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Newcastle United were beaten at Anfield as Eddie Howe’s side had to make do without star striker Alexander Isak, absent with a slight groin issue.

Liverpool’s victory means Newcastle have now been defeated in four of their past six Premier League fixtures. Frankly, they were second best throughout the evening, with Isak’s absence underscored by the failure to test Alisson even once.

There’s still plenty to play for this season, success possible through three competitions, but Howe will know his team need to be much better when they meet Liverpool at Wembley next month.

How Newcastle were beaten at Anfield

When Luis Diaz played the onrushing Dominik Szoboszlai in after 11 minutes, Nick Pope needed to make the save and settle the nerves for the travelling Toon.

Fabian Schar should have done better in snuffing out the cross but United’s goalkeeper will be frustrated after failing to get a hand to Szoboszlai’s somewhat tame strike.

This painful sequence underscored the crux of Newcastle’s current issues: in five of their past six Premier League matches, Newcastle have conceded the first goal, having scored first against Fulham at St. James’ Park but gone on to lose that one.

Isak’s absence was sorely felt, but Newcastle have a talented frontline beyond that of the Sweden striker, and Anthony Gordon will be disappointed that he failed to showcase his talent at Anfield, having looked a bit lost without his free-scoring pal.

Anthony Gordon looked lost without Isak

Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24, Gordon is a wonderful and dynamic forward, but he struggled on this return to Merseyside.

Fielded as a makeshift number ten to support Callum Wilson up front, he was well marshalled by Virgil van Dijk and co. Gordon might have fared better in a more conventional wide role, which was instead assumed by Joe Willock, who also flattered to deceive.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

44

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

18/22 (82%)

Key passes

0

Possession lost

17x

Dribbles

1/4

Tackles

3

Duels won

5/13

The Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder did praise Gordon for being a ‘willing runner’ at Anfield, though rebuked his lack of a clinical touch in the same breath, giving him a 5/10 match rating that illustrated a disappointing evening.

Having mustered just the one shot – blocked – and failed to find the sprightly Wilson with a single key pass, Gordon struggled for fluency against Liverpool’s redoubtable backline, though it would be remiss to question his commitment, making three tackles and winning five duels.

He did try to make things happen, but having ceded possession 17 times without making a meaningful creative contribution, it’s clear Gordon missed Isak’s world-class striking presence.

Ultimately, one to forget for Newcastle, who now need to rally ahead of the weekend’s FA Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion and a make-or-break run of fixtures in the Premier League and, indeed, a Carabao Cup final against none other than Liverpool.

Might revenge be on the cards?

Newcastle must rue selling world-class star who will be better than Gordon

Newcastle were forced to sell off two of their most prized assets in June to avoid a PSR breach, and one in particular is starring on the South Coast.

2 ByBen Gray Feb 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da betsson： O lateral-direito Pablo Toscano espera ansiosamente pelo início do Paraense 2023 para conquistar o principal objetivo do Paragominas na temporada: o retorno a uma disputa nacional.

Além disso, o clube aguarda na Justiça a decisão se vai disputar a elite do estadual. Em 2022, Bragantino-PA e Águia escalaram jogadores irregulares, sendo punidos, e colocando o Paragominas na Série A do Parazão. No entanto, o caso coube recurso. O julgamento ocorrerá no dia 8 de janeiro, no Rio de Janeiro.

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da pinup bet： – Espero muito ajudar o Paragominas neste ano e colocar o clube onde ele nunca deveria ter saído, que é uma competição nacional. Vamos brigar forte por isso – prometeu Pablo.

Enquanto não há decisão na Justiça, o defensor segue em Goiás aprimorando sua forma física, mas confiante na vitória fora de campo.

– É ruim ficar esperando, tive um convite para jogar no futebol goiano, mas recusei, pois a diretoria do Paragominas está confiante na vitória. Estou treinando e mantendo minha forma física para chegar bem no Estadual – finalizou o atleta.

