The England skipper will have his entire season at stake when he comes back to his old rivals' home on Tuesday

John Obi Mikel knew. After the Chelsea icon pulled out Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final opponents at the draw last month, a hint of a wry smile appeared on his face.

On paper, the Gunners should have been fairly happy with Mikel. Bayern Munich are far from the force they once were, and Arsenal managed to avoid trickier ties against Real Madrid and Manchester City.

However, as the Nigerian's priceless reaction suggested, this particular tie comes with irresistible added spice. Indeed, a sizeable proportion of Gunners fans will have broken into cold sweats when they saw Bayern's name pop out as they knew it meant that one of the club's most troublesome adversaries would be returning to his old stomping ground.

Harry Kane became synonymous with the north London derby during his lengthy spell at Tottenham, scoring against his fiercest rivals on countless occasions. Now, he has the chance to break Gunners hearts all over again when his new team visit the Emirates on Tuesday.

Getty ImagesThe King of North London?

Kane will have a long list of fond memories to draw on when he does take the field again at Arsenal's home. On his very first visit to the Emirates in a Spurs shirt, he netted a fine goal, bouncing the ball over Petr Cech's legs after being sent clean through by Danny Rose's long pass.

This display set the tone for Kane's visits to N7, with the England skipper failing to score on just two of his eights league trips to Arsenal while at Tottenham. He also notched an assist when Spurs bested the Gunners 2-0 in the EFL Cup quarter-finals away from home.

And while he couldn't replicate this in the Premier League – failing to ever inspire his side to a Premier League triumph at the Emirates – Kane had plenty of success downing Arsenal on his own patch.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDream derby debut

This impressive knack started on his maiden north London derby appearance back in 2015. At that point, Kane had only just begun to establish himself as a Premier League player. Beginning the season playing second fiddle to Emmanuel Adebayor, Mauricio Pochettino was suitably encouraged by a string of substitute camoes to give him a run in the first team.

By the time Arsenal came to town in February, he already had 10 Premier League goals to his name, including a fine brace and assist when Chelsea visited White Hart Lane. This provided a warning as to what he would get up to against the Gunners.

Within five minutes he forced David Ospina into a world-class save with a trademark, curling shot from just outside the box. And after Mesut Ozil rather fortuitously put Arsenal ahead soon after, it was Kane who led the fightback, levelling up the scores with an instinctive finish at the back post on the hour. He would then settle the derby, rising triumphantly to nod Erik Lamela's cross into the top corner with just four minutes of normal time remaining.

Getty ImagesRecord-breaker

Reflecting on his derby debut several years later in an interview with the , Kane recalled: "The winner in the 86th minute was something that I'd never even dream of visualising before a match. It was a header – probably the best header I've ever scored – and that feeling when it hit the back of the net, I've never felt a rush like that in my whole career."

Kane would soon get used to ruining Arsenal's day, though. The following season, he would net in each of the pair's Premier League meetings, which both ended in draws. Then, in 2018, Kane avenged his first-ever north London derby defeat a few months prior by scoring the winner in the return fixture – another unstoppable header.

As the seasons dragged on, the England captain continued in this vein, with his goal in a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in 2020 being particularly special, moving him above Adebayor and Bobby Smith as the fixture's all-time top scorer. By the time he departed for Bayern a few years later, he had an outstanding 14 goals to his name against the Gunners, with only Leicester and Everton conceding more Kane strikes to date.

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Alternate timeline

That Spurs' talisman consistently raised his game against his beloved side's bitterest rivals is hardly surprising. However, there is also a personal side to Kane's spiteful relationship with the Gunners.

As a nine year old, he was released by Arsenal, something that Kane has confessed to still using as motivation to this day.

Speaking back in 2018, he said: "I remember the first time we played against Arsenal [for Tottenham's academy team] and even back then, I had a chip on my shoulder. It might sound ridiculous. I was only eight when they let me go, but every time we played them, I thought, 'Alright, we'll see who's right and who's wrong'.

"Looking back on it now, [being released by Arsenal] was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because it gave me a drive that wasn't there before. For me, the rejection is the best thing that ever happened to me."

In a not-so-inconceivable alternate timeline, Kane might have even been playing in an Arsenal shirt on Tuesday, which always adds another layer of intrigue whenever he lines up against the Gunners. And that's not the only interesting plotline ahead of this Champions League quarter-final.

There have been question marks over the future of "outrageous" Celtic hero Reo Hatate in recent times, but now a key update has emerged, providing more clarity over the situation.

