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Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is pleased to 'put pressure' on their arch-rivals Real Madrid after a dominant win against Celta Vigo, featuring a strong yet explosive performance of Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick. However, Flick bemoans the "incredible" suspension of key Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who will miss the next fixture against Athletic Club after the international break.

• Barcelona's character shines in Balaidos victory

  Celebrating his 50th La Liga game in charge, Flick's side demonstrated a potent attacking display as they ran out 4-2 winners to cut the gap on league leaders Madrid to three points. The match saw three goals from Lewandowski and one more from Pedri for Barcelona, while Celta threatened with strikes from Iago Aspas and Jorgen Strand Larsen.

  The win, which came with eight shots on target from 20 attempts, showcased Barcelona's attacking prowess, contrasting with Celta's four shots on target from six attempts. Despite conceding two goals, Barcelona's control in the second period was evident, maintaining 63% possession and achieving 95% pass accuracy.

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  Flick's focus on continued pressure on Real Madrid

  Speaking after the match, Flick said: "Yes, of course, I'm happy. I think we made more mistakes in the first half than in the second. In the first half we were very good with the ball, and in the second half the team knew how to control the game.

  "In football, the previous match doesn't matter, you always have to look ahead to the next one, but it's good to put pressure on the team above us. The second half gives us confidence. I'm happy for the team."

  The Barcelona coach highlighted the strategic significance of the result, especially heading into the international break. "Pushing pressure on the opponent is good, we did it and I’m happy. Winning before the international break is also very good. I feel happy. We had to look out for ourselves and we applied the pressure well today." 

  This result positions Barcelona on 28 points, three behind Real Madrid's 31, with both teams having played 12 matches.

• Lewandowski's hat-trick sparks goalscoring resurgence

  The undeniable star of the evening was veteran striker Lewandowski, who netted a hat-trick to take his La Liga tally to seven goals. The Polish international, in his fifth start, demonstrated his enduring quality despite being 37 years old. Flick expressed confidence in Lewandowski's form, avoiding speculation about his future beyond the current season.

  "It’s too early to talk about Lewandowski’s next season. I can say that after his injury, I saw a different Robert, positive, confident. It’s very important for us that he scored three goals," Flick commented, acknowledging the striker's strong return to form. This performance is a significant boost for Barcelona's title aspirations, providing the cutting edge in attack they need to challenge Real Madrid.

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• De Jong suspension a blow for Barcelona

  While celebrating the victory, Flick voiced regret over the suspension of key midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman received two yellow cards during the match, resulting in a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time, and will now miss Barcelona's next league fixture against Athletic Club. De Jong's absence will be keenly felt, given his crucial role.

  "I think De Jong controlled the game and is very important for us," Flick noted. "He’s playing at an incredible level. It’s not good that he’ll miss the next game because he’s important for us, but we’ll have to manage it. When we return from the break, I hope to have Pedri, Raphinha, and Joan [Garcia] available. We’ll see."

  De Jong’s influence on possession and pass accuracy is considerable, and his ability to dictate the tempo of games is vital for Barcelona. His suspension comes at a challenging time, especially with the team striving to maintain pressure on the league leaders.

Leeds United’s work during the summer transfer window is naturally going to be called into question with the team currently sat in the relegation zone in the Premier League at the start of December.

Whilst two of their signings, Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, scored in their loss to Manchester City, the summer arrivals have not done enough to keep the side out of the bottom three.

For example, James Justin was brought in as an experienced Premier League defender and was beaten with ease inside the opening minute for Phil Foden’s first goal on Saturday.

Ranking Leeds United's summer signings

Unfortunately, too many of the club’s summer signings have made similar mistakes without providing much quality, at one end of the pitch or the other, to make up for it.

Leeds paid £13.9m to sign goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon to replace Illan Meslier, but he has let in 0.92 more goals than expected and saved just 54% of the shots against him in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore.

Whilst the Brazilian shot-stopper has been one of their worst additions, Sean Longstaff has provided consistency in midfield since his move from Newcastle, leading the team in ‘big chances’ created (six) and key passes per game (1.7).