Colin Ackermann, Fred Klaassen, Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe are not part of Netherlands’ squad for the ODI World Cup Qualifier slated for June-July in Zimbabwe due to their county commitments.Fast bowlers Brandon Glover and Timm van der Gugten are also not in the 16-member squad whereas allrounder Bas de Leede, who had qualified as a local to be on a two-year contract with Durham from February, has been named in the squad since his clause in the deal allows him to take part in the Qualifier.Even though counties have to allow their players to play for their Associate teams in ICC events, players and boards understand that they can’t enforce that protocol as it could result in some players losing their county deals. In an interview last year, Klaasen had termed this a “tricky situation” since the county deals provide the players financial security.Logan van Beek, Clayton Floyd and Saqib Zulfiqar are also back in the squad, while Noah Croes and 19-year old Michael Levitt have earned a call-ups.”Coming off the back of a three game series in Zimbabwe a few months ago, we have been really intentional in our preparation for the qualifiers and we are confident the squad we have picked can play a brand of cricket that will be successful in these conditions,” captain Scott Edwards said. “We have a good mixture of experienced players along with some exciting young players who have performed well in the domestic Pro Series and club season leading into this tournament.”Netherlands will play against Zimbabwe, USA, Nepal and West Indies from Group A on June 20, 22, 24 and 26, respectively. Group B has Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman and UAE. The top three from each group will then advance to the Super Sixes stage, where they will only play the sides they did not meet in the group stage. The top two teams from the Super Sixes will qualify for the World Cup, to be held in India in October and November this year.Netherlands gained some valuable experience in Zimbabwe prior to the Qualifier, when they toured South Africa and Zimbabwe in March. They lost 2-0 to South Africa in the three-match ODIs and suffered 2-1 defeat to Zimbabwe. Squad: Scott Edwards (captain, wk), Max O’Dowd, Logan van Beek, Vikramjit Singh, Aryan Dutt, Vivian Kingma, Bas de Leede, Noah Croes, Ryan Klein, Teja Nidamanuru, Wesley Barresi, Shariz Ahmad, Clayton Floyd, Michael Levitt, Saqib Zulfiqar.

Seamer earns praise from both captains after player-of-the-match performance

George Dobell28-Aug-2021A “real find” was Virat Kohli’s description; “phenomenal” was Joe Root’s word: whichever way you look at it, England have a man for the long haul in Ollie Robinson.Robinson was named player of the match as England completed an innings-and-76-run victory in the third LV= Insurance Test at Leeds. He claimed 7 for 81 in the match, including 5 for 65 in the second innings. With James Anderson and Stuart Broad coming towards the end and Jofra Archer facing an uncertain future, in Test cricket at least, Robinson’s emergence gives England great reassurance for the future.Robinson took 4 for 25 in eight metronomic overs on the fourth and final morning. Running in from the Kirkstall Lane End, he quickly settled on a consistent length which threatens the stumps and both edges of the bat. Yes, he had a new ball with which to work. But the pitch was flat and the sun was hot. These were not easy wickets picked up on an English seamer.It was interesting to hear Robinson credit the influence of Anderson after the second five-wicket haul of a career which is only four Tests old. For almost as impressive as the statistics with Robinson is his apparent ability to pick up new tricks. Here, in the lead-up to the game, he noticed Anderson was gripping the ball slightly differently to other bowlers. Reasoning that there was nobody better to learn from, he quickly picked Anderson’s brains.”I noticed Jimmy held his wobble grip slightly different to how I and a few others held it,” Robinson said. “I spoke to him when we got to Headingley after the break and just tried to practice it in the nets. It went quite nicely. I tried it in the game and it worked quite well. It’s something I need to practise a bit more, but learning off Jimmy is invaluable at this stage of my career and luckily it came off today.”Related

• Ollie Robinson: 'Getting stuck into the opposition is a role I've taken upon myself'

• England march to 1-1 with Ollie Robinson five-for

• James Anderson puts things right after learning lessons of Lord's

• Six specialist batters to guard against collapses? 'I don't believe in that balance,' says Virat Kohli

• 'This is the situation we love best' – Virat Kohli eager to prove doubters wrong

