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Matters are worsened, however, by Enzo Fernandez’s expected absence, the Argentine midfielder having withdrawn from international duty due to ‘inflammation of the knee’.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.

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Manchester United are now deadly serious about hijacking Chelsea’s move for an “incredible” £70m star, having identified him as a prime target for the January transfer window.

Man Utd looking to sign new midfielder amid Casemiro criticism

To say Man United are short on top-quality midfield options would perhaps be an understatement, with Ruben Amorim clearly not a fan of Kobbie Mainoo, given that the 20-year-old is still yet to start a Premier League match so far this season.

Casemiro, who is now set to exit Old Trafford, has also been slammed for some of his performances in recent weeks, with Wayne Rooney branding the Brazilian “silly” and “naive” after he got sent off at the end of the first half against Chelsea.

Near the end of the summer transfer window, ESPN commentator Ian Darke suggested Amorim needed to bolster his options in the engine room, but simply didn’t have the money available.

Darke named Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton as a suitable target for Man United, and according to a report from TEAMtalk, the midfielder has now been identified as a prime target for the January transfer window.

Indeed, it has been revealed that United are frontrunners in the race for Wharton’s signature, with INEOS deadly serious about hijacking Chelsea’s move for the Palace maestro, but a deal will be expensive.

Palace have slapped an asking price of at least £70m on the midfielder, who is likely to have no shortage of potential suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool also named as interested parties, although the Red Devils are currently ahead of their two Premier League rivals.

"Incredible" Wharton would be statement signing for Man Utd

Man United proved they still have plenty of pulling power by beating Champions League Newcastle United to Benjamin Sesko’s signature in the summer, but their start to the campaign is unlikely to have done them any favours when it comes to luring the Palace star.

That said, if Amorim’s side were able to get a deal done, there is every indication the 21-year-old would be a fantastic addition, having received high praise from members of the media for his performances this season.

Man United focused on bringing in proven Premier League players in the previous window, and the Englishman fits the bill in that regard, having now made 42 top-flight appearances for the Eagles.

At around £70m, Wharton would be one of Man United’s most expensive ever signings, but there are clear signs he has what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras conquistou uma vitória importante por 1 a 0 sobre o Goiás, nesta sexta-feira (15), com direito a gol de Breno Lopes aos 50 minutos do segundo tempo. Poderia ser um feito épico a ser lembrado, mas o atacante decidiu provocar a torcida em sua comemoração e acabou recebendo uma resposta atravessada da principal organizada do clube. Não à toa, Abel Ferreira teve que comentar a situação, mas amenizou os efeitos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasBreno Lopes provoca torcida do Palmeiras e recebe resposta após gol da vitóriaPalmeiras16/09/2023PalmeirasVÍDEO: Assista aos melhores momentos de Palmeiras x GoiásPalmeiras15/09/2023PalmeirasATUAÇÕES: Breno Lopes volta a ser herói do Palmeiras em vitória no BrasileirãoPalmeiras15/09/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Em entrevista coletiva após a partida, o técnico do Verdão puxou a responsabilidade para si e lembrou que ele mesmo já errou muitas vezes ao perder o controle de suas emoções. Abel aproveitou também para reforçar a importância da torcida para o desempenho do time.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

– Primeiro é dizer que precisamos dos nossos torcedores, quando estamos todos juntos, apoiar, nós precisamos deles, eles sabem que temos um elenco bem curto e agora com a lesão de Dudu, menos um jogador, nós precisamos deles todos e precisamos muito que lees nos ajudem. O primeiro a cometer erros aqui sou eu, já fui expulso muitas vezes, por muitas vezes não controlei minhas emoções, apesar de que agora estou diferente, bem melhor nesse aspecto, mas isso faz parte do futebol, as emoções, isso que é o mais importante, o apoio dos nossos torcedores.

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+ ATUAÇÕES: Breno Lopes volta a ser herói do Palmeiras em vitória no Brasileirão

Em outro recado ao torcedor, Abel Ferreira pediu para que os torcedores entendam a situação da equipe, que hoje conta com elenco curto e acabou de perder Dudu, por isso é preciso ter todos os jogadores possíveis. O treinador também afirmou que o mais importante de tudo é que Breno marcou o gol da vitória.

