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Tottenham have reportedly made an eye-watering initial offer to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo ahead of the January transfer window after contacting Los Blancos president Florentino Perez.

Rodrygo’s once-prominent status at Real has come under serious threat this season, with the Brazilian winger’s reduced role fueling speculation about a potential departure from the Bernabeu.

The 24-year-old’s situation has deteriorated rapidly since Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout. Despite featuring in 13 matches this season, Rodrygo has managed just 359 minutes of playing time in all competitions, less than 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono, Arda Güler and the exit-linked Vinícius Júnior.

More tellingly, he hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes in any game at all this term, suggesting a serious fall down Alonso’s pecking order.

Rodrygo’s career at Real Madrid since joining from Santos

Appearances

283

Goals

68

Assists

53

Bookings

12

Red cards

0

Minutes played

16,512

Rodrygo has started just three of his 13 competitive matches in 25/26, including only one start in his last seven La Liga games, raising serious questions about his future at the club where he’s won two Champions League titles.

The former Santos sensation, speaking to reporters in Brazil’s mixed media zone earlier this week, opened up about his lack of chances and put on a dedicated front.

However, behind-the-scenes, whispers are indicating that a January exit could be on the cards for him.

Rodrygo was attracting interest from Tottenham in the summer, with north London rivals Arsenal also holding talks over signing the South American as far back as May, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

While a move to the English capital didn’t materialise for Rodrygo, it could well be revisited in January, with ESPN Brasil reporting that he’s privately open to leaving Real after growing dissatisfied under Alonso.

From Tottenham’s perspective, it is believed that Thomas Frank’s side are prepared to spend a club-record fee on bringing Rodrygo to N17, as per reports from Spain, and there’s now been another update on his future, again involving Spurs.

Tottenham make 'initial offer' for Rodrygo after contacting Florentino Perez

As per Spanish media sources, the Lilywhites have approached Perez with a proposal already.

Tottenham are now said to have made an ‘initial offer’ of around £75 million for Rodrygo, with £62 million to be paid in full plus a further £13 million in add-ons. Right now, they’re apparently showing the ‘most interest’ of any potential suitor, with Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici setting their sights on a statement signing.

However, that isn’t to say they’re alone in the race, as other unnamed Premier League clubs have inquired about Rodrygo as well.

The Lewis family recently backed Tottenham with a £100 million cash injection which could be put towards the club’s recruitment drive, and reports of this nature suggest that they’re looking to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era with real aplomb.

Tactically, he offers Frank exactly what the Dane has been missing — creativity.

His strengths include exceptional dribbling, key passing, finishing and crossing ability (WhoScored), providing that spark from wide areas which Tottenham have desperately lacked so far, bar Mohammed Kudus.

Rodrygo’s versatility across the front three would give Frank real tactical flexibility as well, given he’s capable of operating on either flank or even centrally.

The winger scored 14 goals and bagged 11 assists in all competitions under Carlo Ancelotti last term, with Jude Bellingham calling him their most ‘gifted’ and ‘underrated’ player.

Manchester United’s central midfield department has been one that has been up for debate, with numerous players trying to stake their claim for a regular starting role.

Ruben Amorim has often struggled to find his best partnership in such an area of the pitch, leading to countless players being utilised in the middle of the park since his appointment.

However, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have been the manager’s duo of choice of late, with the pair starting each of the Red Devils’ five Premier League matches in a row.

The club have remained unbeaten during such a period, showcasing that the boss has made the right decision in opting for the pair instead of selecting the likes of Kobbie Mainoo.

However, with Casemiro now 33, he’s likely coming to the back end of his career at the top level, with the hierarchy already laying the foundations for a move for one player in the January window.

Man Utd’s hunt for a new midfielder in January

Over the last couple of days, it’s been reported that United are targeting a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the upcoming January transfer window.

It’s been claimed that the Red Devils have already made an approach to Sean Dyche’s side to register their interest in landing the 23-year-old England international in the coming months.