This ability to pick-up skills from other bowlers is nothing new from Robinson. He grew up idolising Glenn McGrath and then played Grade cricket in Australia with Josh Hazlewood. Their influence can be seen both in his wonderfully smooth, repeatable action and his ability to thump out an excellent, consistent, probing length. Earlier in the series, he produced a knuckle ball – changing his grip even as he gathered to deliver – which also demonstrated his wide range of skills.He says his stock ball is the one delivered with a wobble seam which he hopes will hold up and leave the right-hander. And it was just such a delivery which accounted for Kohli, whose habit of flirting a little outside off stump was punished when Robinson persuaded one to bounce and at least straighten.But equally dangerous is the one which darts back into the batters. And while Robinson’s bounce – even from a pretty full length, Hawkeye tends to show the ball bouncing over the stumps – and the sometimes prodigious nature of his inswing might render leg-before dismissals a little more rare than you would expect (Mohammed Shami was, at one stage, reprieved by DRS when it looked for all the world as if he had been trapped in front), the fact that he can move the ball in both directions creates confusion. That’s why Cheteshwar Pujara left one which would have hit his off stump and Kohli fiddled with one he could have left. The fact that it’s all delivered with the nagging accuracy of toothache just wears at the batters’ concentration. It’s a terrific package.It was interesting that Kohli, while offering praise afterwards, also added a caveat. “He understand his skills really well,” Kohli told the BBC. “He swings the ball both ways and he’s very consistent; especially in these conditions. He is a real find for them.”No doubt there will be days, in Asia in particular, when that “these conditions” line proves true. But Robinson might enjoy South Africa, Australia and, depending on the surfaces, the Caribbean, too. He has played a fair amount of Grade cricket already and, while he is unlikely to gain the same amount of swing from a Kookaburra ball, he may well enjoy the extra bounce off the pitch. He’ll still hit the seam; he’ll still bowl an impeccable length. These are skills that should render him a useful addition to the attack in most conditions.Virat Kohli leaves the field after being dismissed by Ollie Robinson•Getty Images”My strength is consistency,” Robinson said. “It’s something I look at with the analyst and the bowling coach, Jon Lewis, every day after I bowl. I see how I’ve bowled and check my lines and lengths. If I can be as consistent as possible, not go for runs and build the pressure, then hopefully I’ll get wickets with that.”My stock ball is just to wobble the seam and try to get it to hold away from the right-hander. I’m learning a few things at the moment that I won’t reveal, but I’m trying to improve myself all the time, really. Learning from Jimmy, speaking to Jon Lewis – trying to improve myself all the time to become the best I can be really.”The one doubt England had about Robinson was his ability to back up performances. But he has managed to bowl more overs than anyone else this series and generally retained both his consistency and pace.”It’s been phenomenal to watch him perform as he has,” Root, his grateful captain, said. “He’s had big influences on all the Tests he’s played. We’ve known how skilful he is. It was a question of whether he’d be able to back it up in his third spell with the ball a little older. And he’s shown huge skill in being able to do that time and time again with big workloads under his belt. He’s shown what he is capable of doing and long may that continue.”Robinson said: “I was confident I could perform at this level. Over the last three or four years in county cricket, I’ve been up there with leading wicket-takers and getting good players or overseas players out often. So I knew that if I stepped up to Test cricket I could do the same and luckily I have been able to.”It feels like a very special day. It’s one of the great days in my cricket career: to get my first Test win and to take the vital wickets is really special. The noise when we got Kohli out was deafening. It was just an unbelievable experience and feeling to get that wicket.”So, yes. I’m very happy. I’ve had to wait a while for my chance, but hopefully I’ve taken it now and it will keep me in the team for years to come.”There seems every chance of that.Craig Overton celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesCraig Overton had a decent game, too. With bat, ball and in the slips, he looked a sound addition. He may well struggle to retain his place if and when Archer, Broad and Woakes return. But his consistency and his obvious relish for the challenge render him a decent option at this level. He may well have moved ahead of Sam Curran in the pecking order now.In the short-term, England remain hopeful that Woakes and Mark Wood may be available for the fourth Test, which starts on Thursday at The Kia Oval. Both have bowled in the last day or so – Woakes in The Blast and Wood in training – and will be monitored to see how they recover. The extra day off won’t have done anyone involved in this game any harm, either.But Jos Buttler looks less likely to feature. Root would neither confirm or deny, but Buttler may be absent on paternity leave for either or both of the next two Tests. With his enthusiasm to tour Australia in current circumstances also doubtful – quite understandably, it should be added – there is a possibility (just a possibility) he could have played his last Test. Jonny Bairstow is likely to replace him with the gloves at The Oval, if required, with Ollie Pope set to come into the middle-order. Dan Lawrence has been released to play County Championship cricket from Monday.Such issues can wait until next week. For now, we can relish the prospect of an increasingly intriguing series which will remain ‘live’ right to the end. Every ball counts, you know.

Big picture: Can West Indies deepen England’s white-ball funk?