– Entender que eu mesmo cometo erros, perco o controle das emoções, mas nós precisamos de todos os jogadores, temos um elenco curto, e precisamos estar cada vez mais unidos aqui em casa. Nossos torcedores são a alma da nossa equipe, valeu a pena pagar o ingresso e ver o gol no último segundo. O importante é que o Breno fez o gol da vitória e era isso que nós precisávamos.

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Por fim, Abel Ferreira exaltou Breno Lopes, falando que ele joga menos minutos do que gostaria, mas ainda assim é decisivo. Além disso, o técnico português lembrou que o atacante já faz parte da história do clube.

– Vocês sabem que ele é um jogador que não tem jogado quanto eu queria, mas é um jogador que tem seu nome marcado aqui na história do clube, é um jogador que eu confio, que eu gosto. Contem a quantidade de gols que ele fez com cinco, dez minutos que eu coloco ele. Isso é o mais importante para nós.

+ Breno Lopes provoca torcida do Palmeiras e recebe resposta após gol da vitória

O Palmeiras volta a campo na quinta-feira (21), diante do Grêmio, em Porto Alegre, pela 24ª rodada do Brasileirão. O Verdão é o segundo colocado do campeonato, com 44 pontos, sete atrás do líder Botafogo.

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraBreno LopesPalmeiras

It leaves him a major doubt for the upcoming tour of the West Indies

Andrew McGlashan13-Jun-2025

Steven Smith went off the field with a finger injury•Associated Press

Australia were left contemplating the possibility of needing to replace over 10,000 runs after Steven Smith suffered a compound dislocation of the little finger on his right hand on the third day of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, leaving him a major doubt for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, as a rare loss in a tournament decider loomed into view.Smith suffered the injury when he dropped a sharp chance offered by Temba Bavuma on 2 as the South Africa captain edged Mitchell Starc to first slip where Smith was standing so close that he was wearing a helmet.Smith immediately knew he was in trouble and started to leave the field in significant pain even before the medical staff reached him.”He was assessed by Australian team medical staff at the ground and taken to the hospital for X-rays and further treatment,” a CA spokesperson said.The dropped catch was a pivotal moment in the day as South Africa would have been 76 for 3 chasing 282 had it been held, but instead Bavuma was unbeaten on 65 at the close as fought through a hamstring injury.Since 1996, Australia’s men have lost just one of the 10 global finals they have been in – the 2010 T20 World Cup against England – but barring a spectacular South Africa collapse on Saturday will relinquish the mace.”We understand the magnitude of the task, that 8 for 70 or whatever it is, is incredibly tricky and conditions would have to go away,” assistant coach Daniel Vettori said. “I think with the nature of where the ball is at and the surface, it’s a difficult task, but it is a task that the group has probably done at times throughout the last three, four, some of them five, six, even longer years.”Meanwhile, Smith’s injury also leaves Australia with the prospect of having a big hole to fill in their batting order in the West Indies, where the first Test begins in Barbados on June 25, although the extent of Smith’s injury was still being assessed at the close of play with him not having returned to the ground from hospital.Earlier this year left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann was able to make a swift return to action after suffering a similar blow in the BBL before going on to take 16 wickets in the series against Sri Lanka.Australia already have significant uncertainty around their top order with Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green struggling in the WTC final. After a relatively lean period by his high standards, Smith has been prolific in recent Tests with four hundreds in five matches against India and Sri Lanka before 66 in the first innings at Lord’s.Should Smith be ruled out of all or part of the West Indies tour, it could create an opening for Sam Konstas’ return, with Labuschagne going back to No. 3 and Green dropping down to No. 4 where he made 174 not out against New Zealand before his back injury.Josh Inglis is the other spare batter in the squad for the WTC final, which will be the same group that travels to the Caribbean. Should reinforcements be needed, Nathan McSweeney could come into consideration while the resurgent Kurtis Patterson could be another option.