However, any deal would be a club record, with the Reds currently demanding a fee in the region of £100m to part ways with their star man during the upcoming market.

He’s not the only midfielder in their sights at present, as Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba has once again appeared on their radar, if recent reports are to be believed.

According to one Spanish outlet, Amorim and INEOS have made the Cameroonian international their “dream” target for January, but like Anderson, he would set them back a small fortune.

They also state that a £100m deal would be needed to prise him away from the AMEX, but that the player himself would be open to a switch to move to Old Trafford in the near future.

Why United’s £100m target would end Ugarte’s career

It wouldn’t be the first time United have splashed the cash on a new central midfielder, especially after spending a reported £50m for the signature of Manuel Ugarte back in 2024.

The Uruguayan’s transfer generated huge excitement within the Red Devils fanbase, with his arrival finally handing the side the disruptive presence needed to regain possession.

However, a little over 12 months on from his switch to England’s top-flight, he’s since dropped down the pecking order, as seen by his tally of just two league starts in 2025/26.

Amorim has undoubtedly lost faith in the 24-year-old at present, with a new addition only pushing the former PSG star further down the list – which could tempt the hierarchy to cash in on his services.

Spending £100m on a new addition would be a huge statement of intent, but it would no doubt put the future signing ahead of Ugarte in the pecking order due to the fee alone.

Baleba now appears to be the most likely candidate to join the Red Devils in January, with the youngster offering an immediate and long-term upgrade on the Uruguayan.

When comparing their stats from the 2025/26 campaign, the Brighton star has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas – potentially making his £100m price tag an excellent deal.

Games played

11

9

Games started

10

2

Pass accuracy

86%

85%

Log balls completed

54%

50%

Interceptions made

1.4

1.1

Duels won

6.5

5.1

Take-on success

63%

33%

Recoveries made

5.9

5.8

The 21-year-old has completed more of the passes he’s attempted this campaign, whilst completing more of the long passes he’s attempted – highlighting the dominance he has over Ugarte in possession.

He’s also completed more of the dribbles he’s attempted, further showcasing his all-round talents with the ball at his feet in the Premier League this season.

Out of possession, Baleba has won more duels per 90, whilst making more interceptions per 90 – subsequently offering the side a more dominant option out of possession.

£100m would be a huge statement of intent from the United hierarchy, but given his tender age, Baleba would be the perfect immediate and long-term solution to their problems.

As to Ugarte, such a transfer would likely spell the end of his time in Manchester, with the board needing to offload him to avoid losing a huge chunk of their £50m investment.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "anxious" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United have one player who has massively struggled to meet expectations at Old Trafford.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 11, 2025

Hong Kong gave Sri Lanka a scare, but a slew of dropped chances meant they could not pull off the upset

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Sep-20252:54

Maharoof: ‘Theekshana needs to become a wicket-taking option’

A Pathum Nissanka fifty at the top of the innings, and a Wanindu Hasaranga cameo at the end saw Sri Lanka survive a scare from the group’s lowest-ranked team, Hong Kong.In two disciplines, Hong Kong were valiant. Anshy Rath batted with determination to score 48, and Nizakat Khan with verve to make 52 not out off 38, the pair driving Hong Kong to a total of 149 for 4.The bowlers then created chances right through the innings. They never allowed Sri Lanka to truly dominate a phase, then took three quick wickets, Yasim Murtaza and Ehsan Khan striking to have Sri Lanka at 127 for 6, needing more than a run-a-ball to win.But their catching was poor. Nissanka was dropped no fewer than three times – twice by Ehsan, who couldn’t hold sharp return chances. Kusal Perera was also dropped twice in the same Ayush Shukla over, though one of those chances was exceedingly difficult. Had some of those stuck, though, Hong Kong could truly have made Sri Lanka sweat.In the end, Hong Kong’s bowlers made too many mistakes at the death, and Sri Lanka had the depth to capitalise, Hasaranga making his presence felt from No. 8. He made 20 not out off eight balls. Nissanka had struck 68 off 44.

