Category Uncategorized

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

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

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

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

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

Related Liverpool now eyeing Mateta deal amid fresh Crystal Palace contract concern

The Reds know all about his quality.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

£280,000-a-week Liverpool star slammed for "anonymous" Nottingham Forest display

كشف مصدر داخل نادي بيراميدز حقيقة فسخ التعاقد مع رمضان صبحي، لاعب الفريق الأول، في ظل أزمته الأخيرة فيما يتعلق بحبسه وكذلك إيقافه 4 سنوات بسبب المنشطات.

وأصدرت المحكمة الرياضية الدولية، قرارًا بشأن قضية رمضان صبحي لاعب فريق بيراميدز، بخصوص تعاطيه للمنشطات، بإيقافه 4 سنوات بسبب التلاعب في العينة الخاصة به.

طالع | هل يحق لـ رمضان صبحي المشاركة مع بيراميدز حال الطعن على إيقافه 4 سنوات؟

كما تقرر حبس رمضان صبحي بسبب قضية “تزوير”، خلال الأيام الماضية، إذ سبق أن تم القبض عليه عقب عودة بعثة فريق بيراميدز من المعسكر الخارجي من تركيا في بداية الموسم الحالي.

وقال مصدر من بيراميدز لـ”بطولات”: “ندعم رمضان صبحي في أزمته، وكل ما يقال عن فسخ التعاقد كلام غير صحيح”.

وتابع: “نستغرب الإصرار على استباق الأحكام دون إعطاء اللاعب فرصة عادلة للدفاع عن نفسه واستكمال المسار القانوني، خاصة وأن درجات التقاضي لم تنته والأحكام غير نهائية”.

واختتم: “من الخسة أن نجد من يتخذها فرصة لتشويه اللاعب والتشفي فيه لمجرد خلاف في المنافسة الرياضية، وندعو الله أن يخرج رمضان من تلك المحنة الإنسانية والمهنية الصعبة بخير”.

Chelsea could hand Lauren James her first start of the season when they face Barcelona in their Women’s Champions League clash, though Sam Kerr will remain unavailable despite her return to action earlier in the campaign. James, who has been slowly building back towards match readiness after an ankle injury, has been named in contention for Thursday night’s heavyweight contest.

James edges toward full fitness

James suffered the setback during the Euro 2025 final victory over Spain, ruling her out for four months. Since September, she has made two encouraging substitute appearances but has yet to start a fixture under Sonia Bompastor. She was also left out of Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for the upcoming international window, a decision Bompastor insists was mutual and made entirely in the player’s best interests. Both managers agreed that while James is progressing well, her rehabilitation requires careful management.

"We had a really good conversation with Sarina and the staff, we just felt maybe it was not the right timing, or the call up was coming a little bit soon for LJ. She is still in the process of getting fully fit. I think it was a good decision," Bompastor said. "She's available to start the game against Barcelona, probably not fully fit to play 90 minutes, but yeah, she's in a good place to start."

Whereas, Wiegman said: "Of course she's moving forward well, which is really good and really nice, but it's too early. She just needs a little more time to get back to full fitness and to be ready to take on extra loading. I would hope, of course, that we could have made that decision [to select her] but I don't want to take any risks in that."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKerr to sit out the game

While James edges closer to full match sharpness, Chelsea will again be without Kerr. The Australian forward produced one of the most memorable moments of the season when she ended her 634-day absence from competitive football with a stoppage-time goal against Aston Villa in September. Kerr had torn her ACL during a mid-season training camp in Morocco in January 2024, an injury that wiped out the remainder of that campaign, all of 2024-25, and her chance to compete in the Paris Olympics. 

Chelsea eased her back into full training over the summer, and her brief cameo and late goal upon return felt like a cathartic release for Kerr. She then remarkably completed all 90 minutes against St. Polten in the Champions League. However, Bompastor insists that Kerr’s comeback must be meticulously choreographed.

"Sam is fine, she will probably be going with the national team next week," said Bompastor, "but she's not available for us again. It's just a case of managing her comeback. She got 90 minutes (against St. Polten) and it was part of the plan for her to rest a little bit after that and not be involved in the following two games."