At Lord’s come Wednesday, Lungi Ngidi will play his first Test in ten months, and only his third under coach Shukri Conrad. Ngidi was confirmed in South Africa’s XI for the WTC final ahead of Dane Paterson, preferred for the extra pace and bounce in an attack that will also feature Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj.”It was probably one of the tougher decisions that have been made,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at his pre-match press conference. “We’ve seen what Patto [Paterson] did for us at the end of last season. But from a tactical point of view, there’s a little bit more pace from Lungi. He is taller as well.”On the Lord’s slope, a bowler’s height is considered a major asset. All of Australia’s quicks are at least 1.90m tall, while Jansen stands at 2.06m and Ngidi at 1.93m. Mulder, at 1.85m, is the shortest of the quicks across both sides, and his bowling style – medium pace with the ability to move the ball – was considered too similar to Paterson’s to include both of them in an attack looking for variety.Related

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“Lungi has the experience. He’s played here before – not that Patto hasn’t, but Lungi complements that bowling attack a little bit more,” Bavuma said. “We have a guy like Mulder as well, who kind of gives you something similar to what Patto can do. But I think that was probably one of the difficult decisions that we had to make.”Ngidi’s inclusion could still be considered a risk. While he has played at Lord’s before, against England in 2022, he bowled 12 overs across two innings, with figures of 1 for 27. Ngidi has also only played two Tests in the last 18 months, and no red-ball cricket last summer. He trained with Rabada, Jansen and Mulder under the watch of Stuart Broad on Monday afternoon.Ngidi’s last first-class match was South Africa’s Test against West Indies in August last year, where he bowled 16.5 overs with a haul of 1 for 51. Since November 2022, Ngidi has only bowled a combined ten-plus overs twice – both times in Tests – as he has battled a series of injuries. The latest was a groin concern that ruled him out from mid-November last year to January this year.Ngidi played five games in the SA20 this year and all of South Africa’s matches at the Champions Trophy and two games at the IPL. He bowled two overs against Zimbabwe in Arundel in a rain-affected warm-up match, but it remains to be seen how he will perform in long spells – or in third, fourth and fifth spells if required.Wiaan Mulder will form South Africa’s core for the next few years•AFP/Getty Images

Paterson is proven in that regard, and delivered 68 overs in the two Tests he played over the home summer in 2024-25, when he took 13 wickets at 16.92, South Africa’s best average. But Paterson has only once played in a Test with Mulder, in Bangladesh last October, where both had a light second-innings load as the spinners took control.South Africa’s desire to lengthen their batting line-up and balance their attack has ultimately cost Paterson the chance at a perfect farewell. He has not been named in their squad for the Tests against Zimbabwe later this month, and at 36, is in the twilight of his career. Ngidi and Mulder, meanwhile, at 29 and 27, respectively, will be part of the core for the next few years.Mulder has also been given the responsibility of batting at No. 3 in the WTC final, something he has only done twice before in his career – and both times for South Africa.The first was in Durban against Sri Lanka last year. When Tony de Zorzi was dismissed in the 12th over, Mulder offered to come in to try and take the shine off a new(ish) ball. But he suffered a broken right middle finger and was ruled out of cricket for the rest of 2024. Mulder returned for the New Year’s Test against Pakistan, where he again batted at No. 3, and scored 5.Tristan Stubbs has been South Africa’s go-to No. 3 batter in recent times•AFP/Getty Images