Plenty has gone on since Jos Buttler led his players off the field at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, following a comprehensive defeat to India in their World Cup semi-final. Matthew Mott vacated his post soon after, leading to Brendon McCullum’s appointment as cross-format supremo and, while Buttler was retained as captain, he has not hit a ball in anger since, due to a persistent calf injury that caused him to miss the Hundred, as well as ODI and T20I series against Australia and then the West Indies one-dayers.There will be added significance, then, to his comeback for five T20Is in the Caribbean. In the last 12 months, Buttler has overseen two doomed World Cup defences – and the window is already narrowing for England to get their white-ball show back on the road in time for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in February. (Whether the schedule is helpful in that regard – England have the same split of three ODIs and five T20Is in India as part of their build-up to the tournament – is a moot point.)Buttler’s enthusiasm for England duty should have been sharpened by time spent on the sidelines – as well, perhaps, as his release by Rajasthan Royals ahead of the IPL auction later this month. He joined up with the squad in Barbados earlier this week, with interim head coach Marcus Trescothick describing him as “progressing really nicely” ahead of the T20Is.At the very least, his return will put a stop to the revolving door of captaincy understudies, with three different men (Phil Salt, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone) in charge for the three engagements against Australia and West Indies. And while England’s squad is otherwise the same as that beaten 2-1 in the ODI leg, there is far greater T20 experience to call on – even from the tyros in the group, such as Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley.Jos Buttler speaks to the media ahead of his England comeback•Getty Images

West Indies also carry some hurt with them from the T20 World Cup, after failing to make the semi-finals despite strong form going into their home tournament. They have already begun the process of moving on, sweeping the beaten finalists, South Africa, 3-0 in August before going down 2-1 in Sri Lanka last month – albeit Daren Sammy, West Indies’ head coach, called it a “moral victory” for his side. England know all about those.Sammy and Rovman Powell, the captain, have dovetailed to good effect in managing the complex relationships between West Indies’ star players and the global franchise circuit. Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer and Akeal Hossein were all absent from the Sri Lanka tour for personal reasons but have returned to take on England. Having not qualified for the Champions Trophy, West Indies can already start to focus on the next T20 World Cup, set to be played in India and Sri Lanka in early 2026.One player who won’t be involved over the weekend, however, is Alzarri Joseph, with the fast bowler banned for two matches by Cricket West Indies after apologising for storming off the pitch during the deciding ODI in Barbados. Proof that even when you’re winning, things don’t always run smooth.

Form guide

West Indies LLWWW
England WLLWL

In the spotlight: Andre Russell and Jos Buttler

Andre Russell has not pulled on a West Indies shirt since they lost their de facto quarter-final against South Africa in Antigua in June – with many having assumed that, at 36, the T20 World Cup would be his international swansong. Russell has since confirmed a desire to play on until the 2026 edition, though his workload is likely to be carefully managed by Sammy and the West Indies hierarchy. His last international comeback, against England in Barbados less than a year ago, saw him win Player of the Match, and judging by a fiery post in the wake of Trinbago Knight Riders’s CPL exit, the passion for the game remains.England followers will not be looking past Jos Buttler, assuming he is passed fit ahead of the game (and then even if it he isn’t). There has been nothing wrong with Buttler’s T20 form in 2024, albeit he was unable to shape England’s key World Cup encounters with Australia and India – but he had cut an increasingly tetchy figure as captain, particularly in the build-up to their campaign in the Caribbean. McCullum has pinpointed cheering up a “miserable” Buttler as his first job in charge of the white-ball set-up, and an unfettered return – free from injury, ideally at the helm of a winning side – over the next nine days would be a good start.

Team news: Big names back for both sides

The T20 big guns look set to regain their places in West Indies’ XI – although there might be a temptation to include some top-order insurance in the form of Shai Hope or Roston Chase. Romario Shepherd was fit to be included in the squad after being diagnosed with cramp following his tumble in the third ODI.West Indies: (possible) 1 Brandon King, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Rovman Powell (capt), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Roston Chase/Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Gudakesh Motie, 10 Matthew Forde, 11 Shamar JosephSalt has been confirmed as wicketkeeper, with Buttler looking to lighten his load on comeback. Mousley could make his T20I debut after scoring a maiden England fifty in the Barbados ODI, while the other two uncapped squad members, John Turner and Jafer Chohan, will hope to join him at some point during the series.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt (wk), 2 Jos Buttler (capt), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Jacob Bethell, 6 Dan Mousley, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton/Saqib Mahmood, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Reece Topley

Pitch and conditions: Something for everyone – possibly including rain

Kensington Oval was the third-highest scoring venue during the World Cup earlier in the year, and one of only two to see a total of 200 – when Australia left England trailing in their Group B encounter. The ODI surface offered a bit for seam bowling first up but became much easier to bat on under lights. The forecast in Bridgetown is for another hot day with a chance of showers.