Nissanka sets Sri Lanka up again

Nissanka was dropped on 43, 63, and 68, but outside of those errors played another efficient innings, finding boundaries before the pressure really built on him, and ensuring that Sri Lanka kept ticking even as Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara soaked up balls early. He was especially good at the lap-scoop, targeting that area behind short fine leg when Hong Kong strayed into his pads. This was his third T20I fifty in five innings, in what continues to be a rich year across formats.2:13

Maharoof: Sri Lanka played with a ‘fear of failure’ mentality

Three wickets in eight balls

Although it hadn’t been the boundary-fest Sri Lanka would have wanted, owing to some disciplined Hong Kong bowling, they were still traveling swiftly to a comfortable win at the end of the 15th over, when they were two down and needed 32 from 30.Then came a horror sequence. Nissanka was run out at the non-striker’s end, having hesitated on a dodgy second run. Not even a big dive could get him close to the crease. Perera was out lbw having missed a turning delivery from Murtaza next ball. Then second ball of the following over, offspinner Ehsan had Charith Asalanka slicing one to short third.When Kamindu Mendis holed out against Murtaza first ball of the 18th over, Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for nine runs, off 13 deliveries. And they still needed 23 off 17 to win.

Enter Hasaranga…

Hasaranga got a freebie second ball. Murtaza had overstepped the previous delivery, and the batters had taken a single. So Hasaranga had the licence to go big, and he duly pounded the free hit into the sightscreen behind the bowler. Next over he crashed a four through cover – a favourite area – and finished by drilling another boundary down the ground. Hasaranga has played decent innings for Sri Lanka before, but this one came under some pressure.Nizakat Khan became the second Hong Kong batter to score a T20I fifty in the Asia Cup•Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

Nizakat and Rath help put up a defendable score

Long before that late drama, however, Rath and Nizakat had helped Hong Kong make a creditable impression in their last showing of the tournament. Rath played a measured innings, rarely going much faster than a run-a-ball. But it was also an interesting one – only four of his 48 runs came behind the wicket.Nizakat, however, was much more aggressive, using strong wrists to whip the ball to leg, and slice it through the offside. He was dropped twice, but was responsible for Hong Kong’s quicker progress through the final overs. This was his first T20I half cenutry against a full member nation.

Arsenal star Declan Rice has had his say on summer signing Cristhian Mosquera as Mikel Arteta waits to discover the extent of his injury problem.

Arsenal defeat Brentford 2-0 to maintain 18-game unbeaten run

The Gunners restored their five-point advantage at the Premier League summit with a straightforward victory over Brentford on Wednesday evening.

Mikel Merino’s early header and Bukayo Saka’s stoppage-time finish secured all three points to extend the Gunners’ unbeaten streak to 18 matches, but Arteta faces mounting injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.

The manager watched Mosquera hobble off just before halftime after landing awkwardly during an aerial challenge with Kevin Schade.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

The defender immediately signalled discomfort and was unable to continue, with Jurrien Timber entering as his replacement to partner Piero Hincapie in central defence.

Arsenal’s defensive problems have now intensified with both regular starters William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes already sidelined through injury, leaving Arteta with severely limited options at the back during a congested festive fixture schedule.

That being said, the good news is that Saliba is expected to be back in a ‘matter of days’, according to Arteta in his pre-Brentford press conference.

If the Frenchman is fit and available for Villa, Arsenal will have little choice but to thrust Saliba right back into the starting eleven to partner Hincapie, with Gabriel still weeks away from returning.

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The situation worsened against Brentford when Rice gestured toward his right calf before receiving treatment and departing in the 83rd minute. Viktor Gyokeres replaced the influential midfielder as concerns grew about the England international’s availability for crucial upcoming fixtures.

Luckily for Arteta, Rice has managed to avoid a serious injury and is expected to be fit for their upcoming Premier League clash against Unai Emery’s men in-form Villa side.

Supporters can breathe a massive sigh of relief after this news, but they’re still waiting to find out about Mosquera’s condition.