1

Sean Longstaff

2

Noah Okafor

3

Gabriel Gudmundsson

4

Anton Stach

5

Lukas Nmecha

6

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

7

Lucas Perri

8

James Justin

9

Jaka Bijol

10

Sebastiaan Bornauw

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson rank just below the Englishman with the exciting connection that they have forged together on the left flank.

At the other end of the ranking, though, Jaka Bijol has to be down there because he was dropped for the last two games after his first three starts for the club in the Premier League.

It is, unfortunately, Sebastiaan Bornauw who currently ranks at the bottom of the pile, though, because he looks to be their biggest waste of a signing since Jean-Kevin Augustin.

Why Leeds need to move on from Sebastiaan Bornauw already

The Belgian defender seemed to be a signing that Daniel Farke had a big say in, because he came from Germany, Wolfsburg, and was a transfer target for the manager during his time at Norwich in the summer of 2021.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This meant that it felt like a long time coming for Bornauw and Farke to finally work together, yet it has not played out that way in the first few months of the season, as the defender has not played a single minute in the league.

Every Leeds fan will be familiar with the story of Augustin’s time at Elland Road, as the club had to pay £24.5m for the player after opting not to go through with an obligation to sign him permanently because he only played 48 league minutes during his time on loan in the 2019/20 campaign.

Man City

Not in squad

Aston Villa

Not in squad

Nottingham Forest

Not in squad

Brighton

Not in squad

West Ham

Not in squad

Burnley

0

Spurs

0

Bournemouth

Not in squad

Wolves

Not in squad

Fulham

Not in squad

Newcastle

0

Arsenal

0

Everton

0

As you can see in the table above, 48 minutes of league football looks favourable in comparison to how Bornauw’s season in the Premier League has gone.

The former Belgium international is out with an injury at the moment, but the Whites boss has left him as an unused substitute in the five top-flight games that he has been available for, despite having wanted to sign the star since 2021.

Bornauw’s only minutes in all competitions came in a loss to Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on penalties in the League Cup back in August, per Sofascore, with the likes of Bijol, Joe Rodon, and Pascal Struijk all ahead of him in the pecking order at centre-back in the league.

At the age of 26, the Belgian defender should be playing regular football and be a first-choice at a club. Instead, he looks set to continue watching on from the bench at Leeds unless something drastically changes in the coming weeks.

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With this in mind, it may be best for both parties to find a solution in the January transfer window, as the transfer does not seem to have worked out and it has been a bit of a waste of time for the club and the player, as was also the case with Augustin.

Ashes hopeful Marcus Harris was run out for 61 as Victoria reached 167 for 3 following South Australia’s 350 for 9 declared

AAP05-Oct-2025Marcus Harris looked set for a statement pre-Ashes innings before a sharp piece of fielding left the Victoria No.3 kicking himself at a missed opportunity on day two of the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia at Adelaide Oval.The match was evenly poised when bad light stopped play late on Sunday afternoon, with Victoria 167 for 3 after SA declared at 350 for 9.Harris had been patient, compiling 61 from 149 balls and hitting three fours as he tries to force his way back into the Australian Test team for the Ashes. Peter Handscomb then called for a quick single after pushing into the covers.Daniel Drew pounced and his excellent direct hit caught Harris centimeters short of his ground at the striker’s end after Harris slightly veered his run and failed to stretch or dive with both options likely to have saved him.Handscomb was looking set at stumps on 38 and Oliver Peake finished unbeaten on 11.SA made the perfect start with the ball when Wes Agar had promising opener Campbell Kellaway caught at first slip for a second-ball duck.But Harris and Blake Macdonald then settled in for a 93-run stand. Macdonald was dismissed when looking set, caught behind for 45 when he chased a wide Lloyd Pope delivery.Earlier, the home side resumed on Sunday morning at 270 for 3 and Test quick Scott Boland eventually broke up the partnership between Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann that had dominated the opening day.They added another six runs for a stand of 218 before Boland had Hunt caught behind for 126 from 307 balls.Boland also claimed Lehmann as the sixth wicket for 113 off 188 deliveries with Handscomb taking a sharp chance at second slip.Mitchell Perry took another wicket on Sunday to finish with 4 for 75, while Boland and Doug Warren snared two wickets apiece.South Australia No.8 Hanno Jacobs scored 41 from 52 balls on his Shield debut for South Australia, which included two fours and a six.