England’s selection headaches continue

Wiegman faces her own challenges as she prepares for England’s upcoming camp. Captain Millie Bright, who stepped away from international football this week, will not return. Bright missed Euro 2025 and has now formally ended a decorated nine-year career with the Lionesses. Her departure adds to England’s growing absentee list. Leah Williamson and James remain unavailable, while Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp is also sidelined after picking up a problem last month. There is some relief, though, as Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles are back in the fold after overcoming injury issues of their own.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportRenewed Barcelona battle awaits

Chelsea’s meeting with Barcelona brings back a now-familiar narrative in Europe. The two sides contested the Champions League final in 2021 and have collided in the semi-finals in three of the four seasons since. Barcelona have dominated the head-to-head meetings, losing only one of the seven encounters. The return of James, even in a limited capacity, provides a creative spark that the Blues have often lacked in big European ties. The stage is set for what has become one of the defining fixtures of the modern women’s game.

MatériaMais Notícias

No empate por 2 a 2 da Colômbia com o Uruguai, James Rodríguez chamou atenção pelo seu desempenho e pelo gol marcado. Inclusive, recebeu elogios de torcedores do São Paulo e da mídia internacional. A partida, válida pela terceira rodada das Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas, foi disputada no Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, em Barranquilla.

RelacionadasSão PauloRogério Ceni pede atacante do São Paulo no Bahia, e Tricolor não deve segurarSão Paulo13/10/2023São PauloSão Paulo avança nas conversas para renovar com RafinhaSão Paulo13/10/2023São PauloA vez de Erison? Sem Calleri, jogador terá ‘período de teste’ no São PauloSão Paulo13/10/2023

Além do gol, também deu assistência para o segundo gol da equipe, que foi marcado por Uribe. No São Paulo, desde a sua chegada em julho, o colombiano ainda não conseguiu se firmar e mostrar o futebol que foi visto, por exemplo, na quinta-feira (12).

+ Eles têm o faro! Aposte R$100 e ganhe mais de R$750 com Sané, Højlund e Chiesa na Data Fifa!

+ Sábado recheado! Aposte R$100 e ganhe mais de R$830 com combinada da Série B

Mas o desempenho contra a Colômbia reforçou ainda mais um discurso que está sendo defendido por Dorival Júnior: o atleta tem qualidade, mas ainda está em processo de adaptação. Antes de assinar com o Tricolor, James Rodríguez estava sem entrar em campo desde abril praticamente.

Pela seleção, o desempenho foi mostrado em números. Além do gol e da assistência, foram 4 chutes (1 no gol e 1 na trave), cinco passes decisivos, duas grandes chances criadas e seis bolas recuperadas – segundo dados do Sofascore.

+ A sua carreira no futebol pode começar hoje. Garanta a sua vaga no curso Gestor de Futebol e capacite-se!

Com apenas nove jogos pelo clube desde quando chegou, James foi reserva em quatro. Além disso, soma um gol e uma assistência.

Porém, segundo as palavras do próprio Dorival Júnior, o principal motivo que justifica o porquê de James Rodríguez ainda não ter se firmado como o esperado no São Paulo diz respeito justamente à confiança e adaptação.

Pela Colômbia, isso foi mostrado pelo meia. Criou boas chances e boas jogadas contra o Uruguai. Com o volume de jogo mostrado, ficou de exemplo como Dorival Júnior pode utilizá-lo. Na seleção colombiana, James atuou como um camisa 10, às vezes até mesmo com um “falso 9”. O jogador comandou todas as posições de ataque, pisando bastante na área para finalizar.

No São Paulo, não atua tanto assim, e mais como um meia. Mas, desta forma, mostrou funcionar melhor e estar mais adaptado, o que pode ser até mesmo uma dica para crescer de nível no Tricolor.

The international break is finally over, and Blues in west London will hope Chelsea have retained that winning feeling when Estevao Willian struck late to secure all three points against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.

It was a crucial Premier League win for Enzo Maresca’s men, who haven’t quite got going this term and had lost two on the bounce before sinking the champions.

Now, Chelsea will hope to use that momentum as they tackle Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

Chelsea did it without the all-consuming Cole Palmer, who has endured an injury-disrupted start to the 2025/26 campaign.

And they are going to have to do it again this weekend and beyond, with the Italian coach revealing some deflating news concerning the England star’s fitness.

The latest on Cole Palmer's fitness

It was not the news Chelsea fans would have wanted or expected when Maresca sat down for his pre-match press conference on Friday morning.