Stats and trivia

• West Indies beat England 3-2 in both of their previous bilateral T20I series, in 2021-22 and 2023-24.
• England’s last series win over West Indies in either white-ball format came back in 2018-19, when they swept the T20Is 3-0 – although they did also beat the hosts in their World Cup Super Eights fixture in June.
• Salt needs 56 runs to reach 1000 in T20Is; Hetmyer is 67 short of the same mark.

Quotes

“It’s a definite loss for us, he’s the spearhead of our attack and one of our more experienced bowlers. But having said that we have capable replacements, when you look at the bench strength and guys that are in the wings waiting, it’s good also. It’s an opportunity for somebody to step up and be counted.”
“You walk into breakfast and you see the guys that they bring back and there’s some real superstars – Pooran and Russell. They’re a really strong team and they’ve been a strong team for a really long time and have guys who are well suited to the format. It’s a great challenge.”

Leeds United are ramping up their transfer activity as the new Premier League season edges ever closer.

Former Manchester City youth starlet Lucas Nmecha has now joined the ranks from Wolfsburg to enhance the Whites’ attacking options. It’s surely only a matter of time before Jaka Bijol is announced too, after he has allegedly undergone a medical at Elland Road.

The next logical step would be to add some reinforcements in the middle of the park, therefore, and Leeds’ wish could be granted if they were to land a former Premier League ace.

Leeds interested in deal for £25m star

Strengthening the midfield ranks is evidently a key priority for Leeds this summer with moves for the likes of Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki reportedly lined up.

Diarra seems to be a more concrete target at the moment with fresh claims suggesting that they made a bid worth £21m.

Transfer Focus

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

Slow progress is being made on that deal, so the Whites are seeking alternatives. Well, according to a new report from Italian outlet Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, Leeds are in the picture to land former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz this summer.

The report states that Luiz will be allowed to leave Juventus this off-season after a mediocre stint in Turin, but Leeds could well be put off by the Serie A giants and their asking price, with Igor Tudor’s men having purchased the Brazilian for a bumper £42m fee.

The move could still have legs on a loan-to-buy basis, however, with the report clarifying that such a deal would only cost Daniel Farke’s men £25m down the line. That marks a sharp decrease from Luiz’s staggering £100m valuation back in 2023.

Thus, that £25m fee feels like a reasonable fee to pay for the South American, with his reputation needing to be repaired, and that could occur back in England, where he once starred for Unai Emery’s men regularly.

Why Luiz could become Leeds' new Raphinha-like star

Luiz could come in and seriously improve Farke’s midfield options, with this deal having a similar feel to when Leeds purchased another Brazilian from Europe in the form of Raphinha for a bargain £16m, with the rest now history on the end of the Barcelona superstar.

Obviously, Raphinha didn’t have the backdrop of flopping at Rennes before he relocated to West Yorkshire, but it would have been seen as a savvy deal at the time, with Leeds only having to fork out a modest fee to win the slick winger.

The 34-time Brazil international would go on to cement himself in Leeds hearts everywhere with his skilful performances throughout his short stay, leading to the now Barca number 11 collecting 17 goals and 12 assists from 67 appearances, with his efforts as the Whites’ top goalscorer during his swansong season at Elland Road helping Leeds to just about beat the drop.

Luiz might well follow in Raphinha’s footsteps and be the energetic presence Leeds need to secure their Premier League status this coming season, with the Rio De Janeiro-born midfielder a proven top-flight performer.

Farke would love to call upon Luiz as an additional central body, therefore, with the vibrant Brazilian capable of getting stuck in when needed. Like Raphinha, who’s now a firm Ballon d’Or contender, he’s got fine pedigree, notably hailed as “one of the best 6s in the Premier League” and “one of the best [midfielders] in the world” by Sky Italia.

That’s showcased perfectly by his numbers for the Villans, where he ranked within the top 7% of midfielders in the Premier League in 2023/24 for goals, demonstrating his attacking flair to go alongside his defensive qualities.