Declan Rice praises Cristhian Mosquera amid Arsenal injury scare

Speaking to Sky Sports before Arsenal’s win over Brentford, Rice explained exactly why the Spaniard could end up being a sore miss — especially with Saliba currently absent and a doubt for this weekend.

The England international, who has been their arguable player of the season so far, told Sky that Mosquera is an “incredible” player with “immense” qualities alongside Hincapie.

This high praise comes as further evidence of what many already know — Mosquera has proved to be one of the bargains of the summer.

Signed for just £13 million from Valencia, the 21-year-old has done exactly what has been required of him whilst barely ever faltering.

Mosquera was handed his Premier League debut in a testing 1-0 defeat at Anfield in August, the club’s last defeat in all competitions, and he performed admirably at a very difficult ground after replacing the injured Saliba.

The youngster has attracted major praise whenever he’s been asked to fill in for one of Arsenal’s first choice pairing, with Martin Keown claiming that Mosquera has ‘the same DNA’ as both Saliba and Gabriel.

Arsenal will now be praying that his development isn’t stifled by a serious long-term injury, and the club are reportedly convinced that Mosquera could become one of the best centre-backs in world football.

Losing Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona in the summer of 2022 was a bitter blow for Bayern Munich. The Pole had scored 344 goals in just 375 appearances for the club, after all. Replacing him was never going to be easy, but it ended up taking Bayern more than a year to find a worthy successor, as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting rather unsurprisingly didn't exactly prove himself up to the task.

It's funny to think about it now, but there were those that questioned the decision to sign Harry Kane to belatedly fill the considerable hole left by Lewandowski in the Bayern attack. Club legend Lothar Matthaus felt that the €100 million signing from Tottenham, who had just turned 30, was "too old and too expensive". Now, though, the German says he doesn't "see a better striker in the world".

It, therefore, shouldn't come as that much of a shock to learn that Barcelona have come to the same conclusion as Bayern two years ago: that there isn't a better Lewandowski replacement on the market right now than Kane.

Getty Images SportHaaland too costly

Back in 2023, it was rumoured that part of the reason why Lewandowski wanted out of the Allianz Arena was Bayern's alleged attempt to convince Erling Haaland to move to Munich rather than Manchester that same summer. Lewandowski insisted that Norwegian No.9 had absolutely nothing to do with his desire to swap Bavaria for Barcelona, but it's nonetheless amusing to read reports that Blaugrana president Joan Laporta is 'obsessed' with signing Haaland.

It's obviously not going to happen – at least not yet. It's going to take at least another year for lever-pulling Laporta to balance the Blaugrana's books – let alone put them back in a position to sign the most valuable players on the planet. With a little more creative accounting, though, Barca could well be in a position to land Kane at the end of the season.

According to , the England captain has a €65m (£57m/$76m) buyout clause in his contract that can be activated next summer provided the striker notifies Bayern of his desire to leave by the end of January. The Bundesliga champions are, however, reportedly relaxed about the situation for the simple fact that Kane is currently content, on and off the field at the Allianz Arena.

AdvertisementAFPBest team in Europe

From a purely sporting perspective, things certainly couldn't be going any better for Kane and his club. Unbeaten Bayern have made a record-breaking start to their 2025-26 campaign and are presently top of both the Bundesliga and the Champions League. Kane is the principal reason why, having scored an utterly ludicrous 24 goals in just 18 appearances in all competitions – more than any other player in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

The man himself may have had understandable misgivings about the size of Vincent Kompany's squad at the start of the season – but they've made light of the absence of Jamal Musiala through injury thanks to the exciting emergence of 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl, Luis Diaz's incredible impact since joining from Liverpool and Michael Olise elevating his game to an even higher level after a wonderful debut season in Germany.

The net result is that Bayern are the best team in Europe at the moment – as they underlined by maintaining their 100 percent in the Champions League with a mightily impressive 2-1 victory over titleholders Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes during which they showcased both their attacking prowess and defensive diligence.

Getty Images SportSettled in Munich

Crucially, Kane's family are also loving life right now – and not just because he's enjoying the most prolific spell of his stellar career.