Hatate's Celtic future

The 25-year-old has proven to be an excellent signing by the Hoops since arriving at the club last year, completing a move from Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale.

Hatate's statistics highlight the impact that he has made in a Celtic shirt in his relatively short time at the club, with 15 goals and 16 assists coming his way in a total of 76 appearances to date. This season, he has two apiece in the Scottish Premiership, helping Brendan Rodgers' side top the table.

That being said, there have been some doubts over the Japanese's future at Parkhead, even though Hatate signed a new deal with Celtic in September, with a move away during the January transfer window not out of the question. The Hoops ace has been linked with a move to Tottenham, which would see him link up with former manager Ange Postecoglou in the process.

He has, however, picked up a serious hamstring problem that will keep him sidelined for around two months, having suffered the issue in the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid in October, when Rodgers' men drew 2-2 at home to the La Liga giants.

Fresh Hatate update

According to a new update from Football Insider, Hatate looks set to stay at Celtic beyond the January transfer window due to the hamstring injury he is suffering from:

"Reo Hatate’s hamstring injury has ended any possibility of a January move away from Celtic. Premier League clubs have sent their scouts north of the border on several occasions to assess the 25-year-old central midfielder – who has been linked with Tottenham."

While Hatate's injury is clearly a big blow for Celtic, it could potentially end up being a blessing in disguise if it means he stays put at Parkhead for the remainder of the season and beyond.

The central midfielder has been such an important part of the Hoops' success since arriving at the club, so to lose him midway through the season, especially after only just extending his stay at Parkhead, would represent a major setback.

Hatate's quality is highlighted by the fact that Scotland and Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has described him as "outrageous" in the past, while Liverpool star Andy Robertson has called him a "serious player".

Reo Hatate's key Celtic statistics	Total
Appearances	76
Goals	15
Assists	16

It could be that the midfielder decides to look for a new challenge at the end of the season should interest in his signature emerge, but on the plus side, Celtic do at least find themselves in a strong bargaining position given that he has only recently signed a new deal.

For now, Rodgers will just hope to get Hatate back in the fold as soon as possible and allow him to play a key role in what is hopefully yet another Scottish Premiership title win this season.

Manchester United’s recent form has led them to near crisis point, as the club have only won once in four Champions League ties, while they occupy sixth spot in the Premier League table.

This has led to Erik ten Hag being placed under a lot of pressure and with a run of crucial fixtures coming up, he cant afford to slip up anymore.

The Old Trafford side play Liverpool, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all in the coming weeks and if they can get through this tough run unscathed, there might just be hope for the Dutchman yet.

Much will depend on how his side performs, however, as they have struggled to control matches this season, while their faltering attack has failed them in the big matches.

Not only that, but their defence has been bordering on shambolic in spells this term also. The Red Devils have conceded 30 goals in just 18 matches, and it isn’t even December yet.

No wonder they are struggling both domestically and in Europe, as Ten Hag has been let down by players who arguably should have departed the club during the summer transfer window.

Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are not the defenders that the former Ajax boss requires to take his team to the next level, and they have had to play more than anticipated due to injury problems to others.

Harry Maguire's and Victor Lindelof's numbers this season

The duo earn a combined total of £370k-per-week – 9% of the weekly wage bill – yet their performances on the field simply don’t match up to earning this substantial amount.

The pair currently rank in 15th and 16th spot respectively across the United squad in the league for tackles per game (0.6 and 0.4) along with ranking fourth and 12th for interceptions per game (0.7 and 0.4) and these stats clearly show how little they are influencing the team from a defensive point of view.

Lindelof has won just 41% of his ground duels in the league this term, while Maguire has won just 50% of his, indicating that they are struggling in one-on-one battles with opposition players.

The quicker Ten Hag has a fit Lisandro Martínez back the better. Until then, the Dutchman is going to have to use the aforementioned duo, until the January transfer window at least.

With just a few weeks to go until the window opens, it appears the 53-year-old is eyeing a move for a defender or two, and a Frenchman has emerged as a key target…

Maguire and Lindelof's potential replacement

Jean-Clair Todibo was originally a target for the club during the summer transfer window, yet no move ever materialised, but this hasn’t put Ten Hag going back in for the Nice star.

According to The Mirror, the Old Trafford side are prioritising a move for a defender in the upcoming winter window and this means they could be back in for Todibo.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe close to securing a 25% share in Utd, he also owns Nice, for whom Todibo plays which could potentially play into the hands of the Red Devils during any potential move.

Having missed out on him during the summer, Ten Hag will be aiming to avoid a repeat of that in the next few weeks, as he is desperate to improve his options at the back.