His most successful batting position in the top seven in all first-class cricket is No. 5, where he averages 39.20. But South Africa have chosen to use Tristan Stubbs, who was originally given the No. 3 spot, in that position. The other batter in the squad is opener de Zorzi, who has lost his spot to Ryan Rickelton and has not been considered at No. 3 – for now.”Mulder is quite young obviously in that position. But having played with Mulder, [and] having seen the way he has grown in the last two years within red-ball cricket, it’s about giving him a lot more confidence, backing him, and allowing him to do what he does best,” Bavuma said. “He has an opportunity in a pressure situation. But I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to go out and play his game.”If Mulder is looking for advice, he could find some from Hashim Amla, South Africa’s most successful No. 3 among all those to have batted at least 20 times there.Amla averaged 49.95 in that position, and scored 25 hundreds. He was inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening, alongside former captain Graeme Smith, and his first tip to Mulder was to make sure he was ready to bat as early as possible.”You have to be able to handle a new ball. That’s because most of the time at No. 3, you end up coming in pretty early – so you’re always prepping for that,” Amla said. “You’ve got to have a good technique, and you’ve got to have the experience of batting in the top order for a long time. That makes the quality of a good No. 3 batsman for a long period of time.”Like Mulder, Amla was not a natural No. 3, but thinks it’s a role players can grow into.”When I first started at three, I was not a No. 3 batter. I actually preferred [batting at] four and five, and batting at three for South Africa was the only gap at that stage,” Amla said. “They asked me to do it, and I did it. I had a season of doing it with the Dolphins, and then going to the national team. In this current team, you may not have guys who have batted [at] three domestically, but there’s a time for them to start. And if Wiaan bats at three, it might be his time.”You have to be real that you need time to learn the position, and although it’s a big final, it’s tough to be in the deep end like that. But he can make it work. He’s technically sound, and the style of cricket that South Africa look to be playing is a little bit more attacking. So in many ways, your technique is not tested as much. You’re playing a bit more shots than normal, so it might fit into the way that South Africa are playing.”Of the two contenders for No. 3, Stubbs could be considered the more aggressive. But after trying him at No. 3 for five Tests in which he averaged 44.71, albeit on fairly flat tracks, South Africa decided to move him down, where he can play with more flair. Bavuma will bat at No. 4, between Mulder and Stubbs.With Bavuma as South Africa’s leading Test run-scorer in the last five years, Mulder and Stubbs’ fortunes are as, if not more, reliant on their captain’s performance.

Spinner, who is also managing a minor quad injury, could still be available to face India

Valkerie Baynes07-Jun-2025Sophie Ecclestone is taking a break from domestic cricket to manage her wellbeing ahead of India’s tour of England starting later this month.The ECB said Ecclestone remained available for selection for the India series, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs, but had decided to take time out to manage a minor quad injury as well as her wellbeing.Charlotte Edwards, England Women’s head coach, said: “Sophie has been managing a quad niggle over the past week but more importantly she wants to take a step back from cricket for a short period to look after herself.Related

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“We’re totally behind that. We want to be able to select Sophie for the India series but the most important thing for her at the moment is that she feels in a better place. We all agree that a break now could be beneficial for her to achieve that.”Ecclestone was left out of England’s squads for the West Indies series while recovering from a knee injury but played for Lancashire in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup on the day the international squads were announced.Since then she has played a total of eight matches across formats and competitions, taking 14 wickets – including 4 for 12 against Surrey in the T20 Women’s County Cup final, which Lancashire won, and 2 for 24 in a Vitality Blast victory over Durham last Sunday. She has also scored 154 runs, including a half-century in the first 50-over game she played.Speaking after England’s nine-wicket victory in the rain-affected final ODI against West Indies in Taunton, Edwards added that she was confident Ecclestone would be available for selection against India, something she and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt would welcome.”Soph’s had a really tough six months in many ways, the Ashes then coming back and having that knee injury, not being quite ready for this series,” Edwards said. “She played some county cricket so I’m almost certain that she’ll be up for selection for the India series and both of us just want Soph back in this team and in a really good place and really happy.”Hopefully this little break she’s going to have will help her do that and we look forward to seeing again in England colours… I think this is the best preparation for Sophie Ecclestone to be ready for selection for India, and that’s the most important thing to me.”In her absence from the England set-up, fellow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith claimed a five-wicket haul on ODI debut in the first match against West Indies in Derby and is the leading wicket-taker for the series with seven at an average of 9.00 and economy rate of 3.15. Smith sat out the third and final ODI against West Indies in Taunton on Saturday. Across the T20I series, she took three wickets at 19.33 and 4.83.Despite the performances of Smith, legspinner Sarah Glenn – who was player of the match in Taunton with 3 for 21 – and off-spinner Charlie Dean, Edwards said Ecclestone’s record meant she remained in contention for a swift England return.”In terms of Sophie and her record, yeah, she’s obviously one of the best spinners of the world,” Edwards said. “We are going to have some selection headaches over the next week or so because that’s what we wanted to create within this team, that people come in and perform. Linsey’s been amazing, Sarah Glenn’s won player of the match, Deano’s been brilliant, there’s been some wonderful performances.”We’ve got four of the best spinners in world cricket at the moment, which we are blessed to have, and going to a World Cup in India, who knows, we could be taking the four of them. Sophie’s going to be a massive part of that as well.”Ecclestone’s decision follows a difficult winter for England in which they were thrashed 16-0 on the Ashes tour of Australia. The trip was also marred by off-field headlines, including Ecclestone’s refusal to give an interview to former team-mate turned broadcaster Alex Hartley.That followed Hartley’s criticism of the fitness levels of some England players when they crashed out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup last October.In a wide-ranging interview after the Ashes defeat – which ultimately led to Jon Lewis being replaced by Edwards and Heather Knight losing the captaincy – Clare Connor, managing director of England women’s cricket, described Ecclestone’s interview refusal as “an unfortunate incident that won’t happen again”.Late last month, Ecclestone dropped to fourth place on the ICC’s world T20I bowling rankings with Pakistan left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal taking the top spot. Ecclestone remains No.1 on the ODI rankings.