Liverpool’s issues run far and wide this season, and Arne Slot’s second season is falling from a concern to a calamity. Nottingham Forest pitched up at Anfield on Saturday and won 3-0. That’s six defeats from seven Premier League matches for the champions.

The fact that Liverpool produced a confident and front-footed performance for the first half-hour, before Murillo pounced after a corner, is immaterial. Even the residue of the fluent and coherent and tenacious spine has deserted Slot’s side.

Things can change quickly in football, but on the basis of the current evidence, Liverpool will struggle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, let alone challenge high-flying Arsenal for the title.

Change is needed, a strange thing to say given the Reds’ record-breaking summer of spending. But with such glaring tactical problems, it feels likely that FSG will authorise a signing or two this winter.

Liverpool search for winter signings

With Ibrahima Konate so horribly out of sorts and free to talk to overseas suitors in January, out of contract at the end of the season, there is an understandable anxiety about Liverpool’s defensive depth, let alone the stability of the backline.

This club’s reputation as masterful strategists has disintegrated over the past few months. The squeals of delight from rival fans are loud, and it goes without saying that it’s crucial that sporting director Richard Hughes gets it right if dipping back into the market come January.

Liverpool need a centre-back, sure, but that’s not the extent of their issues, with Slot actually hinting in the past week that his club’s transfer arm may extend in a different direction.

Well, according to Spanish sources, Liverpool are preparing to launch a statement bid for Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, who has been earmarked as an alternative to Antoine Semenyo, admired by FSG and with a £65m release clause that becomes active in January.

Liverpool might have broken the British transfer record on Alexander Isak this summer, but they are now looking to smash that once again with a deal for the French winger, who is valued at €200m (about £177m).

Change is needed at Anfield, and with Olise added to the fold, the intensity and sparkle that have been so sorely lacking may be rekindled.

What Olise would bring to Liverpool

Liverpool have been lacking something out wide this season, and a large part of that has been the failure to effectively replace Luis Diaz.

Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich this summer, was so dynamic and dangerous, and in his new teammate Olise, Liverpool could restore that style of wide forward to their set-up.

Olise has been described as “easily a top-five right winger in the world” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and with the need for a Mohamed Salah replacement intensifying, this could be the perfect move to go for, the Les Bleus star only continuing to go from strength to strength.

Whether Liverpool opt for the cheaper route in signing Semenyo remains to be seen, but this would be a statement, and Olise has proven his capacity to succeed in different systems and different areas.

Of course, there is a big difference between playing for Bournemouth and starring for Bayern Munich. The Cherries are an attractive and impressive outfit, but they lack the offensive freedom of Die Roten at the peak of the Bundesliga.

Goals scored

0.63

0.55

Assists

0.63

0.27

Shots taken

4.62

1.91

Shot-creating actions

6.82

3.28

Touches (att pen)

7.55

3.64

Pass completion (%)

81.6

69.4

Progressive passes

6.40

3.55

Progressive carries

5.45

3.19

Successful take-ons

2.31

1.91

Ball recoveries

4.72

5.28

Tackles + interceptions

1.36

1.82

Olise would be able to transfer his elite-level experience back over to the Premier League, where he has played so spectacularly before, and provide Slot’s side with creative and physical upgrades, echoing Semenyo’s skills in that regard.

But he would also give Liverpool the Diaz-like presence they have missed since the summer. The Colombian’s energy and core strength made him a fearsome Premier League winger, and with 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions last term, he was instrumental in propping up Slot’s reputation.

Podcast host Ryan Dilks said five years ago that Olise was a “superstar in waiting”, destined for the top, and now that has been put into practice, with the 23-year-old in his second season at Bayern and currently boasting nine goals and ten assists across 18 matches in all competitions this season.

It cannot be understated how much of a detrimental effect Diaz’s sale has had on Liverpool’s form and fluency this season. Olise would fix that. As per Sofascore, he has won 4.4 duels per game in the Bundesliga this season. His final season in the Premier League with Palace? Olise averaged 5.7 duels per match.