He may need to ship a few players on for this to become a reality, however, especially as the manager doesn't quite know what sort of budget he will be working with.

Jean-Clair Todibo’s career statistics

The Frenchman started his career with Toulouse before making a switch to Barcelona in 2019, yet this didn’t exactly go to plan as he made just five appearances during his spell in Spain.

The defender has impressed having joined Nice in 2021, and he hasn’t looked back since, making over 100 appearances for the club whilst even earning two caps for France recently, showing how far he has come over the last couple of years.

Accurate passes per game

56.7

78.2

Tackles per game

2.2

2

Interceptions per game

1.2

1.4

Clearances per game

3.1

2.8

Total duels won per game

4.4

4.5

Stats via Sofascore

Talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on him at the start of the year, saying: “One of the most underrated CBs in Europe at the moment. Having a really good season despite Nice underachieving quite a lot. Superb build-up and defensive attributes. Complete package.”

United clearly missed a trick not luring him to Manchester, especially with his statistics for the French club in recent times.

Indeed, the 6 foot 2 titan impressed when compared to his positional peers over the last 12 months. According to FBref, he currently ranks in the top 5% for tackles per 90 (2.47), the top 10% for attempted passes per 90 (76.4) and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.62), proving he excelled across a wide range of performance metrics.

Not only that, but he also ranks second across the Nice squad for accurate passes per game (78.2) in Ligue 1, along with ranking second for tackles per game (two) and for interceptions per game (1.4), proving that he is one of the better performers in their squad.

The 23-year-old is certainly a massive talent and the next step for him in his career is to secure a move to the Premier League, especially as he can continue his development across the channel.

The youngster has shown that he is ready to make the step up to a club like United and, with their current defensive woes, he would immediately improve their backline.

Maguire and Lindelof surely don’t have much longer left in Manchester. The Swede is out of contract at the end of the current season and it is unlikely that he will secure a new deal.

The Englishman, on the other hand, has a year longer on his contract, yet considering how close he was to joining West Ham United in the summer, he certainly won't be around by then.

This upcoming window could be Ten Hag’s most important yet, although much will depend on whether he is still actually in charge following a tough run of fixtures.

If he is and United are able to sign one or two top-class defenders, their fortunes might just change during the second half of the season.

Uganda and hosts Oman both picked up big wins on day one of the World Cricket League Division Three

Peter Della Penna09-Nov-2018Left-arm seamer Charles Waiswa produced a fantastic spell with the old ball, polishing off the last four Denmark wickets in the space of 13 deliveries to set up a five-wicket win for Uganda. Arnold Otwani followed with a classy 88 in the chase of 166 to help Uganda secure an early net run-rate advantage over the tournament field.Denmark got off to a strong start after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Bilal Hassun struggled with his lines against the left-right combo of Freddie Klokker and Hamid Shah in his three-over spell that went for 25 runs as Denmark reached 45 for 0.Riazat Ali Shah made the initial breakthrough coming on at first change, getting both openers to prod edges behind to Man of the Match Otwani. The left-right spin combo of Irfan Afridi and Henry Ssenyondo put the brakes on Denmark’s scoring in a three-maiden sequence from the 16th through 18th. The pressure resulted in Afridi claiming the wicket of Taranjit Bharaj, and Ssenyondo struck twice to reduce Denmark to 82 for 5.Denmark rebuilt through a 48-run stand between Saif Ahmad and Henriksen, then later another 28-run partnership between Mads and his brother Jonas. However, Waiswa ran through the tail in his second spell, ending with 4 for 25 and leaving Denmark at least 40 runs below the par score.Otwani had been dropped after Uganda’s debacle on home soil at WCL Division Three last year and missed the team’s promotion run in Malaysia this past April but vindicated his recall to the squad with a sensational innings. Overcoming the early loss of his captain Roger Mukasa, Otwani cut through point then drove over cover for back-to-back fours to get off the mark.Otwani struck six boundaries in the space of eight balls across the seventh and eighth overs to leave Denmark reeling. A sweep behind square for his tenth boundary brought up his fifty off 46 balls, before he began peppering the gap between backward point and short third man for another flurry of fours.Otwani fell 12 short of his ton trying to pierce the gap again, caught at short third man. But by that stage, Uganda needed just 36 off the last 21 overs. Riazat dashed any hopes of a Denmark rally by striking his second and third balls down the ground for four, his unbeaten 29 taking Denmark home with 82 balls remaining.Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood pulls through midwicket for a boundary to clinch victory•Peter Della Penna