Celtic suffered another damaging defeat in the Scottish Premiership against Heart of Midlothian and Chris Sutton didn’t hold back when assessing their performance at Tynecastle.

Celtic fall eight points behind in Scottish Premiership title race

Continuing a run of poor domestic performances, Celtic endured a second-half collapse in Sunday’s pivotal top-two clash to slip eight points behind Heart of Midlothian in the title race.

After falling behind courtesy of a Dane Murray own goal, Callum McGregor’s equaliser proved to be of scant consolation to a travelling support who were left frustrated as Alexandros Kyziridis and Lawrence Shankland put the seal on a deserved three points for the hosts.

Brendan Rodgers found himself under pressure before kick-off in the capital, and his side succumbed to a second-half collapse that will do little to appease the masses as the Bhoys continued an uncharacteristic start to the campaign, where they have looked out of sorts.

Cameron Carter-Vickers led a lengthy list of Celtic injuries that didn’t help their case at Tynecastle. However, his replacement, Murray, didn’t have a day to remember and may well now be a candidate to come out of the team before Wednesday’s clash with Falkirk at Parkhead.

Ultimately, Hearts sought control in the second 45 minutes and left the reigning champions with no answers, confirming back-to-back league defeats for the first time in almost two years.

Consistency levels at Celtic are usually sky high. Nevertheless, this term has been one of stark contrast, and fan fury at the hierarchy following a dismal summer transfer window will continue to make headlines.

Celtic’s next five fixtures under Brendan Rodgers

Falkirk (H)

Scottish Premiership

Rangers (N)

Premier Sports Cup

Midtjylland (A)

Europa League

Kilmarnock (H)

Scottish Premiership

St Mirren (A)

Scottish Premiership

Collectively, the Bhoys are falling way below expectation at the moment, and Sutton has now pointed out some of the key duties he believes they are simply failing to carry out.

Chris Sutton reacts to Celtic loss at Hearts

Taking to social media platform X after the final whistle, Sutton made clear that Hearts were far more streetwise, organised, and were far more productive in the forward areas, something he believes has been symptomatic of the clubs’ respective seasons.

The former Hoops striker believes that the team need to improve in those three aspects if they want to turn their season around to beat Hearts to the league title.

Making reference to the Irishman’s comments last week after Celtic fell to the hands of Dundee, all is not well at the Scottish champions and being eight points behind at this stage would’ve been unthinkable months ago, though Hearts have taken full advantage of their plight.

Undoubtedly, Derek McInnes and his side were all things that the Bhoys failed to produce at Tynecastle and have continued to generate momentum in an unbeaten start to the league season.

Rodgers could unearth his new Daizen Maeda in Celtic's rarely-seen "animal"

With Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Ịheanachọ injured for Sunday’s top of the table clash with Hearts, Brendan Rodgers should unleash Celtic’s “animal”.

ByBen Gray Oct 25, 2025

Celtic need to react swiftly against Falkirk and start to chalk up results on a regular basis. If they don’t, scrutiny on the manager and the boardroom will reach new heights.

Manchester City starlet Reigan Heskey, the son of former Liverpool striker Emile, helped to give England lift-off in their U17 World Cup campaign as he inspired an 8-1 victory over Haiti. Having lost their opening game of the tournament in Qatar, the Young Lions knew that three points were imperative in their second Group E fixture. Neil Ryan's side ultimately eased over that line.