Games played

36

33

34

37

35

Goals scored

3

0

2

6

9

Assists

2

2

3

6

5

Touches*

46.1

55.6

56.9

60.6

70.1

Accurate passes*

27.7 (83%)

36.8 (86%)

37.1 (87%)

39.6 (86%)

50.4 (89%)

Big chances created

3

4

2

7

10

Tackles*

1.3

1.5

1.7

2.0

1.7

Clearances*

1.3

1.2

0.6

0.6

0.5

Total duels won*

4.1

4.9

4.4

4.4

4.2

Luiz only got better and better the more his Premier League journey at Villa Park went on, culminating in him firing home a ridiculous nine Premier League strikes during his final season in the West Midlands.

He would even be labelled as “world-class” during his celebrated stay with the Villans by teammate John McGinn, with Raphinha once also talked about in the same glowing manner in West Yorkshire when heralded as “special” by Marcelo Bielsa.

Everything is pointing in the direction of this being a superb deal, with Luiz potentially going on to be their new Premier League saviour, just as Raphinha was once upon a time.

He's better than Diarra: Leeds now looking at deal to sign £26m "threat"

Leeds United are eyeing up a midfield star who could be even better than Habib Diarra.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 19, 2025

Here is the ball-by-ball account, and the pictures, of all ten wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-20214:11

Daniel Vettori: ‘Rare’ Ajaz Patel 10-wicket haul is greatest individual feat in NZ Test cricket

Wicket No. 1: Shubman Gill c Ross Taylor b Ajaz Patel 44•BCCI27.3 to Shubman Gill, he’s caught at slip. One ball after a let-off, Gill goes. Ajaz gets a nice loop going on this one too, Gill tries to push-drive from the crease, gets an edge that settles into Ross Taylor’s extremely safe hands at slip. Important breakthrough for New Zealand with India having looked so comfortable. 80/1Wicket No. 2: Cheteshwar Pujara b Ajaz Patel 0•Associated Press29.2 to Cheteshwar Pujara, he’s got him bowled! One ball after a missed stumping he got Gill. One ball after a failed lbw review, he gets Pujara – who has to go for a duck. Pujara coming down the track – he’s rarely ever even beaten coming down the track to a spinner – but this one is flighted perfectly and dips below his bat, spins viciously away from leg stump to knock back off-stump. Pujara has a slightly stunned look as he walks off. 80/2Wicket No. 3: Virat Kohli lbw b Ajaz Patel 0•BCCI29.6 to Virat Kohli, massive appeal for lbw given and Kohli reviews. What an over this is turning out to be for Ajaz. What a spell. This is really close on whether he’s inside edged it or not. The ball is fitting perfectly between bat and pad as he’s on the front foot to defend. One half of the ball is near the inside edge, the other on the pad. And there’s a spike, but is it due to ball hitting bat first or only with ball hitting pad? There doesn’t seem to be conclusive evidence of bat first, though the seam does wobble a bit when it passes the bat. Third umpire says no conclusive evidence of bat first. Ball tracking has it hitting the stumps flush. And that means Kohli has to go for a duck on his return. He has a word with the umpire for a moment before walking off. This match has turned, and how. 80/3Wicket No. 4: Shreyas Iyer c Tom Blundell b Ajaz Patel 18•Associated Press47.4 to Shreyas Iyer, Ajaz provides NZ with another breakthrough. Full, slides in from left-arm around, as opposed to turning away. Ajaz finds some extra bounce to boot. Iyer has an uncertain prod at it, searching for turn, and ends up inside-edging it onto his thigh pad. The ball lobs up to Blundell who collects it cleanly, having fluffed a stumping earlier in the day 160/4Wicket No. 5 Wriddhiman Saha lbw b Ajaz Patel 27•Associated Press71.4 to Wriddhiman Saha, Ajaz has five. Strikes in the first over of the day. This was plumb enough that Saha opts not to review after a brief discussion with Agarwal. This one went with the arm, Saha misread the length and was moving back to cut, it skids on from a length on off and hits him on the knee roll. Replay show that was umpire’s call on impact but was hitting the stumps 224/5Wicket No. 6: R Ashwin b Ajaz Patel 0•Associated Press71.5 to R Ashwin, what a beauty. That is a peach to get first up and nothing much Ashwin can do about it. Ajaz turning things around for New Zealand within an over, once again. Perfectly geometric arc to the ball, Ashwin is a tall man, stretches forward to defend but the loop is perfect so he cant quite get to the pitch, it lands in front, spins just enough to beat bat, but not too much, so it shaves off-stump. Ashwin didn’t realise he was bowled, it was that fine a margin for the spin. Ajaz got it inch-perfect. Ashwin was actually making the signal to review because he thought he’d been given caught behind. 224/6Wicket No. 7: Mayank Agarwal c Tom Blundell b Ajaz Patel 150•BCCI99.5 to Mayank Agarwal, he’s got him. Ajaz on track for the magic ten. Crucial, crucial strike and a great ball to get it. A bit of a misjudgement in length perhaps from Agarwal after exemplary concentration throughout. Ajaz gets this to dip and drift again like he has all through, Agarwal goes on the back foot, but the grip and turn mean his hands follow the ball a bit, just enough to snaffle a thin edge that is well caught by the keeper standing up. The end of a fantastic knock. 291/7Wicket No. 8: Axar Patel lbw b Ajaz Patel 52•BCCI107.5 to Axar Patel, pads up to one outside off, turning in. Ajaz appeals. No shot offered so he can be given lbw. They take the review. He stretched his front leg out a fair way so that has to turn a bit to threaten the stumps. And it is! three reds on the review. Turning enough to take out off stump full. Stunning review from Ajaz, and he has eight now. He can smell that ten-for, as can everyone else. End of an important innings by Axar. 316/8Wicket No. 9: Jayant Yadav c Rachin Ravindra b Ajaz Patel 12•BCCI109.2 to Jayant Yadav, he’s holed out to long-off and Ajaz has nine! We are one step away from history. Jayant looking for quick runs, dances down the track, gets to the pitch too and was hitting with the turn. Right idea perhaps, but wrong execution. Can’t time it well and the ball goes flat. There’s a fielder right there and he gobbles it up. 321/9Wicket No. 10: Mohammed Siraj c Rachin Ravindra b Ajaz Patel 4•BCCI109.5 to Mohammed Siraj, history! Ajaz becomes the third bowler in Test cricket to take all ten. Ajaz Patel has joined Jim Laker and Anil Kumble. Stunning, stunning feat and even the Indian dressing room is applauding. Ajaz roars out and pumps his fist. A Mumbai-born boy, coming to Wankhede and making history. What a moment. This was tossed up on the stumps and Siraj slogged across the line, got a steepling top edge as he sliced it. Hearts in mouths moment as the ball swirls high, but mid-on calmly takes it. Rachin Ravindra the man. The duo that had denied India victory in Kanpur combines for another historic moment. 325/10