Liverpool are crying out for this kind of winger, and while Semenyo would add qualities that the club need, Olise is equally tenacious and physical, and he’s far superior from a technical standpoint and proven as one of the game’s most prolific wide forwards around.

Liverpool have slipped and slid into a morass of their own making. There are many circumstances surrounding this current crisis, but Slot is making many questionable tactical decisions and the players themselves have lost every shred of confidence and work-rate, two fixed points of the Dutch coach’s successful first season in charge.

It’s clear that there isn’t enough width and energy down the flanks, and so Olise could be the perfect Semenyo alternative to replace Salah by handing back to Merseyside a bit of Diaz-esque flair.

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She felt fielding was one area India can improve on in the lead-up to the upcoming World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-20253:00

Mandhana: I always back myself to be in ‘zen mode’

On a day when Australia posted their joint-highest ODI total, of 412, Smriti Mandhana gave India a strong chance to chase it down with a 63-ball 125. Her 50-ball hundred was the second-fastest in all Women’s ODIs.Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma made half-centuries from No. 4 and 5, but the chase eventually fizzled out, with India bowled out for 369. India lost the three-match series 2-1.Related

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Mandhana, who also scored a match-winning century in the second ODI and finished the series as its highest run-getter (300 runs), did not feel she was under too much pressure to do the heavy lifting at the top of the order, and rejected the idea that India’s batting line-up is overdependent on her.”Everyone [in the Indian side] is a match-winner – not only [the] 11 but all the 15 who are part of the team are match-winners,” Mandhana said. “I never look at anyone thinking that they are adding any pressure on me or anyone, for that case.”Secondly I have a huge belief in the whole team, that from any point we can still win the match. That is never going to change with one or two results. If you see in the last 12-odd months we’ve got 300 or 300-plus even when I’ve got out so that doesn’t really say anything about the batting reliance on anyone. Pratika [Rawal], Harleen [Deol], Jemimah [Rodrigues], Harman, everyone’s got a hundred in the last 12 months.”‘Not only [the] 11 but all the 15 who are part of the team are match-winners’•Getty ImagesMandhana, India’s vice-captain, pointed to fielding as an area India will look to work on heading into the upcoming World Cup. India were sloppy on the field throughout the three ODIs, dropping as many as 15 catches.”Australia is a great opposition to test ourselves [against] in terms of where we are lacking,” Mandhana said. “[…] It was a good series in terms of understanding our strengths and where we are lacking. There’s a lot of difference [between the teams] in the fielding. Fielding part is one thing which as a team we are on a rise but we also feel there are days where we look like a [good] fielding side and there are days where we don’t.”That’s about how we find the consistency in the team in terms of fielding as a unit and not individual brilliance, but fielding together as a team. That’s one thing which we thought we have to address before the World Cup. Otherwise, for everyone, it was just about [getting] the feel of the Indian conditions and how we really want to go forward.”The biggest positive from the series for India, according to Mandhana, was the “willingness” shown by the younger players to improve themselves.”The series was not like it was going to make us believe that we’ll win the World Cup. That belief is always there,” Mandhana said. “This series is just for us in terms of understanding what is going right and what’s going wrong because Australia is the best opposition to test it out [against].”We’ve had a great 12 months at home but we did not play Australia at home in the last 12 months. [We have taken back] a lot of positives, a lot of things in terms of what we want to work on. As long as that willingness to work hard is there, I feel the battle will be won. I see that a lot in the girls – that willingness to win, the willingness to learn and the willingness to grow. It’s a young team but the will level is very high.”

