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Sunderland have seemingly mastered the art of making their home ground a fortress.

Indeed, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats are two wins from two at the Stadium of Light already early into the brand new Premier League season, but the Wearside outfit has stumbled to an unwelcome 2-0 loss – away from home comforts – when travelling to fellow newly promoted foe Burnley.

Crystal Palace is the next away test on the agenda for the top-flight newcomers, with Sunderland very much aware that they will have to stifle Jean-Philippe Mateta all match long if they stand a chance at a positive result on their travels to South London.

Mateta's heroics at Palace

While the Frenchman’s future looks to be somewhat in the air at Selhurst Park at the moment – with Leeds United reported to be looking at the 6-foot-4 striker – he will no doubt be raring to go in his bid to pick up more Premier League goals for the Eagles when the Black Cats come to town.

After all, the forceful attacker already has three goals next to his name this season in all competitions, with this confidently tucked away penalty last time out against Aston Villa helping Oliver Glasner’s men beat Unai Emery’s hosts with ease in a 3-0 victory.

Up to a hefty 49 goals in total for Palace, it will be up to the likes of new signing Nordi Mukiele to keep the Eagles’ goal machine quiet, with the imposing number 20 winning 12 duels last match against Brentford – on his debut no less – to restrict the visitors to just one strike.

Le Bris could also be tempted to switch up his personnel up top to try and unearth his own Mateta, with a goalscoring gem in the Frenchman’s ranks ready to be a hero once more to try and steer Sunderland to a much-needed away win.

Sunderland can unleash their very own Mateta

The former Lorient boss certainly has a wide array of options all over the pitch to choose from ahead of selecting his starting XI for the trip to Glasner’s side.

Indeed, he could well feel he needs to draft in Lutshurel Geertruida to try and keep Mateta at bay, alongside potentially feeling like Wilson Isidor is the best option in attack to try and gift his men a lofty, but skilful presence to lead the line, in a similar vein to the Palace number 14.

After all, despite not starting any of his team’s opening three top-flight contests, Isidor already has an impressive two league goals next to his name, with the 6-foot-1 attacker firmly pushing his previous wasteful performances for Sunderland to one side by scoring these two strikes, despite only being on the pitch for a combined 66 minutes.

Mateta has also managed to move on past any of his own criticism by becoming a heroic figure for Palace, having once just scored a weak eight goals across his first three seasons on English shores when primarily used as a substitute option. Now, much like Isidor at the Stadium of Light, he’s a beloved presence at Selhurst Park.

Games played

46

Games started

34

Goals scored

14

Assists

2

Big chances missed

20

Yet, the former Zenit St Petersburg forward will be hoping he can replicate Mateta’s rise even more by becoming Sunderland’s trusted starter in the Premier League – away from being known solely as a man who saves the day from off the bench – with Eliezer Mayenda often getting the starting nod this season over the efficient number 18.

If he were to start against Palace and steer Sunderland to a rare away victory, this would surely be grounds for more opportunities from the get-go from then on.

After all, his well-rounded game as an ice-cold finisher, matched with his ability to be a “one man machine”, as labelled by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, could perhaps allow him to be a recognised Premier League star down the line, like the equally varied Mateta.

With Brian Brobbey also now available for selection, Le Bris is spoiled for choice.

But, he will hope he’s rewarded for gifting Isidor a possible start by his side picking up an away win for the first time this season, as they continue to try to navigate the early choppy waters of the Premier League without drowning under all the pressure.

Sunderland struck gold on "incredible" star worth more than Brobbey & Xhaka

Sunderland have struck gold on this incredible performer, away from all the summer signings that have moved to the Stadium of Light.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 10, 2025

Jose Mourinho was grateful for the warm reception he received from Chelsea fans but made it clear that it was no consolation after Benfica's Champions League defeat at Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese walked back into the stadium that made him a legend and was met with a roar only reserved for serial champions. But while the love was loud, the night was cruel for Benfica.