Palmer’s niggling groin injury has proved worse than Maresca feared, and he faces a further six weeks on the sidelines.

The 23-year-old has only featured four times across all competitions this season, scoring twice, and this comes as a significant blow as Stamford Bridge gears up for the gruelling winter period.

Talismanic and prolific, Palmer is irreplaceable, but Chelsea will have to try, and are sure to take solace in their recent performance against Liverpool.

Matters are worsened, however, by Enzo Fernandez’s expected absence, the Argentine midfielder having withdrawn from international duty due to ‘inflammation of the knee’. Though he is optimistic about making the matchday squad, Maresca has another option in Facundo Buonanotte, who he could unleash against the Tricky Trees.

Maresca must unleash Facundo Buonanotte

Chelsea added Buonanotte’s signature for a £2m loan fee this summer, pinching the Brighton playmaker after his loan spell with Leicester City last year.

The Foxes got relegated from the Premier League, but the 20-year-old was one of the brighter sparks across the early stage of the campaign, scoring four times and assisting twice too before December.

Intelligent, direct and capable of manipulating tight spaces, he could add the dimension Chelsea need, especially with Moises Caicedo in such redoubtable form at the heart of the midfield.

Hailed for his “immense potential” and for having a “left foot made of gold” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Buonanotte feels like a ready-made replacement for Palmer, slotting into a similar positional berth.

Moreover, he ranked among the top 2% of peers across the 2024/25 Premier League season for tackles, the top 1% for blocks and the top 13% for interceptions per 90 last season, data courtesy of FBref, and so could perform with the combativeness of Fernandez too, should he be considered unfit to start.

Buonanotte in the Prem for LCFC

Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

31 (14)

Goals

5

Assists

2

Touches*

31.9

Shots (on target)*

1.2 (0.4)

Pass completion

80%

Big chances created

7

Dribbles*

0.9

Recoveries*

2.5

Tackles*

1.7

Duels won*

4.3

Data via Sofascore

Creative and energetic on the ball, Buonanotte might not be the finished product, but he is brimming with potential and could fit the mould Palmer has vacated as he works toward recovery in the infirmary.

Forest have been out of sorts this season, but Chelsea cannot afford a slip-up, and must maintain their fluency as they look to string back-to-back wins together in the Premier League.

Related Forget Gittens & George: Cobham teen is the "future of Chelsea & England"

Chelsea may have found the latest superstar to emerge from Cobham academy.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 17, 2025

Sean Dickson marked his return to Somerset’s team with top score of 76 as they made it four wins from as many Vitality Blast group games with a five-wicket victory over Middlesex in a Taunton run-feast.Middlesex ran up 229 for five – the highest ever Blast total by a visiting side at the Cooper Associates Ground – after losing the toss, Max Holden striking 87 not out off 47 balls and Ben Geddes a career-best 69 from 32 deliveries, including seven sixes.In reply, Somerset reached 235 for five with four balls to spare, Dickson, back after a broken finger, hitting five sixes and six fours in his 38-ball knock and Lewis Gregory making a rapid 58 not out.Middlesex were given a brisk start by Stephen Eskinazi and Kane Williamson, who posted 39 in less than four overs before Eskinazi was bowled by Riley Meredith attempting a scoop.Williamson was visibly frustrated to fall for 28 off 17 balls, caught at deep square off fellow Kiwi Matt Henry to make it 58 for two in the sixth over.From then on, the innings was all about Holden and Geddes, both of whom greeted left-arm spinner Lewis Goldsworthy with sixes in taking the total to 103 for two at the halfway stage.Craig Overton had impressed in his opening three overs before Geddes struck him for a straight six into the River Town and pulled another maximum at the end of his stint.Geddes went to a majestic 25-ball half-century, clearing the ropes for a sixth time, off Gregory, and then sent another ball into the river off Ben Green before Holden moved to an equally impressive half-century off 30 deliveries.Their partnership ended when Geddes was caught at long-off, Meredith striking again with his next ball as Leus du Plooy was brilliantly caught at long-on by Overton. A pulled four by Holden off Gregory brought up the 200 in the 18th over and Jack Davies hit the 12th six of the innings in the final over.Somerset lost Will Smeed to the fifth delivery of their innings, bowled by Noah Cornwell. Tom Kohler-Cadmore cleared the ropes three times before Tom Banton fell to Ryan Higgins to make it 41 for two in the fourth over.Kohler-Cadmore quickly followed to Cornwell and it was 88 for four in the ninth over when Tom Abell slog-swept a boundary catch off Luke Hollman to depart for 24.But Dickson was starting to blossom, producing a wide range of attacking shots in moving to a 24-ball fifty, reached with a reverse-swept six off Zafar Gohar. Gregory was caught off a Hollman no-ball as 18 came off the 13th over and the home side still had hope.Dickson smashed Cornwell for a straight six and Gregory rode his luck further when dropped on the boundary by du Plooy off Gohar, hitting three sixes in the same over. After Dixon holed out to long-off, the Somerset skipper hit his fifth maximum to reach a 21-ball half-century.Ben Green was dropped in the closing overs, du Plooy again the guilty fielder, before another Gregory six completed a remarkable victory.