Oman’s dominance over Kenya from February at Division Two in Namibia continued on Friday, as the WCL Division Three hosts scored a commanding five-wicket win at the Oman Cricket Academy in Al Amerat.Oman had swept Kenya in a pair of matches this past February and the visitors were no match for the home side on this occasion either, slipping to 8 for 3 in the Powerplay before eventually succumbing for 164.Bilal Khan, who took a five-for the last time these two teams played, struck on the fifth ball of the match by beating Alex Obanda for pace and knocking back his stumps for a duck. Kenya also struggled with Kaleemullah’s height and bounce as a series of maidens built pressure, resulting in another wicket for Bilal. Jatinder Singh took his second catch in the slips in the following over as Kaleemullah followed up Bilal’s early strikes to get Dhiren Gondaria for the first of his four wickets.Kenya grinded their way through much of the rest of the innings, valiantly lasting until the 50th over.Oman’s chase got off to a typically fiery start behind Aqib Ilyas, who stroked five boundaries in his 22 off 20 balls before falling leg before to Nelson Odhiambo. Fellow opener Jatinder grinded out 33 off 49 balls before he was dismissed by Bhudia’s spin, opening the door for captain Zeeshan Maqsood to steer the rest of the chase.Despite needing just 31 more to win over the final 18 overs and six wickets in hand, Oman took a peculiarly cautious approach in a format where the net run-rate tiebreaker can be crucial by the final day. They took until the 43rd over when Maqsood, who in the past has had a reputation for rapid scoring as an opening batsman, finally brought up his half-century off 93 balls, ending the match with his fifth boundary.

The Premier League is chock-full of fantastic rivalries; whether it is the Manchester derby, the Merseyside derby, the North London derby or the west London derby, we are never more than a few weeks away from another tasty encounter between bitter enemies in the English top flight.

However, when it comes to real, genuine rivalries, few are more heated than the one between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. Whether they’re fighting to reach a cup final, fighting for the top four, or fighting for nothing more than pride, you can be guaranteed that when these two sides line up against one another, it’s going to be a cracker.

With that in mind, we have created a list of the top 10 games between Tottenham and Chelsea.

11 Blues complete comeback after penalty mayhem

1994 – Chelsea 4-3 Tottenham

Mal Donaghy 29′

Steve Sedgley 17′

Mark Stein 33′

Jason Dozzell 18′

John Spencer 40′

Andy A Gray 72′ Penalty

Mark Stein 89′ Penalty

The first entry on our list takes us back to 1994 when Tottenham travelled to Stamford Bridge, and nothing more than pride was on the line.

The first half was about as action-packed as it could have been, with Spurs finding themselves two goals up by the 20th minute before the Blues responded with three goals of their own to take the lead going into the break.

Tottenham pressed hard for an equaliser in the second half and finally found one when Andy Gray scored from the spot in the 72nd minute. The Lilywhites were then awarded another penalty just minutes later, but this time it was saved.

As the game reached its dramatic conclusion Chelsea were also awarded a penalty, and with just a minute left on the clock, Make Stein tucked it away, scoring his second of the day and securing the win for his side.

10 The Blues force a replay

2007 – Chelsea 3-3 Tottenham

Frank Lampard 22′

Dimitar Berbatov 5′

Frank Lampard 71′

Michael Essien 28′ OG

Salomon Kalou 86′

Hossam Ghaly 36′

In March 2007, Chelsea played host to Tottenham in what has to be one of the most exciting FA Cup quarter-finals of all time.

The Blues were the firm favourites ahead of the game, not only because they had home advantage but because they had finished second in the league the previous season and were once again in a title race with Manchester United this season.

So, when the Lilywhites took an early lead through Dimitar Berbatov, the crowd was shocked. Despite the initial setback, Frank Lampard pulled his side level in the 22nd minute, although Spurs were ahead again just six minutes later thanks to an own goal from Michael Essien.

To add insult to injury, Tottenham added a third before halftime when Hossam Ghaly got on the end of Aaron Lennon’s brilliant cross in the 36th minute. It looked like the north Londoners were heading for a historic win.

However, unwilling to see one of their biggest rivals progress to the semi-finals at their expense, Chelsea came out like a different team in the second half and showed why they were the side battling for a title.

Lampard scored his second of the game in the 71st minute before Salomon Kalou finally restored parity with his strike in the 86th minute. Tottenham were forced to settle for a replay a week later, but with their morale shattered, they lost that game 2-1, and Chelsea went on to win the whole thing two months later.

Then manager Jose Mourinho was delighted with how his team fought back, telling the BBC: “The team’s character, spirit and belief are very important.