A painful return to London

Mourinho’s Benfica fell 1-0 to Chelsea, undone by Richard Ríos’ unfortunate own goal in the 18th minute of their Champions League clash. His history on his comeback visits to west London has been far from golden. He famously triumphed there in 2010 with Inter Milan, but since then, it’s been nothing but misery. Tuesday night marked Mourinho's seventh consecutive defeat at the Bridge, and his very first European loss as Benfica manager since taking over from Bruno Lage earlier this month.

AdvertisementAFPProud & frustrated at the same time

Asked afterwards about the spine-tingling reception he was given by the Chelsea faithful, Mourinho was gracious but blunt.

"I don't feed myself with these memories, I feed myself with victories, with results," said Mourinho. "But I thank them [for signing my name], I did that on the pitch. When I am in London, I meet Chelsea fans every day on the street. Hopefully, I can come back here in 20 years with my grandkids."

'People in the UK have this culture'

Mourinho couldn’t resist stepping into the spotlight during the game itself. He blew a kiss to Chelsea fans mid-chant, tried to calm Benfica supporters after objects were hurled at their former midfielder Enzo Fernandez, and even sprinted onto the pitch to kick away a stray ball.

"People in the UK have this culture, they don't forget the people who gave them happiness," he said. "It happened when I came here with [Man] United, when I came here with Inter. I was waiting for the same.

"When you go to Old Trafford, it is no different. It is their culture. Of course, my focus was the game but I heard it and I had to say thanks to the guys."

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AFPHug for Maresca & straight down the tunnel

At the final whistle, Mourinho embraced Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, before disappearing swiftly down the tunnel. No extended farewell, no lingering waves, just the look of a man consumed by defeat. The warmth from the stands meant a lot, but the loss burned too deep. However, there's no time for sentiment or sulking. Benfica’s league campaign continues this Sunday with a heavyweight clash against Porto, another of Mourinho's old teams. The legendary coach knows he cannot afford another setback, not with Portuguese bragging rights on the line.

Despite numerous key names being absent, New Zealand have dominated the series against a side trying to refine their approach

Danyal Rasool24-Mar-2025Big picture: New Zealand’s depth shines throughThis is a dead rubber in a dead series. It is the fifth T20I with the home side 3-1 up a fortnight after a Champions Trophy campaign that was draining for New Zealand and demoralising for Pakistan. New Zealand have rested key players while others are unavailable due to the IPL, while Pakistan have rung the changes in the hopes of a fresh start that will snap the game out of its current rut. If there was little on this series, there is even less on this particular game.This is the third time a New Zealand-Pakistan series clashes with the IPL in three years, and once more, New Zealand’s strength in depth has lived up to the test. Barring Pakistan’s white-hot brilliance in their Auckland chase, the hosts have found themselves in more or less complete control throughout. Where Pakistan’s powerplay bowling has been expensive, New Zealand have been productive, striking early and several times through the fielding restrictions to stifle Pakistan’s ability to take risks on high-scoring surfaces.Related

Rauf backs Pakistan's youngsters: 'Give them 10 to 15 matches, that is how they become players'