When he first made the move from his native London to Munich, there were external concerns over how Kane and his family would deal with the change of city, country and culture. However, Kane has repeatedly brought up just how "comfortable" he, his wife Kate and their children feel in Germany, where they are reportedly afforded more privacy than they were back in England.

"The way the people here welcomed us was extraordinary," the striker said earlier this year. "It touched us deeply as a family – not just me, but all of us. We love it. We truly appreciate every second."

In that context, one cannot but take Kane at his word when he says that he's even open to extending a contract that expires in 2027.

"We can certainly talk about that," he said in September. "I have almost two years left, so it's not like I'm in the final year of my contract and anyone is panicking. I'm fine. The club is fine. I think they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them. Those discussions can take place."

He doubled down on that when directly questioned about the Barcelona links ahead of his return to north London with Bayern on Wednesday when they face Arsenal in the Champions League, telling : "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me. I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern. There’s no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there’s contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it’s very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

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Getty Images SportEdging towards the exit

There's no denying, though, that Kane would give serious consideration to a serious bid from Barca, who, for all of their financial troubles, retain an almost mythical status even among elite-level footballers. There are few more attractive destinations on the planet, and what No.9 wouldn't want to play in the same forward line as Lamine Yamal? All things considered, Kane would find an offer from Barca very difficult to turn down, particularly if they resolve their registration problems in 2026.

It's also clear that the Blaugrana are going to have to replace Lewandowski sooner rather than later. The Poland international is still scoring goals – no Barca player has scored more in La Liga this season (eight) – but he's 37 now and he's had three muscular issues since April, suggesting that his body is starting to betray him.

It certainly feels significant that talks have yet to begin over a new deal for Lewandowski, who will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and free to talk to other clubs from January 1.

When asked about his next move while on Poland duty last week, Lewandowski admitted to reporters, "I still don’t know the answer. That’s why I’m not in a hurry. I’m at peace with myself, and that is the most important thing. Even if, for example, the club contacted me now, I still wouldn’t answer that question, because I also have to feel what’s best for me. But, for now, I’m calm, I’m not in a hurry and, at the moment, I don’t expect anything else."

Leeds United are now racing to sign FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju, but it could take a huge offer to get a deal over the line.

Leeds strengthened their forward line considerably during the summer transfer window, but Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have so far flattered to deceive, having scored just three Premier League goals between them after 11 matches.

Some of Calvert-Lewin’s performances have been particularly concerning, with the former Everton man now on a six-game goal drought, losing his place in the starting line-up after registering an xG of just 0.03 in the 3-0 drubbing at Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is a case to be made that Daniel Farke’s side are not playing to the Englishman’s strengths, with Ross McCormack saying:

“The team has got to be built around him. Your full-backs and your wingers have got to put crosses into the box, and I don’t feel Leeds United do that enough.”

However, a return of just one goal in ten matches across all competitions is still way below par, and the Whites have now set their sights on a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Leeds join race to sign Franculino Dju

According to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, in a report for Leeds United News, Leeds have now joined the race for Midtjylland striker Franculino, but they will have to pay a club-record fee to get a deal over the line.

Bailey said: “He’s got a lot of teams looking at him. West Ham like him a lot, they looked at him in the summer. Midtjylland have put a £40m price tag on him.

“Teams will possibly try to soften that by putting in lesser offers. He’s got an awful lot of interest; I’m told over 20 clubs across Europe like him. Leeds have looked at him, he’s on their radar, they’ve watched him.”

With Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin underperforming, it is no surprise the Whites want to bring in some additional attacking firepower, and the 21-year-old is off to a flying start to the campaign, amassing 19 goals in 26 matches in all competitions.

Franculino’s goalscoring record this season

Appearances

Goals

Superliga

14

14

Europa League qualifying

6

1

Europa League

4

3

Oddset Pokalen

2

1

The Guinea-Bissau international has now earned the chance to prove himself at a higher level, having been a consistent goalscorer for the Danish side for quite some time, picking up a total of 52 goals and 13 assists in 99 outings.