“The players’ mentality was very, very good. We were almost out of the FA Cup when we were two goals down but at the end we are still in the competition.”

9 The Cockney Cup Final

1967 – Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea

Jimmy Robertson 40′

Bobby Tambling 85′

Frank Saul 67′

We are going even further back for our next entry on the list, all the way back to the 1967 FA Cup Final, to be exact.

The final between Chelsea and Tottenham was the first FA Cup Final to be contested by two London teams and was nicknamed the Cockney Cup Final. It’s this game, a game watched by around 100,000 fans, that many credit the bitter rivalry between the two teams to.

The game itself wasn’t a particularly close affair, with Spurs finding themselves two goals to the good in the 67th minute and Chelsea not opening their account until the 85th minute.

We wonder what the relationship between the two sides would be like today had they not met in that final almost sixty years ago.

Read More: The Top 10 Greatest FA Cup Finals of All Time

8 A goal line scandal crushes Tottenham hopes

2012 – Chelsea 5-1 Tottenham

Didier Drogba 43′

Gareth Bale56′

Juan Mata 49′

Ramires 77′

Frank Lampard 81′

Florent Malouda 90′

It’s hard to take a refereeing mistake against your team at the best of times, but it’s a whole other kettle of fish in a semi-final. Unfortunately for Spurs, this is exactly what they had to deal with in the FA Cup semi-final match against Chelsea in 2012.

With the score 1-0 thanks to a 43-minute strike from Didier Drogba, Chelsea added a second through Spanish playmaker Juan Mata, except they didn’t, not really.

Mata’s shot didn’t actually cross the line, but with his view clearly compromised, referee Martin Atkinson still gave the West Londoners the goal anyway.

Gareth Bale pulled one back for the Lillywhites, but the damage was done, and the demoralised side shipped another three goals, ultimately losing 5-1.

In an interview after the game, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp didn’t hide his feelings, saying: “Did he guess? He must have. He can’t have been sure.

“He’s just made a mistake, unfortunately. I spoke to him. He says he feels worse than I do. I said: “I don’t think so”. But he says he feels bad. He knows he’s made a mistake, and he says he’ll have a bad week as well.

“There’s nothing we can do now. The second goal was a disaster, nowhere near a goal. An honest mistake, but nowhere near over the line. I don’t see how he can give it.”

7 Chelsea deny Spurs an all north London FA Cup Final

2017 – Chelsea 4-2 Tottenham

Willian 5′

Harry Kane 18′

Willian 43′ Penalty

Dele Alli 52′

Eden Hazard 75′

Nemanja Matić 80′

With Tottenham’s trophy drought reaching almost a decade in 2017, fans were pinning all their hopes on the team’s run in the FA Cup; the only problem was that Chelsea lay in their way in the semi-final.

Going into the game, Chelsea were clear favourites as they were on the cusp of winning the league, while Spurs languished around fifth place, ultimately missing out on the Champions League.

However, league position mattered little once the game started as Spurs gave as good as they got for large parts of the game. The Blues opened the scoring in the fifth minute through Willian, but Spurs equalised just 13 minutes later through Harry Kane.

Chelsea then took the lead in the 43rd minute, once again through Willian, and just like with the first goal, Tottenham responded quickly with a 52nd-minute goal from Dele Alli.

However, while the Lilywhites fought valiantly, the quality of Chelsea finally shone through, and a 75th-minute goal from Hazard, followed by a thunderbolt from Nemanja Matic five minutes later, sealed the victory for the Blues and robbed Tottenham of the chance to play Arsenal in an FA Cup final.

Read More: Eden Hazard’s Greatest Career Moments

6 Alli and Eriksen help Spurs to break unwanted record

2018 Chelsea 1-3 Tottenham

Alvaro Morata 30′

Christian Eriksen 45′

Dele Alli 62′

Dele Alli 66′

When Spurs travelled to Stamford Bridge on April 1st 2018, most fans of the club would have been happy with a point, not because the Blues were miles better than them or anything like that, but simply because Tottenham had not won a game at the ground in 28 years.

So, when Alvaro Morata opened the scoring in the 30th minute, most fans sort of expected the game to once again go Chelsea’s way. However, a 45th-minute equalizer from Christian Eriksen once again injected some life into the encounter.

With the scores level, it would take Tottenham’s Dele Alli to break the deadlock, which he did in style.

Within the space of four minutes, the Englishman had tripled his side’s score and given them that elusive away win at Stamford Bridge.