Allen, Duffy lead rout of Pakistan to seal series win for New Zealand

Kelly, Abbas get maiden NZ call-ups; Williamson unavailable for Pakistan ODIs

If Pakistan hoped this series would be akin to England’s ODI series against New Zealand in the wake of their humiliating exit at the 2015 World Cup, events have not shown themselves to be quite as conveniently linear.However, there is a sense of excitement at what appears a tonal shift in philosophy to T20 cricket, with Pakistan – at least for now – encouraging all-out attack. That will present problems and frustrations as has been evident for in this series, but that Eden Park onslaught – coupled with irregular flashes of quality through this tour – has suggested there may be diamonds to be had amidst all the roughness.This game, and this series, will hold little value in the short-term. Both sides will move on to a seemingly equally context-free ODI series over the following week, before Pakistan’s players shift to the PSL while the IPL dominates this slice of the calendar.But with the T20I World Cup a year away, New Zealand, venerated for their far-sightedness, will view this series as the moment when the first building blocks for an attempt at yet another ICC trophy are made. Pakistan, on the other hand, may look back upon it as the time they lifted themselves up off rock bottom.However, history suggests they have not earned the trust for observers to begin viewing it that way just yet; it may just as easily be a footnote in yet another attempted overhaul. Given the seemingly impulsive nature of decision-making in Pakistan cricket, perhaps the final match may well carry a certain value if it can convince the PCB to stay the course.Form guideNew Zealand: WLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: LWLLLJacob Duffy has taken the chance to establish his T20I credentials•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Jacob Duffy and Mohammad HarisHe might not be the star of New Zealand’s bowling line-up but Jacob Duffy has taken a shine to Pakistan. He has more T20I wickets against this opposition than all others combined and at the best strike rate. Duffy was brought into the Champions Trophy squad last month and while he did not play a game, he has not appeared rusty, playing in all four matches. He is the leading wicket-taker, the most economical bowler, and boasts the lowest average across the series. He was instrumental in demolishing Pakistan’s top order in Mount Maunganui as New Zealand coasted to a series victory. He is well placed to finish the series as its standout performer and push his T20I credentials even when New Zealand do not have players away at the IPL.Mohammad Haris’ whirlwind 41 may have set Pakistan on their way at Eden Park, but across these four games, he – and Pakistan – expected bigger contributions. Early dismissals for a batter taking such high risk are hardly rare, but at this point, Haris looks some way off the player who lit up the 2022 World Cup partway with his assault on South Africa in Sydney. That cameo appeared to personify Haris, but since the end of the World Cup, they have dried up almost completely. That score in the third T20I remains the only time in nine innings he has crossed 15 since that World Cup in Australia, and the fluid nature of Pakistan’s selection philosophy means another failure in the final game can hardly bode well for him.Team news: Pakistan could rotateNew Zealand have named the same squad for the fifth T20I, and with the fourth producing a near-perfect performance, an unchanged eleven would be unsurprising.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert, 2 Finn Allen, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Jimmy Neesham, 6 Mitch Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell (capt), 8 Zakary Foulkes, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Will O’RourkeShahid Afridi called for Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan to be rested with the series lost. Right arm fast bowler Mohammad Ali awaits may get more game time if that comes to pass, while Usman Khan, yet to get a game this series, is a potential beneficiary of rotation.Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Haris (wk), 2 Hassan Nawaz, 3 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 4 Irfan Khan/Usman Khan, 5 Shadab Khan, 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shaheen Afridi/Mohammad Ali, 9 Haris Rauf, 10 Abbas Afridi, 11 Abrar AhmedPitch and conditions: Weather set fairConditions in Wellington are expected to be near-perfect for cricket, with dry and slightly cool weather in the evening. The most recent T20I here saw the second and third-highest scores at this venue, when New Zealand posted 215 last year, only for Australia to chase it down off the final delivery.Stats and trivia Jimmy Neesham requires another 45 runs to reach 1000 in T20I cricket New Zealand and Pakistan have more prolific wickettakers in T20I cricket than any other side. Each have three with more than 100 T20I scalps, something no other side can manage. All three of Pakistan’s – Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi are in Pakistan’s current squad Pakistan have an abysmal recent record in T20I cricket since the start of 2024. Excluding games against Ireland, USA, Canada and Zimbabwe, they have won four of 22 T20Is in this period

Newcastle United might have faced inferior opponents, but their comfortable passage through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup underlined the strength of Eddie Howe’s side.

It felt at times during the summer transfer window that the Magpies would teeter and fall, so intense was the noise around Alexander Isak’s future at St. James’ Park, so glum was the mood.