Top-of-the-table Southern Brave continued their unbeaten start to this year’s women’s competition in the Hundred and guaranteed themselves a top-three finish with a nervy penultimate-ball victory over a spirited Welsh Fire.Needing six runs from the final five, Mady Villiers was run out coming back for two from the first delivery of the set before Georgia Adams was almost brilliantly caught in the deep as she and Rhianna Southby scampered back for two and got Brave over the line with a ball to spare.Put into bat, Welsh Fire lost the big wicket of Hayley Matthews early, lbw to Sophie Devine for a first-ball duck.Sophia Dunkley looked to be continuing her form from The Kia Oval on Saturday, starting brightly and hitting four commanding boundaries.Brave made another important strike when Lauren Bell had Tammy Beaumont (7) brilliantly caught by Maia Bouchier at mid-on as the Fire reached 32 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.The impressive Tilly Corteen-Coleman returned to the attack to see the back of Dunkley (31), the spinner inducing a false cut shot to have the England batter caught behind by Southby.Georgia Elwiss reached a run-a-ball 36 not out as the Fire closed their innings on 111 for 6. Bell changed her pace and length expertly to finish with figures of 2 for 21.Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge played positively and untroubled, taking the score to 32 without loss after the powerplay and reducing the runs required to just 80.Fire then struck back to stay in the game. Wyatt-Hodge (18) was caught fantastically by Jess Jonassen at mid-off off Georgia Davis and Jonassen then came into the attack and removed Bouchier (35) and Laura Wolvaardt (3).Devine countered with a huge slog-swept six off Davis to relieve some pressure and Freya Kemp then deposited Freya Davies into the stands to take Brave closer to their target, but Kemp (17) fell soon after, caught by Shabnim Ismail at long-off off Jonassen.Chloe Tryon then went for a duck as Jonassen finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 10 before Devine (25) skied Matthews to Davies to leave her side needing 10 from the last 10 and then six from the final five.Meerkat Match Hero Devine said: “Credit has to go to the Welsh Fire there. We were probably cruising at the halfway stage and the way that they were able to fight back and take it to the last set, full credit to them.”It wasn’t our best day today, we’ll be the first ones to admit that. To get over the line is really pleasing and now we move forward.”I’m really pleased we were able to restrict them to what we did and finally get over the line there with the bat. We wanted to get ahead of the run rate and Dan and Bouch were outstanding and put the pressure back onto the Welsh Fire.”Then we probably got a little bit of the wobbles unfortunately but to be able to get over the line and people to keep their heads there at the end was really pleasing.”

Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of an early January move for one ‘magnificent’ forward with an agreement already in place for his arrival next year.

Liam Delap succumbs to another Chelsea injury blow

Liam Delap’s Chelsea career has descended into frustrating misfortune following another significant injury setback.

The 22-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Marcos Senesi.

Medical staff immediately applied a makeshift sling before Delap trudged directly towards the tunnel, his arm immobilised to prevent further damage.

Enzo Maresca then delivered a concerning post-match update that confirmed initial fears.

Reports suggest Delap faces approximately six to eight weeks sidelined, which comes as another devastating blow for the young forward after he was previously out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea signed Delap from relegated Ipswich in June, beating the likes of Man United and Newcastle to his signature after an impressive maiden Premier League season.

The Winchester-born striker finished as Ipswich’s leading scorer with twelve goals across thirty-seven appearances last term, accounting for thirty-three percent of their total output despite their eventual drop to the Championship.

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Delap also earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination and convinced Maresca – who previously managed Delap during his tenure overseeing Man City’s Elite Development Squad – that he represented an ideal target man.

However, the Englishman has since struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, managing just sporadic appearances whilst failing to register a single Premier League goal for his new employers.

Player

Pedro

Guiu

Delap

Games

18

8

11

Minutes

1377′

280′

453′

Goals

4

1

1

Assists

3

1

0

His only Chelsea strike this season arrived against Barcelona in the Champions League, providing brief optimism before this latest injury.

Marc Guiu replaced Delap against Bournemouth but was rusty throughout, highlighting Chelsea’s lack of alternative options, and it has led to suggestions that Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha could arrive earlier than anticipated.

Chelsea weigh early January move for Emanuel Emegha

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea chiefs are evaluating whether to bring forward Emegha’s arrival from their sister club following Delap’s injury blow.

The Blues confirmed a deal worth around £22 million several months ago, that was scheduled to deliver Emegha to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

However, Delap’s absence has prompted internal discussions about accelerating that timeline to January.

Strasbourg initially resisted any mid-season departure for their captain, but circumstances have shifted considerably.

Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli has emerged as Liam Rosenior’s first-choice striker, demonstrating excellent form which suggests the Ligue 1 side could accommodate Emegha’s premature exit.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international stands at a towering 6 foot 5 and recently earned his maiden senior caps for his country, establishing himself as one of France’s most promising attacking talents.