5 Chelsea extend Spurs' trophy drought

2015 – Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham

John Terry 45′

Diego Costa 56′

Six years after Tottenham’s previous League Cup Final appearance and seven after they last faced Chelsea in the showpiece event, they again faced off against the Pensioners for the title in March 2015.

However, unlike last time, it was the Blues that emerged victorious, and it wasn’t particularly close, either.

Chelsea took the lead on the stroke of halftime as Terry pounced on a deflected shot before Costa added a second in the 56th minute, although the Spaniard’s shot came off of Kyle Walker’s back before going into the net.

4 Harry Kane brace welcomes in the Pochettino era

2015 – Tottenham 5-3 Chelsea

Harry Kane 30′

Diego Costa 18′

Danny Rose 44′

Eden Hazard 61′

Andros Townsend 45′ Penalty

John Terry 87′

Harry Kane 52′

Nacer Chadli 78′

Going into their encounter on January 1st, 2015, Tottenham had not beaten their West London opponents in the Premier League for almost five years.

So, there was an expectation that new boss Pochettino was about to suffer the same fate as the men before him: a home loss to the Blues.

However, the Argentinian and his band of attacking players had other ideas.

Despite the visitors taking an early lead through an 18th-minute Diego Costa goal, the Lillywhites were 4-1 up after just 52 minutes.

The Blues did fight back with a 61st-minute strike from Hazard, but a fifth Spurs goal in the 78th minute secured the win for the hosts and rendered John Terry’s 87th-minute goal nothing more than a consolation.

3 Woodgate wins the League Cup

2008 – Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea

Dimitar Berbatov 70′ Penalty

Didier Drogba 39′

Jonathan Woodgate 94′

Now, most of the cup games on this list have gone the way of the Blues, but the 2008 League Cup Final is a game that is remembered very fondly in N17 and remains the club’s most recent trophy.

Going into the game, Spurs were understandably the underdogs given Chelsea’s recent successes, but that didn’t seem to phase the players at all, as even when they went a goal down in the 39th minute, they never once gave in.

It would be a 70th-minute Dimitar Berbatov penalty that brought the Lilywhites level, and with the game going to extra time, it felt inevitable that more penalties would be required to find a winner.

That was until Jonathan Woodgate stood up.

The former Real Madrid defender was the only one to get his head to a freekick in the Chelsea box, and while Petr Cech got a glove to the ball, it bounced back into Woodgate’s head and into the Blues’ goal.

It might not have been the prettiest way to win a final, but it was effective and gave Spurs fans a brilliant day out in northwest London.

2 White Hart Lane thriller derails Chelsea's title hopes

2008 Tottenham 4-4 Chelsea

Jonathan Woodgate 12′

Didier Drogba 3′

Dimitar Berbatov 61′

Michael Essien 20′

Tom Huddlestone 75′

Joe Cole 52′

Robbie Keane 88′

Joe Cole 80′

Chelsea travelled to White Hart Lane in April 2008 in the midst of an intense title race with Manchester United and, as such, could not afford to drop a single point.

Unfortunately for them, Spurs were well up for the challenge and still coming off the high of their League Cup triumph just a month before.

In an attempt to silence the crowd, Chelsea found the back of the net in just the third minute but only held the lead for nine minutes before Woodgate, the hero of the previous month’s final, levelled the score.

However, this parity lasted just eight minutes as Michael Essien once again fired the Blues in front.

The visitors doubled their lead after the break when Joe Cole found the back of the net, but not happy to just watch, Tottenham once again levelled the score thanks to Berbatov and Tom Huddlestone.

With ten minutes to go, Chelsea once again found themselves ahead thanks to a second goal from Cole, but just as they had the previous three times, the hosts found an equaliser, this time through Robbie Keane, who fired home a brilliant long-range effort in the 88th minute.

While the draw did little for Tottenham come the end of the season, it cost Chelsea the title as they finished the campaign two points off United in top spot.