Having been prolific in front of goal, the centre-forward was also lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season.

With some tricky fixtures on the horizon, Leeds may need someone to come in and save their season in January, and it would certainly be worth taking a gamble on Franculino, although the huge asking price could be a stumbling block.

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The back-to-back wickets in the eighth over of Sri Lanka’s innings swung this Asia Cup Super Four match towards Pakistan – this was how Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka, who was the first of the two batters to be dismissed in that passage, saw it.Sri Lanka had been 58 for 3 after 7.1 overs, when Asalanka was caught at deep square-leg off the bowling of Hussain Talat. Next ball, Dasun Shanaka poked at a delivery in the channel and sent a thin edge to the wicketkeeper. Sri Lanka were suddenly five down with more than 60% of the overs remaining. The limped to 133 for 8 in the end.”Although we didn’t get a great start from the openers, at the end of the powerplay we still had 53 runs. We’d lost three wickets, but we were still in a good place, because it’s not easy to score that many in the powerplay,” Asalanka said. “But then myself and Dasun got out off successive deliveries, and that was when the biggest damage was done.Related

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“Neither Dasun or I were going for big shots when we got out. I was trying to put the ball into a gap, but ended up top-edging it. Dasun also played a normal shot first up. But we have to take responsibility.”That Sri Lanka managed to have something to bowl at was down to Kamindu Mendis, who hit 50 off 44 balls, with support from Wanindu Hasaranga and Chamika Karunaratne.”We lost five wickets in the first half of our innings, and against these kinds of teams it’s really hard to come back from that,” Asalanka said. “Kamindu and the others fought hard, but Wanindu also got out at a bad time, when it had felt like we could get to 150. In the end it was not enough.”Sri Lanka are very nearly out of the tournament now, having suffered two big losses in the Super Four stage. They had strengthened their bowling for this match, dropping Kamil Mishara for Karunaratne. Asalanka identified balancing his team as perhaps the primary problem facing Sri Lanka ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.”We’ve had lots of issues with our combinations, and that’s something we have to get right ahead of the World Cup,” he said. “We tried going with an extra bowler today, but we lost a specialist batsman because of that, and didn’t score the runs we needed. Other times we’ve played an extra batsman and couldn’t defend a score with the ball.”We need to figure out how to consistently score 180 to 200, and also how to use the part-time bowlers – myself, Dasun, Kamindu Mendis – better. Those are things we need to improve in the future.”

A manager has now been told to get “ready” by Premier League pundit Rio Ferdinand as Arne Slot remains under pressure to turn things around at Liverpool.

Slot reveals Liverpool injury news before Sunderland game

Relief echoed around the away end when Cody Gakpo slammed home Liverpool’s second of the afternoon against West Ham United on Sunday. It came moments after Jarrod Bowen uncharacteristically struck wide and signalled a much-needed victory for Liverpool. But the pressure is still on.

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The Reds’ 2-0 victory at the London Stadium, which also featured a first Premier League goal for record signing Alexander Isak, cannot be a false dawn. Liverpool must kick on, even if they are set to still be without Conor Bradley and must monitor the fitness of others in their next game against Sunderland.

Bradley could at least make a return when Liverpool square off against Leeds United this weekend, however, after Slot told reporters: “Conor got into a team training session yesterday for the first time. Not everything 100% yet so we have to manage that so don’t get hopes up too soon.

“We expect the same with Jeremie (Frimpong) next week. Unfortunately we play a lot of games, so he’ll miss a few. Hopefully Conor is available for Leeds.”

It’s arguably the biggest month of Slot’s Liverpool tenure. He remains under pressure to turn things around and will watch on as his side play six games in 24 days.

Anything but a convincing month of results could spell the end of the former Feyenoord manager, opening the door for an unemployed manager who Ferdinand has told to get “ready”.

Ferdinand tells Gerrard to be "ready" for Liverpool job

Whilst in the Middle East attending the Formula 1 Qatar GP, Ferdinand told Steven Gerrard to get “ready” to take the Liverpool job on an interim basis amid the pressure on Slot.