Should Chelsea trigger the January switch, they would also likely compensate Strasbourg by funding an immediate replacement through BlueCo’s multi-club network.

Emegha, who’s been called ‘magnificent’ by critics, scored 14 French top flight goals last season and ended the campaign as one of Ligue 1’s top scorers.

He’s also bagged seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this season, so he’s a man bang on form right now regardless of Panichelli’s rise.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action in the Premier League this weekend as they prepare to welcome London rivals Fulham to North London on Saturday night.

Spurs are looking to bounce back from successive defeats to Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in their last two games, losing 5-3 to the French giants in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The Lilywhites have not won in the Premier League since they beat Everton 3-0 at the end of October, with one win in six in all competitions since, which is why it is so important for Thomas Frank’s team to win this weekend.

They will have to get one over Fulham in order to do so, though, and it is a club that they have many connections to through players who have played for both.

Ranking Fulham players who have played for Spurs since 2010

Counting all players who played for Spurs since 2010, there have been ten players who either played for Fulham before or after their time in North London.

Perhaps most notably, given that Dimitar Berbatov left Tottenham in 2008, is central midfielder Mousa Dembele, who played 240 matches for Spurs between 2012 and 2018, after signing directly from the Cottagers.

1

Mousa Dembele

2

Scott Parker

3

Clint Dempsey

4

Joao Palhinha

5

Carlos Vinicius

6

Lewis Holtby

7

Paulo Gazzaniga

8

Manor Solomon

9

Josh Onomah

10

Ryan Fredericks

As you can see in the table above, academy players like Ryan Fredericks and Josh Onomah rank at the bottom, with several less notable Spurs players before the top four.

It is hard to say anyone other than Dembele should be at the top, given that the Belgian star, renowned for his ability on the ball, is the only player on the list to play more than 100 games for the club, with 240, per FBref.

He was once ‘irreplaceable’ for Spurs, as shown in the post above from 2018, and Frank can unearth his own version of the midfielder by playing Lucas Bergvall on Saturday night.

Why Lucas Bergvall could be Tottenham's next Mousa Dembele

One of Dembele’s most notable attributes during his time with Spurs was his dribbling. Speaking about his former international teammate, Youri Tielemans once said: “His dribbling was amazing, you just couldn’t take the ball off him.”

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He was brilliant at carrying the ball up the pitch from the middle of the park, and Bergvall is a central midfielder who can offer similar qualities for Spurs in the present day.

Per FBref, the Sweden international ranks within the top 9% of his positional peers in the Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries per 90 (2.30) and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.55).

This shows that he is one of the most productive dribblers among central midfielders in Europe, which is why he could develop into being Frank’s own version of Dembele in the middle of the park.

Bergvall, like the Belgian, does not carry a huge goal threat, having scored once in the Premier League this season, but he can get the team up the pitch with his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

The Swedish star, who was dubbed a “generational talent” by the club’s head of scouting Rob Mackenzie, started as part of a box midfield against PSG earlier this week, but playing further up the pitch ahead of Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur restricted how much he could drive from deep.

Therefore, unleashing him in a midfield three against Fulham on Saturday could allow him to provide supporters of both teams with a reminder of a player who once starred for them.

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Bergvall only attempted one dribble, which he completed, against PSG, and playing him further back on the pitch to use as a threat in transition could help Spurs to win their first Premier League game of the month this weekend.

Sai Sudharsan picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell’s slog-sweep at forward short-leg, the slog-sweep hitting him in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in his arms