It was Mehidy’s first five-for at home in nearly two-and-a-half years

Mohammad Isam21-Apr-2025Zimbabwe nosed ahead of Bangladesh after the second day’s play of the first Test in Sylhet with half-centuries from Brian Bennett and Sean Williams. Their lower order and tail also resisted to add 80 runs for the last four wickets that got them a lead of 82. They finished the day by breaking Bangladesh’s opening stand, and the hosts are still 25 runs behind.Bangladesh’s solace came in the form of Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first five-wicket haul at home in nearly two-and-a-half years. He finished with 5 for 52 after speedster Nahid Rana picked up three wickets, including those of the openers. Zimbabwe strung together small partnerships after the opening stand of 69, often dominating periods of play.Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam in the evening for 4 in the fourth over, when a superb Blessing Muzarabani delivery had him edging to second slip. His opening partner Mahmudul Hasan Joy got a reprieve on 6 in the following over when wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a regulation chance to his right.Mahmudul finished the day unbeaten on 28, while Mominul Haque was on 15 when play was called off at 5.33pm.Rana earlier gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough when he banged in a bouncer towards Ben Curran’s chest. The left-hand opener only managed to tap it to short leg where Mominul completed the catch diving forward. It ended Zimbabwe’s impressive opening stand that lasted 16.5 overs.Rana then bowled a fuller delivery to get rid of Bennett, the other opener. Bennett was piercing the off-side field regularly, hitting eight of his ten boundaries in the range between backward point and cover. But when he looked to cut another ball square, it led to his downfall as he edged one behind on 57.Mehidy Hasan Miraz returned 5 for 52 but Zimbabwe still managed an 82-run lead•AFP/Getty ImagesHasan Mahmud joined in the act with a peach of an inswinger against No. 3 Nick Welch, who was bowled through the gate for 2. Captain Craig Ervine and Williams, Zimbabwe’s most experienced pair, steadied things for the next hour. They added 41 runs in 15 overs, before Rana had Ervine caught behind for 8.It was another short ball that reared up high on Ervine, who couldn’t get his bat out of the way. The ball brushed the face of his bat and he was caught behind by Jaker Ali. Williams forged another promising stand, this time with Wessly Madhevere, in the course of which Williams reached his fourth Test fifty. He did that in style too, sweeping Taijul Islam for a six and a four to reach the landmark.The 48-run partnership however ended when Madhevere played on to a Khaled Ahmed delivery, on 24. Williams too couldn’t kick on, mistiming a straight hit against Mehidy, caught by a tumbling Mahmudul running back from mid-off. Williams bent down in disbelief as he looked very well set, having scored 59 off 108 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.Despite all their frontline batters back in the pavilion, Zimbabwe continued to fight. Mayavo made an enterprising 35 off 54 balls, including five fours, but he fell shortly after tea when Mehidy trapped him lbw. Wellington Masakadza played out 42 balls for his 6, and became Mehidy’s third victim, caught at cover.The tall pair of Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava then took on the Bangladesh bowlers in a 36-run ninth-wicket stand. Muzarabani struck two fours and a massive six, over long-on, during his 17 off 16. Ngarava was unbeaten on 28 off 44 balls, including a lovely straight hit for a six off Mehidy. The offspinner finished things off when he had Muzarabani stumped and Victor Nyauchi caught in the covers, to complete his five-for.

It feels like it could be a long old season for West Ham United this year.

The East Londoners may have beaten Nottingham Forest last time out, but with three defeats before that, it feels like Graham Potter is already on borrowed time.

