher in T20 cricket. At various times, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have also credited Nayar for their batting resurgence.More recently, KL Rahul also thanked Nayar: “I’ve worked really hard on my white-ball game the last year or so. Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team.”UPW haven’t had the best of times at the WPL so far. They made it to the playoffs in the inaugural season in 2023, where they lost to eventual champions Mumbai Indians in the eliminator. Since then, they have finished second to bottom and bottom of the five-team points table, in 2024 and 2025 respectively.UPW have played 25 matches in the WPL across seasons, of which they have lost 15 games and won ten. Deepti Sharma was named their captain for WPL 2025, after Alyssa Healy was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

After watching on as they failed to secure victory on the European stage once again, former player Chris Sutton revealed why he feels sorry for one Celtic player.

Rodgers: Celtic need to have some "realism"

For a brief moment, Celtic were on their way in Belgrade after Kelechi Iheanacho found the back of the net once again just before the hour mark. But any momentum proved to be short-lived, with Marko Arnautovic finding a swift equaliser just 10 minutes later to leave both sides holding onto a point apiece to open their Europa League campaigns.

Whilst a draw will have frustrated many, Brendan Rodgers called for “realism” in his post-match reaction. The Celtic boss told reporters: “I think there needs to be a bit of realism.

“We are where we are. Tonight is a good point. You’re not going to win all eight games, so a bit of realism. This is a good point for this squad coming here. We’ve now got two really [important] home games to push forward.”

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Rodgers did at least save some praise for 19-year-old fullback Colby Donovan following another excellent display, saying: “I thought he was absolutely outstanding. I said to the players after, I thought he was incredible for a young player making his fourth or fifth start for us. To play to that level in such a tough stadium [and he’s] just turned 19, he’s got personality.”

The same can’t be said for others in Celtic squad, however, and questions will be asked of a number of senior stars, which is likely to include one player that Sutton feels sorry for at the moment.

Sutton: Maeda being "shoehorned" by Rodgers

Taking to X when the Japanese forward was taken off, Sutton revealed that he believes Maeda is being “shoehorned” by Rodgers despite being such a “revelation” for the Bhoys last season.

The former Celtic Park star said: “Maeda off… if he’s not injured I feel for him. A guy who was a revelation playing wide shoehorned into playing a position he’s not comfortable in… surely playing him off the right would be better. 33 goals last season… a bit of a pickle Celtic are in…”

Maeda 25/26	Stats
Games	10
Goals	2
Assists	2

It’s hard to disagree with Sutton’s verdict. From scoring 33 goals last season, Maeda has netted just two in 10 games in the current campaign in a record that will catch up to him as Iheanacho continues his bright start.

Having already lost so much firepower in the summer when Nicolas Kuhn completed a move to Como 1907, the last thing that Celtic need is for Maeda to drop out of form entirely.

They’ve struggled for goals without the forward at his best on the European stage and will be well aware of the damage that could still be done in the Scottish Premiership.