But in Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, Newcastle have welcomed talented and contrasting strikers equipped to deal with the pressures of leading the line on Tyneside and into the Champions League, United having lost their opener against Barcelona and now in need of results.

However, they also have William Osula, who has gone from strength to strength under Howe’s wing and bagged himself a brace against Bradford City on Wednesday evening.

William Osula's Carabao Cup display

Osula came within a whisker of leaving Newcastle this summer, with Eintracht Frankfurt over in Germany actually tabling a formal £30m offer for the Danish forward.

Sources such as Sky Sports’ Keith Downie have confirmed that the bid had been slapped on the table and then withdrawn on deadline day. Some within the Toon hierarchy may be kicking themselves for not having accepted the offer sooner, but Howe may well be content with the 22-year-old Dane having stayed put, with three goals scored already in 2025/26.

It wasn’t a perfect display against Bradford in the Carabao Cup, but Osula certainly demonstrated a degree of improvement after languishing on the periphery last year, also netting off the bench in the Premier League during the 3-2 defeat by Liverpool in August.

Praised for his complete performance and for “slowly but surely” making the necessary improvements to his game, Osula is a valuable asset as United look to challenge across multiple fronts this term.

However, he wasn’t the only one to catch the eye on Wednesday, with Malick Thiaw putting in another statement showing after his summer transfer. The centre-back has some thick internal competition, but there might come a point when Howe marks him as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Malick Thiaw's start to life at Newcastle

Newcastle welcome Arsenal to St. James’ Park in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and that’s going to be a tough test indeed for Howe’s side.

It was a bold call to field so many of his finest players, though that is a declaration of the manager’s respect for the Carabao Cup and his desire to successfully defend the crown that was so emphatically claimed last season.

Thiaw helped carry Newcastle through, and he may well have underscored his claim for another starting berth at the weekend, with fans taking to online circles after the win and voicing their excitement at a future Thiaw and Sven Botman partnership.

As per FBref, the German defender, who joined from AC Milan for £35m in August, ranks among the top 7% of defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He is not only crisp in possession, but eager to make things happen and progress the play upfield.

And, against Bradford, the 24-year-old proved himself worthy of a place in Howe’s starting line-up for the biggest occasions, energetic and secure in the defensive phases and crisp and creative on the ball.

Minutes played

90′

Touches

82

Accurate passes

67/70 (96%)

Chances created

0

Long balls

5/6

Tackles

1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

4

Ground duels

1/2

Aerial duels

2/2

There’s a certain no-nonsense style to the right-footed defender, who also carries a technical command that stretches above the capacity of most other positional peers competing in the Premier League and across Europe.

Thiaw, while still integrating into Howe’s squad and indeed the Premier League,

He’s been hailed as a “monster in the air” by journalist Martino Puccio for his efforts in Italy with AC Milan, but also “one of the most talented centre-backs in Germany” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

While Fabian Schar and Dan Burn have been pillars of strength for Newcastle over the past several Howe-led years, it’s clear that in Botman and Thiaw, the tactician has a more dynamic and stable central partnership, and that’s something which could bear dividends in the long run as Newcastle look to build on their recent successes and reach even loftier heights in the coming years.

It would be premature to label Thiaw as undroppable already, but he’s certainly on his way to nailing down a starting spot on the big occasion, and it’s unlikely that many of a Toon persuasion would be dismayed if he were to be named in the rearguard when Arsenal come calling at the weekend.

Reared in Germany and then developed in Serie A, Thiaw has only started once in the top flight thus far, playing most of the recent goalless draw against Bournemouth and receiving a 7/10 match rating from the Chronicle Live after winning four duels, making six clearances and four interceptions, data sourced via Sofascore.

It might have been an even more generous rating, but for a yellow card which prompted Howe to make a change in the dying embers.

In any case, Thiaw is the real deal, and fans can start to get excited about his potential in the Premier League.