Legspinner Fawad Ahmed could be in line for a cricketing homecoming of sorts, after he was picked up in the PSL 2019 draft by the Quetta Gladiators.Fawad is an Australian citizen but was born in Pakistan, and lived there until his late 20s. He had also played first-class and competitive cricket in the country, but was forced to leave for Australia in the face of threats from the Taliban. In Australia he sought asylum, which was initially rejected but eventually accepted, and he became an Australian citizen in 2013.He has since played three ODIs and two T20Is for Australia – all in 2013 – and though he drifted out of national contention, his story has never slipped away from the public imagination. And earlier this year he was back in the cricketing spolight, as the leading wicket-taker at the Caribbean Premier League, taking 22 wickets for Trinbago Knight Riders in their title-winning run. In last season’s Big Bash League he was among the top wicket-takers, with 12 for Sydney Thunder at an economy rate of just over 6.Next February, however, will be the first time he lines up in the PSL and as a Gold pick, he joins a strong Quetta squad of spinners which includes Sunil Narine, Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Asghar. This season the league is expected to stage eight matches in Pakistan, including the knockouts and final.Given that Quetta is one of the league’s stronger teams, having made the final two seasons out of three, there is a distinct possibility that they will play some games in Pakistan. In turn that means Fawad will have a choice to make on whether he returns to the country for what would be his first high-profile commitment there since he left fearing for his life eight years ago.Over the last two seasons the league has played games in Pakistan that have involved foreign players, but each time it has gone through a drawn-out process in trying to convince them to travel and play.

رد روفين شرودر، المدير الرياضي لفريق لايبزيج الألماني، على الأنباء المتداولة بشأن مستقبل لاعب الفريق داني أولمو.

ويرتبط داني أولمو باهتمام نادي برشلونة الإسباني، حيث ذكرت تقارير صحفية أن لايبزيج تلقى عرضين للاعبه.

ويضغط فريق برشلونة من أجل الحصول على خدمات أولمو، لكن لايبزيج لن يسهل على المهاجم المغادرة.

وقال روفين شرودر، لشبكة “سكاي سبورتس”: “داني يتمتع بقيمة لا تصدق بالنسبة لنا، كلاعب وكشخص”.

وأضاف: “نحن لسنا تحت أي ضغط لبيعه، في ظل الوضع الحالي، نتوقع عودة داني إلينا بعد فترة راحته عقب بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا”.

وذكر الصحفي فابريزو رومانو أن برشلونة أجرى محادثات مع أولمو بشأن عقد لمدة 6 سنوات حتى 30 يونيو 2030 (طالع التفاصيل من هنا).

Paul Mullin is “refusing to speak about” promotion at Wrexham, despite that being the only word on everybody’s lips at SToK Racecourse.

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• Dragons chasing top-three finish
• Four games left to take in
• Eager to avoid any distractions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons, who claimed the National League title in record-breaking style last season, are closing in on a top-three finish in League Two. With four games left on their schedule, Phil Parkinson’s men need just eight more points in which to guarantee a step up into the third tier of English football.

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  WHAT MULLIN SAID

  Mullin, though, is taking nothing for granted and has said of another promotion push: “There's no point talking about getting out of this league yet because anything can happen in one game let alone when there's four to go. I'm refusing to speak about it because until it's achieved there's nothing to talk about. It's not in touching distance – it's as far away as it's ever been because nothing is confirmed until it's done. We won't be getting ahead of ourselves.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Wrexham will be back in action when playing host to play-off chasers Crawley on Tuesday. Mullin added ahead of that game, with the Welsh outfit eager to avoid any distractions: “There's no point even thinking about it before the game on Tuesday because we've already seen in the last few weeks that anything can happen. We have two home games to look forward to and we will be full of confidence, but we know how challenging it's going to be because we're at the stage of the season where everyone is fighting; we're fighting for promotion, Crawley are fighting for the play-offs. Every game is massive and will be an almighty struggle.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are among those watching on from afar as Wrexham endeavour to drag themselves over another promotion-winning line, with star striker Mullin having an important role to play in that quest after reaching 100 goals for the club through just 136 appearances.

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O Corinthians realizou neste sábado (26) o último treino no CT Dr. Joaquim Grava antes de embarcar para o Rio de Janeiro, onde a equipe enfrenta o Botafogo, domingo, às 16h, no Nilton Santos.

Relembre 15 duelos Brasil x Argentina marcantes na história da Libertadores

Após três dias consecutivos de preparação e treinos, o técnico Vagner Mancini iniciou o sábado com um vídeo explicativo e, na sequência, foi a campo. A equipe que deve iniciar a partida foi submetida a um trabalho tático e de movimentação ofensiva, finalizado com cobranças de falta e jogadas de bola parada.

VEJA A TABELA E SIMULE O RESTANTE DO BRASILEIRÃO

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A comissão técnica ainda não pode contar com o goleiro Cássio, que cumpre protocolos de segurança após sofrer uma concussão decorrente de um trauma na cabeça, durante a partida contra o Goiás, o atacante Jonathan Cafú, que segue em quarentena após ter testado positivo para o novo coronavírus e Bruno Méndez, suspenso após ter levado o3º amarelo contra o Esmeraldino.

A delegação corinthiana embarcou para o Rio de Janeiro e ficará concentrada na capital carioca neste sábado.