It would certainly be a brave call from Liverpool and from Gerrard if he took the management role. He previously won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, but has since been sacked by Aston Villa and Saudi Pro League side El-Ettifaq.

Take the emotions out of the scenario and the Liverpool legend is simply not the most qualified for the job.

Gakpo upgrade: Liverpool open surprise talks to sign "magic" £70m PL star

Bangladesh could look to strengthen their batting in Dhaka, while West Indies, who have embraced the conditions well, will want to add to their good work from the second game

Mohammad Isam22-Oct-2025

Big picture – Another game of patience?

The batting line-up that deals with the spin better on these Dhaka pitches will clinch the ODI series – it’s almost that simple.West Indies pinched a one-run win against Bangladesh in the Super Over after 213 played 213 in the second ODI after 92 overs of spin couldn’t find a result, which speaks of how the batters had it.To West Indies’ credit, they have embraced the Dhaka conditions, many of them showing greater belief than their Bangladesh counterparts. They doubled down on bowling spinners, completing the entire innings in the second ODI with only slow bowlers. They didn’t use Justin Greaves even for one over. Interestingly, it was the part-time offspinner Alick Athanaze, who was West Indies’ best bowler, with 2 for 14 from his ten overs.Related

• Akeal Hosein – 4am arrival followed by Super Over heroics

• Rishad makes light work of dark Mirpur pitch

Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre bowled decent spells, though Gudakesh Motie went for plenty, especially in the death overs. West Indies will expect improvement in the spinners’ economy rate, but they will look for a bit more from their batters too.Shai Hope struck a fifty but several middle- and lower-middle-order batters fell after getting starts. Athanaze and Brandon King will be expected to give them a strong start, with Keacy Carty for support at No. 3. Hope will need help from Sherfane Rutherford and Chase among the more experienced batters too. Ackeem Auguste wasn’t convincing on his ODI debut, so another opportunity beckons for the youngster.Bangladesh would also have to give their batting line-up another go, although they would have initially thought scoring 213 on this pitch was a worthy effort. Crucially, they have a dot-ball percentage of 62.04, which demands better strike rotation from them in the third ODI.It is also high time that Bangladesh’s top three contributed more significantly. Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 46 in the previous game but Saif Hassan and Najmul Hossain Shanto haven’t made a big score. The middle order has contributed but with moderate scores and mini partnerships. Bangladesh needed Rishad Hossain’s big-hitting lower down to boost their run-rates in the death overs.Their bowling attack was slightly better than the visitors’ in the second game, even though a tie doesn’t suggest that.Soumya Sarkar has been the best of the Bangladesh batters on show•BCB

Form guide

Bangladesh LWLLL
West Indies WLWWL

In the spotlight – Soumya Sarkar and Akeal HoseinSoumya Sarkar hung around for nearly two hours on the tricky Dhaka pitch in the second ODI. He fell short of a fifty, but it wasn’t a very convincing effort. This, despite hitting a couple of lovely shots, including one of his signature inside-out strokes. Soumya was sent back in the Super Over, where he couldn’t connect properly. It was a tough ask for the enigmatic batter, who has been in and out of the Bangladesh team for the last ten years. Nothing much has changed, but he could do with a bit of spotlight.Akeal Hosein raced to Dhaka to be part of the second ODI, where he played a big role in West Indies levelling the series. He bowled a couple of wides and a no-ball in the Super Over, but managed to keep the Bangladesh batters tied up. He had earlier bowled economically in his return to the ODI setup after two years. That he was playing an international match after very little sleep wasn’t evident. Hosein will continue to exert influence in the rest of the tour, as he is expected to take the new ball in both ODIs and T20Is.Akeal Hosein has hit the ground running•AFP/Getty Images

Team news

Bangladesh could look at Tanzid Hasan, Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain for a shake-up of their batting line-up.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mahidul Islam, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanWest Indies have Amir Jangoo if they want a change in the top six.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 5 Ackeem Auguste, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Justin Greaves, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Khary PierreRishad Hossain has been sparkling, with ball and bat•BCB

Pitch and conditions

What the ICC match officials report about the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch will be something to watch out for. It resembles a puzzle-board with different types of turn and different levels of bounce, apart from being two-paced.