• Young Lions plunder eight goals in huge win

  Having fluffed their lines in surprising fashion against Venezuela, slipping to a humbling 3-0 defeat, it took less than 60 seconds for England to open the scoring against Haiti. Heskey was involved from the off, with his low cross being turned home by Tottenham No.10 Luca Williams-Barnett.

  The tricky Spurs playmaker looked lively throughout the opening exchanges, with some neat footwork – which saw him skip and spin away from a couple of challenges – coming close to providing another sight of goal. At the opposite end of the field, Haiti posed a threat with pacey counter attacks.

  England were, however, to see collective nerves settled further inside quarter of an hour. The match officials initially waved away Heskey’s claims for a penalty after he was sent tumbling inside the box by Emerson Alexis, but a VS review saw a spot-kick awarded – with coaches able to lodge two requests during any given contest.

  Having earned the opportunity from 12 yards, Heskey stepped up himself and calmly sent Haiti’s goalkeeper the wrong way as he found the bottom corner. Ryan’s side were given a wake-up call in the 17th minute when their offside trap was beaten and Franco Celestin headed in off the underside of the crossbar from a matter of inches.

  England’s two-goal lead was restored inside four minutes, with Heskey involved prominently once again as he teed up Chelsea’s Reggie Walsh for a composed finish. The heat and humidity was clearly becoming too much for Haiti, as they were left chasing shadows, with the Young Lions pulling away early in the second half.

  Venezuelan-born Alejandro Gomes Rodriguez of Lyon opened his account for the tournament in the 55th minute, showing good strength to hold off his marker and drill low across goal and into the net. England’s fifth arrived three minutes later as Heskey set up substitute Chizaram Ezenwata of Chelsea for a shot that was fired through defenders on the line.

  Haiti were then hit for six in the 64th minute when the impressive Williams-Barnet grabbed his second of the game. The 17-year-old once again showcased dancing feet as he found space where there was very little and completed a mazy dribble with a cheeky nutmeg.

  Despite only being introduced in place of Rodriguez, exciting Stamford Bridge prospect Ezenwata helped himself to the match ball when completing his hat-trick with there still 10 minutes left on the clock. Two smart finishes, one in off the post and another across the goalkeeper, saw him to a memorable hat-trick at a prominent international tournament.

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• Getty
  

  The MVP

  Williams-Barnett looked very impressive – with Tottenham seemingly having a huge talent on their hands there – while Ezenwata claimed the match ball, but Heskey made the difference when England were looking to take control of proceedings.

  He is not the same kind of player as his father – who was a powerful striker – with the talented teenager more at home on the flanks. He does, however, still boast an eye for goal – be that hitting the net himself or providing for others.

  Haiti never got close to containing the threat that he posed before being replaced 11 minutes from time. Heskey helped to get the ball rolling inside the opening minutes, before firing home from the penalty spot himself.

  He showcased his unselfish side when putting chances on a plate for Walsh and Ezenwata. He will be brimming with confidence ahead of England’s final group stage fixture against Egypt on November 10.

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  The big loser

  It feels harsh to brand any of the Young Lions as a "loser" given how commanding they were across 90 impressive minutes. The only blot on an otherwise impressive copybook came in the form of Celestin’s first-half goal. Arsenal keeper Jack Porter – who was the Gunners’ youngest debutant before seeing Max Dowman break that record – will be disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet. He was worried at times during the opening 45 minutes, but was left with little to do as England put their foot on the gas and pulled away from Haiti in style.