It’s not just the defeats that have been worrying, but the manner of them, losing 3-0 to newly promoted Sunderland, being thrashed 5-1 by London rivals Chelsea, and blowing a lead away to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Unsurprisingly, the Irons have been linked with a host of potential replacements in recent weeks, including former player Frank Lampard.

Frank Lampard could replace Graham Potter

With just six wins in 23 games, it’s not hard to imagine any number of managers doing a better job than Potter in East London, including Lampard.

The Hammers have reportedly already been in contact with the former player, and it’s easy to see why they might consider him a worthwhile gamble.

Since taking charge of Coventry City, the 47-year-old has won 20 games, drawn seven and lost 12, which isn’t too bad at all considering the hyper-competitive nature of the Championship.

Moreover, since the season began, the Sky Blues have been absolutely flying, scoring 14 goals, conceding just six and taking eight points from a possible 12.

Moreover, while the former Chelsea legend didn’t exactly blow anyone away the last time he managed in the Premier League, he was still able to keep Everton from going down and averaged 1.75 points per game during his first stint in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

In all, Lampard looks to have further developed as a manager and could be the answer to West Ham’s Potter-shaped problems.

However, there is another manager on the market who we think would do an even better job at the London Stadium and help the likes of Jarrod Bowen reach another level.

The manager West Ham should hire over Lampard

Now, although we think Lampard would do a better job managing West Ham than Potter, an even better option than him might be Marco Rose.

Manager Focus

Granted, the German manager hasn’t actually been linked with the club yet, but since leaving RB Leipzig in March of this year, he has been without a club.

So, why would the East Londoners want to hire the 48-year-old?

Well, one of the most significant reasons is that he’s a manager who tends to get the very best out of his attacking talent, and as a result, plays some exhilarating football.

For example, in the 20/21 season, Borussia Dortmund scored 75 goals in the Bundesliga, but then by the end of the following season, when Rose was in charge, they’d moved up a place in the table and scored 85 goals.

Mönchengladbach

88

47%

0

Dortmund

55

59%

0

RB Leipzig

128

56%

3

The same happened at Borrussia Mönchengladbach, as they finished the 18/19 season having scored 55 goals, which increased to 66 the following campaign and 64 the year after that.

Moreover, while the effectiveness of Leipzig’s attack did vary a bit more during his tenure, the former RB Salzburg boss led them to a DFB Pokal triumph.

So, just imagine what the “outstanding” tactician, as dubbed by Dortmund legend Marco Reus, could do with players like Jarrod Bowen, who, even in this system, continues to be a real goalscoring threat.

Finally, even if you ignore the argument that he’ll bring a more entertaining brand of football to the club, you can just look at his overall managerial record.

Games

458

235

463

Wins

274

103

191

Draws

84

47

123

Losses

100

85

149

Points per Game

1.98

1.51

1.50

In 458 matches, he has managed to maintain an average of 1.98 points per game – and win two league titles in Austria – whereas Lampard has averaged 1.51 points per game and Potter an even less impressive 1.50.

Ultimately, even though he hasn’t been linked with the club, West Ham should do what they can to hire Rose, and not only would he be an upgrade on Potter, but his attacking style could get even more out of Bowen.

West Ham make contact with ex-Everton manager to replace Graham Potter

Potter’s job is far from secure at the London Stadium…

1 ByTom Cunningham Sep 6, 2025

After games in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and now Dubai, New Zealand will head to Lahore for their semi-final – they are the only semi-finalist who will have played four games at four different venues

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Mar-2025

So far in the Champions Trophy, New Zealand are doing all their usual things well – fielding nicely, finding top-order runs, finishing strong. They also have the bowling resources to adapt to Dubai’s surfaces, Glenn Phillips feels.The final group match of the tournament is not a live match exactly. New Zealand and India are both through to the final four, and their semi-final locations are set (New Zealand will definitely play theirs in Lahore, and India theirs in Dubai). The match will, however, decide whom they play – whoever wins plays Australia.Perhaps more vitally, however, a run in Dubai gives New Zealand a chance to become familiar with this set of Dubai conditions. Most of their players will have played at this venue previously, of course. But these are substantially used surfaces following the ILT20 and India’s first two games, in which the surfaces were on the slower side.Related