After announcing the arrival of Jamie Gittens, Chelsea now reportedly want to hijack Newcastle United’s chase to sign a Serie A defender who’s worth over £50m.

Gittens realises Premier League "dream"

As ever, Chelsea haven’t been afraid to spend big in the summer transfer window. This time around, they’ve splashed out over £60m to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, £35m to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town and, most recently, £52m to welcome Gittens from Borussia Dortmund. But even then, the Blues are unlikely to be done there.

After putting pen to paper to confirm his big-money move, the winger told Chelsea’s official website: “I did watch Chelsea when I was younger. Not in the stadium but on the TV at home in Reading, during the time of the Eden Hazard era.

“Eden was the clear player for me at that time. I liked Willian as well, another attacker. He had that little shimmy he did, I liked that.

“It’s my dream to play in the Premier League. Obviously, watching it from Germany, it’s a really intense league. Every week is a battle, and I feel like I can enter that battle strongly. I’m excited to join this team that have a winning mentality – that’s the main thing.

More exciting than Estevao: Chelsea chase one of "England's biggest jewels"

Chelsea could be looking to make a move for one of England’s finest talents

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 5, 2025

“I just want to keep improving, especially as a footballer and a human being. I want to be more consistent and keep learning. It’s a great feeling to join Chelsea, such a big club. I can’t wait to learn from everyone in the team and to push myself to the max here. It’s amazing.”

With Pedro, Delap and now Gittens at their disposal going forward, those in West London have seemingly turned their attention towards handing their backline a similar boost in the form of a Serie A star.

Chelsea eyeing Giorgio Scalvini hijack

According to Caught Offside, Chelsea now want to hijack Newcastle’s move to sign Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta and face competition from Manchester United to do so. The Magpies have set their sights on the defender, but now face competition from two rivals.

Like Gittens, however, the deal won’t come cheap for Chelsea with the Serie A club reportedly demanding as much as €60m (£52m) to sell their central defender this summer.

It’s clear to see why Chelsea are interested in Scalvini even as he returns from an ACL injury, and it’s not just because of his defensive talents. As analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted last year, the Atalanta man has the “front-footed aggressive style” to push into midfield if needed in the type of versatility that no side would turn down.