Na 9ª colocação do Brasileirão com 36 pontos, o Timão quer se aproximar do G6 do Brasileirão. Por outro lado, o Botafogo,18º colocado, soma apenas 23 pontos e precisa da vitória para se aproximar dos times fora do Z4.

PROVÁVEL CORINTHIANS: Walter; Fagner, Gil, Jemerson, Fábio Santos; Gabriel, Cantillo, Ramiro, Cazares, Otero; Jô.

USA men’s team defeated Kenya for the first time in history as they vaulted past Oman to the top of the tournament table by virtue of a superior net run-rate

Peter Della Penna in Muscat12-Nov-2018A half-century from Aaron Jones was followed by a searing spell of fast bowling from Man of the Match Ali Khan as USA men’s team defeated Kenya for the first time in history, to win by a whopping 154 runs, vaulting past Oman to the top of the WCL Division Three tournament table by virtue of a superior net run-rate.Prior to Monday, USA had been bowled out by Kenya in three previous losses in one-day cricket for totals of 162, 32 and most recently 63 in just 18.3 overs at Abu Dhabi last December. Kenya sent USA in at the toss hoping to do more of the same but USA capitalized on poor fielding from the opposition for the second match in a row to build up a commanding total of 254.Kenya gave away more than 100 runs in missed chances in the field to let USA off the hook. Monank Patel, who survived a missed run-out chance on the third ball of USA’s win over Uganda to make 107, was dropped on a return chance by Elijah Otieno in the third over on 9 and went on to make 25.An even more costly let-off was given to Steven Taylor, who should have been run-out for 12 at 69 for 2 but captain Shem Ngoche’s throw from 15 yards at midwicket missed by a whisker, and he went on to make 41 off 34 balls.However, the biggest reprieve of the day was given to Jones. The Barbados-based batsman had been out edging behind a cut for 4 against Uganda and gave a carbon-copy chance on 14, but on this occasion Kenya wicketkeeper Irfan Karim could not hang on.Jones battled through the rest of Ngoche’s spell, reaching 34 off 99 balls before slogging Dhiren Gondaria’s part-time spin for six over long-on for his first boundary. It began a stirring flurry in which Jones struck 35 off his next 19 balls, including two more sixes over long-on.USA were 182 for 4 after 44 overs before Hayden Walsh Jr provided a similar burst, hitting a pair of sixes and fours down the ground in the 45th off Rakep Patel to spark a sequence of 63 runs in four overs, taking USA past 200. A belated Kenya fightback resulted in USA bowled out by the final ball, though 254 was more than enough to defend behind their dynamic pace attack led by Khan.The Ohio fast bowler, who surged to stardom through the Global T20 Canada and CPL this summer, overwhelmed Kenya in his opening six-over spell. He started by inducing an edge behind from Narendra Patel, followed by a cunning inswinger that trapped Karim leg before without offering a shot and finally a top-edge to mid-on by Alex Obanda for three wickets in the Powerplay.At the opposite end, captain Saurabh Netravalkar claimed two wickets with disciplined lines and by the end of the ninth over Kenya were 21 for 5 from which they never recovered. They were eventually bowled out for 96 in just 26 overs.Aritra Dutta and Arjun Mutreja’s 140-run opening partnership in just 23 overs after being sent in at the toss gave Singapore a dominant position that they never relinquished in a 94-run win over Denmark on Monday at the Oman Cricket Academy.Dutta made just 23 runs in three matches on his 50-over debut during the Asia Cup Qualifier in Malaysia this August and followed up his 38 against Oman in Singapore’s opening match at Division Three with another impressive effort to top score with 87, including nine fours and three sixes.Denmark did not help matters by missing three chances in the field early in their innings as Singapore’s opening pair continued to heap pressure on their bowling unit. Offspinner Anique Uddin finally broke the partnership with his first ball in the 24th over to deny Dutta a century and claimed Mutreja for 57 six overs later caught at deep midwicket.Fellow spinners Saif Ahmad (3 for 46) and Nicolaj Laegsgaard (2 for 36) helped Denmark fight back further in the field as Singapore failed to last their full 50 overs, eventually being bowled out for 254.Amjad Mahboob took the first of his three wickets in the third over when Zameer Khan was beaten flicking across the line to be pinned lbw for 2. Captain Hamid Shah fought a lone battle from the top, making 85, and he was the ninth man out. He could only watch helplessly while legspinner Anantha Krishna decimated the middle-order with 4 for 37 as Denmark capitulated for 160 in 35.4 overs.