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2025There will be no B Sai Sudharsan on the field for India on the third day of the ongoing second Test against West Indies in Delhi after he suffered “an impact injury” on the second day of the Test. The good news for India is that “the injury is not serious, and he is doing fine,” as a BCCI media statement on Sunday morning said.Sai Sudharsan, fielding at forward short-leg on the second day, picked up the injury when he “caught” John Campbell off Ravindra Jadeja – the big slog-sweep from the West Indies opener hit Sai Sudharsan in the helmet grille before the ball lodged itself in the crook of the fielder’s arms.That was in the eighth over of West Indies’ first innings after India had declared on 518 for 5, and Sai Sudharsan stayed off the field for the remaining 35 overs that were bowled on the day. “He continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team,” the BCCI said. There was no update on whether Sai Sudharsan would bat – at his No. 3 spot or at all – on Sunday’s third day if the West Indies first innings were to end.Sai Sudharsan had earlier made an important contribution when India batted, scoring 87 in 165 balls with 12 fours. He put on an 193-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the second wicket and was dismissed when trying to flick Jomel Warrican across the line in the 69th over. Jaiswal’s 175 and Shubman Gill’s 129 not out put India in the driver’s seat to make it 2-0 in the series.

Perth Scorchers quick is taking wickets in all formats after an injury-ravaged few years but believes international cricket is still ‘unrealistic’ in the short term

Tristan Lavalette16-Dec-2024As his latest comeback gains further steam, quick Jhye Richardson chuckled at a rather amusing question from a reporter before he pondered.Having last month had a scare with his troubled shoulder after animatedly celebrating a wicket against South Australia in his long-awaited Sheffield Shield return, Richardson was asked whether he could still high-five teammates.”I think I just got caught in a funny position over there in Adelaide, probably just got a little bit too excited and decided to slap a few hands a little bit too hard,” a grinning Richardson told reporters after starring with 3 for 19 in Perth Scorchers’ six-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars in the BBL season-opener at Optus Stadium.Related

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But given his horror run with injuries, including shoulder and hamstring surgeries, Richardson paused in his response and then struck a serious tone.”I mean, it does sound silly, but … maybe we’ll stick with the low fives instead of the high fives,” he said. “But that’s just another thing that we deal with. I’ve dealt enough with my shoulder over the last few years. It’s just another thing to add to the basket.”Richardson is wise to take any precautions, no matter how innocuous they might seem to be, given his cursed luck over the years. He is still unable to throw from deep in the outfield due to the shoulder issue and instead has to bowl the ball in or underarm it if he’s closer in.

“Test cricket is obviously the goal. I’d love to play Test cricket again. I think it’s difficult having had a taste of it and then having that sort of ripped away.”Jhye Richardson

Richardson’s been limited to just three Test matches since debuting against Sri Lanka in January 2019, with the last being a pink-ball game in Adelaide in 2021 when he took his maiden Test five-wicket haul against England.The succession of injuries means Richardson, 28, has spent plenty of time on the sidelines and become a somewhat forgotten player in Australian cricket.But Richardson’s been bowling without interruption since his return in this year’s IPL and his improved fitness saw him return to first-class cricket earlier than expected.Richardson had match figures of 4 for 85 from 29 overs against South Australia in the Shield following four One-Day Cup matches and a couple of second XI games for Western Australia.Jhye Richardson made a dramatic Shield return last month•Getty ImagesEntering the BBL fit and firing, Richardson issued a reminder of why he’s one of the country’s most highly-rated quicks with a spectacular performance against Stars on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface.Bowling fast and finding swing, he claimed Joe Clarke and Sam Harper in a devastating new ball spell before finishing with the wicket of Beau Webster in the backend of Stars’ innings.”It felt a little bit different coming into this game, just purely actually having some cricket behind me over the last few months,” Richardson said. “I know last season, I sort of changed my run-up and had all of that I was dealing with and hadn’t played many games before actually coming into the tournament.”I remember last year feeling probably the most nervous I’ve ever felt on a cricket field before my first ball.”Today was probably the polar opposite. It felt like I could go out there and actually do what I’m used to doing, which is bowling a cricket ball.”While Australia’s frontline attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, along with back-up quick Scott Boland, have been remarkably consistent and resilient, Richardson offers valuable pace depth and could figure prominently – if he stays fit – amid an expected transition in the coming years.”Test cricket is obviously the goal,” Richardson said. “I’d love to play Test cricket again. I think it’s difficult having had a taste of it and then having that sort of ripped away.”I think it’s nice to have goals, but I’m obviously not there at the moment, so it would be unrealistic for me to think about international cricket. What’s realistic is what’s in front of me right now, and that’s playing Big Bash cricket and domestic cricket for WA.”But I’m hoping to get back there.”