Whilst he may need time to get back to his best after a long-term injury, Scalvini remains one to watch this summer.

Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has offered his verdict on striker Alexander Isak as the Newcastle star pushes for a move to Liverpool.

Isak pushing to leave Newcastle for LiverpoolSweden boss has spoken at length with strikerUrges fans to be careful as situation is "complex"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Isak wants to leave Newcastle before the close of the summer transfer window and secure a move to Liverpool. The Reds have already seen an initial offer for the striker rejected, while the Sweden international is refusing to play for the club in a bid to try and force a move to Anfield.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Newcastle want to bring in a replacement before sanctioning an exit for Isak and have been linked with Brentford's Yoane Wissa and Paris Saint-Germain star Goncalo Ramos. Isak has faced heavy criticism for his behaviour towards Newcastle and desire to move on, but Tomasson has praised the striker's professionalism and said fans must be careful as the full facts are not yet known.

WHAT TOMASSON SAID

He told fotbollskanalen: "First of all: 'Alex' is an extremely professional player. A fantastic character and personality. I have talked a lot with "Alex" during this period. Situations like this are quite complex. These are extremely complex environments that the players operate in. I'm sure it will work out in the end, but you have to know the whole picture before you draw conclusions. That's always a good tip.

"I don't think we know it (the whole picture). I don't know the whole picture either. It's quite normal because there's a lot of politics in a football club. But one thing is for sure: "Alex" is a great guy and very professional. We should all be very careful about drawing conclusions because we don't know the bigger picture."

TELL ME MORE…

Tomasson also spoke about Isak's chances of playing Wotld Cup qualifiers for the national team in September after missing the start of the domestic season. He added: "There is time. He is a professional and I know he has trained. Of course he has not trained with a team and has not played matches. Let's wait and see. We will have a good talk, Alex and I, and hopefully he will be back in team training soon. Of course we have thought about it. I want to have my best players available and he is a fantastic player. But I can't see into the future. It's impossible."

It is no secret that Arsenal are actively in the market for a new attacking player or two for Mikel Arteta this summer, with the Gunners now urged to make a move for one highly-rated forward who’s reportedly on Andrea Berta’s list.

Arsenal targeting new winger with "numerous talks" held

Bukayo Saka’s lengthy injury absence midway through 2024/2025, combined with uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of Leandro Trossard, has seemingly pushed Arsenal into considering the signing of a winger.

Arsenal talks could advance in "next few days" as Berta eyes £59m signing

The Gunners have been in contact this week.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 5, 2025

The Belgian is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract in north London, and there are even some suggestions that Arsenal would also entertain suitable bids for Gabriel Martinelli, who is valued at around £50 million, so Arteta’s wide options could look slightly different by the time we reach 2025/2026.

In terms of potential incomings, talks have been held over a deal for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is considered the “dream signing” by Arsenal in that position, but negotiations are proving complicated due to wage demands (Florian Plettenberg).

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0

That being said, Rodrygo is by no means their only option, with Berta holding “numerous talks” over many targets, including Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian is reportedly valued at around £42 million, which could prove to be a bargain considering his exploits in Serie A over the last two seasons.

Lookman’s devastating performance in the 2024 Europa League final ended Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run, and he’s fresh off scoring 20 goals in all competitions for Atalanta over the season just gone.

Multiple reports have claimed that Arsenal have held talks over a move for Lookman, with club legend Ian Wright now urging Berta to seal a deal.

Ian Wright urges Arsenal to sign Ademola Lookman after alleged talks

Speaking on the Wrighty’s House podcast this week, the N5 icon expressed his admiration for Lookman’s journey to the top, branding him a “top” player.

Wright also urged Arsenal to sign Lookman before the start of next season, explaining exactly why he believes the African would do an excellent job under Arteta.

“I’m going to go with Ademola Lookman winning the African Player of the Year in respects of that man’s journey,” said Wright.

“I remember him from Charlton, it didn’t work out, £10 million to Everton, then moving all over the place, the journey from loan to this, then I think that’s one of the most devastating performances I’ve seen in any final with that hat-trick he scored.

“I hope we can buy him, Arsenal. I would love someone like him to come back to the Premier League and say, ‘listen, I have unfinished business here, so I am going to help Arsenal win the league’.

“But I just admire his journey, and now he’s recognised rightly as a top player, unbelievable.”