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  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Patrick Moroney, a former national selector, has been appointed as South Africa’s new convenor selector for the men’s senior side. Moroney will begin work on August 1. That means his first series in charge will be South Africa’s white-ball tour of Australia, which starts on August 10.Moroney has had a long involvement in selection which dates back to 2001. He has worked with the South African National Academy, the emerging sides, and was in the running to become South Africa’s convenor of selectors in 2019. Then, he lost out to Victor Mpitsang but was appointed to work alongside him.Most recently, Moroney worked as convenor selector for the Under-19 men’s side, which included last year’s World Cup selection. Both Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius were among his picks at that tournament.”His deep understanding of the game, combined with decades of experience in talent identification and selection across various levels, makes him the ideal person for the job,” Enoch Nkwe, director of national teams and High Performance, said in a statement announcing Moroney’s appointment.This is the first time coach Shukri Conrad will have to work with a selection convener since his appointment in January 2023. At the time, Nkwe did away with the selection panel, which was chaired by Mpitsang and also included Moroney, the national coach, and the captain. That left the duties of picking squads and teams solely with the national coaches.Conrad was put in charge of the Test side, and made several left-field selections, including most recently putting Wiaan Mulder at No. 3 – though Mulder now holds South Africa’s highest Test score – while Rob Walter had the white-ball job. Walter faced criticism from various quarters over taking a squad with only one black African player to last year’s T20 World Cup, where South Africa reached the final.It is learnt that CSA’s board had since insisted on the reinstatement of a convenor of selectors, albeit not a full panel. Interviews were concluded in May, when Conrad was given the all-format coaching job, and at the time Nkwe explained the reason to bring back a convenor of selectors to offer “support” to a coach who would already have a lot on his plate.”We needed to review, and look at areas in terms of where we can actually support the coach,” Nkwe said. “We need to have more eyes on the ground as the coach is going to be focusing on performance.”Also at the time, Conrad said he was happy to work with someone, and hoped that person would be a “like-minded person, and that has got South African cricket and the Proteas at heart”.Earlier, Mpitsang and Moroney had worked together in the selection panel from late 2019 until early 2023, and that period coincided with Mark Boucher’s tenure as South Africa’s head coach. Among the most debatable choices that panel made was changing a winning XI on the tour of England in 2022. After South Africa won the first Test at Lord’s, they picked a spinner to play on a seamer-friendly pitch in the second Test at Old Trafford, which forced South Africa to bat first on a difficult track. As a result, they lost that match and then the series. The panel also selected a then-unknown Marco Jansen, who has since gone on to represent South Africa in all formats.

In a move that could see them skip out the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive South American wonderkid.

Van Dijk: It's "clear" Liverpool must improve

Returning from the international break looking to return to winning ways for the first time in three games, against rivals Manchester United no less, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that the Reds must improve.

The Dutchman also praised the Red Devils, sending a warning to the rest of his teammates about the threat that they pose even after getting off to a difficult start to the campaign, themselves.

For Arne Slot, it’s an unfamiliar position.

The Dutchman only knows winning ways in Merseyside after securing the Premier League title in his debut campaign last time out. Now, for the first time, the pressure is on him to turn Liverpool’s £400m summer spending spree into a side capable of defending that title.

Slot can fix Konate & Leoni blow by unleashing Liverpool's 19-year-old star

Liverpool have something of a sore spot in defence this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 18, 2025

Anfield chiefs rarely panic on that front, however, and will instead have their sights set on further improvements.

After smashing their transfer record twice in the summer to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have reportedly shifted their focus towards a wonderkid.

Liverpool join Ian Subiabre race

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Ian Subiabre alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and a number of other Premier League rivals.

The youngster is one of the most promising stars that South American football has to offer, and is reportedly ready to move on from River Plate in 2026.

Described as a “direct dribbler” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Subiabre would be an excellent coup for Liverpool, especially in January if a winter move does indeed become possible.

Whether it’s been those at Anfield in the case of Alexis Mac Allister or Chelsea with Moises Caicedo, a number of top Premier League sides have missed out on bargain deals for South American stars before paying a premium price to the likes of Brighton to secure those same players.

The Reds could now skip that step by landing a repeat of Man City’s Claudio Echeverri deal for Subiabre next year.

While Subiabre’s deal is due to expire at the end of 2026, reports from his homeland suggest the 18-year-old is actually ready to renew his deal until 2028 — giving River Plate the chance to recuperate a larger fee for him.

This proposed fresh contract, if officially announced, would include a whopping £74 million release clause.

Liverpool will be praying this isn’t the case, and Subiabre pulls a ‘Trent’ by running his current deal down.

If not, Slot’s side would have to fork out much more money for the Argentine, albeit maybe not as high as the clause.