Stats and trivia

• Bangladesh played their first tied game in international cricket in the second ODI.
• Towhid Hridoy and Shai Hope are the only batters to score fifties in the series so far.
• The two sides combined to bowl 92 overs of spin in the second game, the most in any ODI.

Quotes

BCCI secretary says India did not want to receive the trophy from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-20252:03

Chopra: Tilak understood the need of the hour

India refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy at the presentation ceremony, which was delayed by more than an hour after they beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final on Sunday in Dubai. They refused because the trophy was to be presented by Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the PCB and the interior minister of Pakistan.”We have decided not to take the Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman, who happens to be one of the main [political] leaders of Pakistan,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told ANI. “So we decided not to take it from him. But that does not mean that the gentleman will take away the trophy with him along with the medals. So it is very unfortunate and we hope that the trophy and the medals will be returned to India as soon as possible.”There is an ICC conference in November in Dubai. In the next conference, we are going to launch a very serious and very strong protest against the act of the ACC chairperson.”Related

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The night Tilak and Dube went from promise to performance

While the match ended at around 10.30pm Dubai time in a thrilling final-over finish, the wait for the presentation went on until close to midnight. It was not initially clear what the delay was down to, though speculation was that India did not want to receive the trophy from Naqvi. A statement on the organisation’s website on Saturday had said that Naqvi intended to hand over the trophy to the winners.Once the presentation ceremony began, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma received their individual awards from other dignitaries on stage, and Pakistan captain Salman Agha accepted the runners-up cheque, after which the ceremony came to an end.”I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight,” Simon Doull, the presenter for the host broadcaster, said at the ceremony. “So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”ACC president Mohsin Naqvi was there for the final•Associated Press

At the press conference after the ceremony, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said, “I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket, started following cricket, that a champion team is denied a trophy, that too a hard-earned one. I feel we deserved it. I can’t say anything more, I’ve summed it up really well. If you tell me about trophies, my trophies are sitting in the dressing room, all the 14 guys with me, the support staff, those are the real trophies throughout this journey in the Asia Cup.”Suryakumar said the team had taken the decision not to receive the trophy and that “no one told us to do it”.Once the game concluded, the Pakistan players walked off the ground into the dressing room while the Indian players stayed on the field. The stage for the presentation ceremony was not set for an extended period of time. In due course, Naqvi appeared, and spent a significant amount of time in animated discussions with officials on the ground while the crowd thinned out, though a large number of Indian spectators remained.After nearly an hour, the stage was set up and Naqvi and other dignitaries took their place. An official then removed the Asia Cup trophy from its place on a raised dais, and walked off the ground with it without explanation. The Pakistan team then emerged before the ceremony, conducted by Doull, commenced.A dejected Pakistan side after the loss in the final•AFP/Getty Images

The India players who received their individual awards did walk up to the stage where Naqvi stood, but did not acknowledge him, and received their awards from other officials. Naqvi did not applaud the India players who came up to receive their individual awards.The Pakistan players came up to receive their medals, with captain Agha accepting the cheque, which he posed with too. After the post-match interviews with Doull were concluded, the dignitaries left the stage. The India team and officials then took their place on the podium, where they celebrated their victory. With no actual trophy in sight, Suryakumar and the rest of the side held up an imaginary trophy as part of their celebrations.India’s stance to not accept a trophy from Naqvi was expected. They had refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team members in any of the three games they played this tournament, either at the toss or after the matches. While Pakistan coach Mike Hesson and captain Agha both criticised India for it, India’s position did not change.Things became heated, especially during the second game in the Super Fours stage, with several verbal spats between the sides. Suryakumar was fined for remarks he made following the first game, and Haris Rauf for his actions in the second.