India and New Zealand face off to identify semi-final opponents

Dot-ball 'beast' Bracewell stays under the radar but soars high

Trial by spin on slow Dubai pitches a key step in Gill's evolution

Glenn Phillips finds secret to his success

“It comes down to the execution on pitches like this,” Phillips said. “We’ve got two really good spinners [Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell], and then allrounders in myself and Rachin Ravindra to be able to offer overs if we’re needed.”And then we’ve got three high-quality pace bowlers – Matt Henry nips it on glass, and our two big tall boys [Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke] that have got variable bounce and in Pakistan have been quite tough to play. I think that covers our bases quite nicely.”New Zealand are also the only team in the semi-finals who will play four matches in four different venues. Australia have played two in Lahore already, and will play a third match there if New Zealand win on Sunday. South Africa have played two in Karachi so far. New Zealand began in Karachi against Pakistan, went to Rawalpindi and beat Bangladesh there, before travelling to Dubai for this game. Being adaptable, though, has been one of New Zealand’s hallmarks in big tournaments over the last ten years.New Zealand had also won the pre-Champions Trophy tri-series in Pakistan, defeating Pakistan and then South Africa in Lahore, before beating Pakistan in the final in Karachi. They then beat the hosts in Karachi to kick this tournament off.2:30

Does Daryl Mitchell slot back into NZ’s XI?

“I think the beauty of Pakistan is every pitch we’ve played on has been significantly different to the last and I think that’s been great preparation for us coming over to Dubai, knowing that the pitch is going to be different again,” Phillips said. “We’ve had a lot of different situations, we’ve had balls that have spun, we’ve had surfaces that have been flat and fast, and boundaries that are small.”This ground presents us with a different challenge of being potentially a little bit slower, more void of grass and maybe slightly slower outfields. So I think we pride ourselves on trying to be as adaptable as possible.”Phillips mistakenly initially thought there was no reserve day for the semi-final due to be held in Pakistan, which would have allowed the group-topper to progress to the final more smoothly. But there is a reserve day for the semi-final in Lahore, and it is only after a no-result across two days that the topping of the group becomes relevant to progressing to the final.He maintained, nevertheless, that there was incentive to finish at the top of the group by beating India.”Finishing in the top spot goes with a great deal of confidence going into the semi-finals,” he said. “At the end of the day, we always, in a tournament like this, go out to win every game possible and momentum is a strange thing in cricket especially.”

Leeds United are now racing to sign a sought after midfielder who is “definitely” world-class, and his club have made him available, according to a report.

Leeds looking to improve midfield options

Leeds are still in the market for an attacking midfielder, having mainly bolstered their options in more defensive areas up to this point, and Leicester City’s Bilal El-Khannouss has now emerged as a target, with talks set to take place soon.

Upgrade your next EPL matchday at Seat Unique

Secure your matchday experience with Seat Unique.

Buy Premium Now

Having already brought in Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach this summer, strengthening in deeper midfield areas may no longer be a priority for Daniel Farke, but there may still be room for one more addition in that area of the pitch.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which reveals Leeds are one of a number of Premier League clubs racing to sign Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, who has now been made available for a transfer this summer.

A deal could be expensive, however, with the Italian club looking to receive €40m (£35m), amid widespread interest in Luiz’s signature, with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham United also named as potential suitors.

Nottingham Forest are thought to be leading the race for the former Aston Villa man, and there are indications that he could be keen on a return to England, with his representatives turning down an approach from Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Leeds now racing to sign £26m striker who's scored 3 goals at Elland Road

He loves playing against the Whites.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 6, 2025 Luiz would be statement signing for Leeds

Upon the Brazilian’s arrival at Juventus, he received high praise from ESPN’s Leonardo Bertozzi, who said: “Douglas Luiz world class? Definitely yes, Douglas Luiz has been coveted by the big Premier League clubs and would have played at City with Guardiola if he had received his work permit earlier.

“On the national team level, he will be one of the leading names for the 2026 World Cup.”

The 27-year-old also has a proven track record of success in the Premier League, indicating he could be a real difference-maker in Leeds’ battle to avoid relegation, performing remarkably well across the 2023-24 campaign.

That said, it could be very difficult to win the race for Luiz’s signature, given the interest from some top clubs, and it is more important for Leeds to strengthen in more attacking areas, having already signed Stach and Longstaff.