Osula did himself no harm in his quest for success at Newcastle, scoring twice against Bradford, but Thiaw’s display was more telling: this is a player tailor-made for a star role in Howe’s team.

Howe could unleash Newcastle's own Yamal in 18-year-old "elite talent"

Newcastle’s academy setting has changed for the better in recent years.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 24, 2025

A three-member probe team collected documents and records following allegations against the board

Mohammad Isam15-Apr-2025The Bangladesh government’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) raided the BCB’s headquarters on Tuesday to collect documents and records following allegations against the cricket board. The three-member probe team held a press briefing following their raid, alongside BCB chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.The allegations include financial misappropriation of ticket sales during BPL and irregularity in expenses for cricket-related activities around a political programme called “Mujib 100″ (to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) in 2020 but which got cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. The ACC team also looked into details about the rule change in Dhaka’s third division qualification competition. All three allegations fall under the time when Nazmul Hassan was the BCB president.”We will file a report in the enforcement unit after verifying all these documents,” ACC’s assistant director Al Amin said. “The ACC will then decide what the next step will be. Every one of the ACC’s raid is due to a specific complaint. We collect complaints from the media. We have a committee that verifies these complaints. Once it is approved, we go on a raid. It is the same in this case.”The ACC officials said they are looking into the financial anomaly in the BPL’s ticket sales since the third edition. Ticket sales have earned the BCB around BDT 15 crore (1.2 million USD approx.) from the eight seasons, but in the eleventh season alone it was BDT 13 crore (1.07 million USD approx.).”One of BCB’s revenue streams is ticket sales. There was 15 crore in eight years, and then 13 crore in a single year. We are trying to collect documents to find out what the anomaly is,” Al Amin said.He added that there are allegations that the “Mujib 100” programme also had some financial anomalies, including misappropriation of funds of around BDT 17 crore (1.4 million USD approx.).”There’s also some anomaly in the expenses shown in the “Mujib 100″ programme. It showed expenses worth 25 crore, but actually it was around 17 crore. There’s allegations that they didn’t show the expenses of almost 19 crore. We have asked for those documents and records from the finance department,” he said.The ACC has also spoken to the BCB about their rule change in the Dhaka Third Division Qualifying tournament, which was introduced in the late 1990s. It is the non-league tournament from where the top two teams enter the third division league, the lowest in the Dhaka league pyramid. During Nazmul’s reign, the BCB hiked the team’s entry fee to BDT 5 lakh (4,000 USD approx.) from BDT 50,000 (412 USD approx.).Since these were amateur clubs, many refrained from taking part in the competition. However, some clubs paid the hiked fee to participate. They played out a knockout scenario to determine which clubs entered the league; sometimes only two paid the fees which meant direct entry into the Dhaka Third Division League.”Among the specific complaints is the illegal money involved in the Third Division Qualifying competition,” Al Amin said. “We found out how the teams were selected before 2023. Their competition fees used to be BDT five lakh. Only two or three teams would apply for it, and from them the BCB would choose one or two teams. When the fee was reduced to BDT one lakh, sixty clubs applied to play in the competition.”Our point is that, why did only two or three teams apply in previous years, and why did 60 teams apply this time? We have collected documents. There could be personal influence in the selection process of the Third Division Qualifying tournament. We found out that neighbourhood clubs found it hard to meet the criteria set for playing in the tournament.”We have collected the list of teams who took part in the Third Division Qualifying tournament in the last five to seven years. We will compare the requirements to participate in this competition between this year and those from previous years. You must have seen that two to four clubs used to take part in this tournament. This year, 60 teams participated. We can deduce that there was no independence of participation in the previous years. There must have been some pressure that prevented them from participating in the tournament. We are trying to find out why.”BCB’s chief executive Chowdhury vowed to cooperate with the ACC, saying he would direct the relevant departments to help them with documents.

England superstars Harry Kane and Alessia Russo have teamed up on World Mental Health Day, with inspiring messages being passed out to those who are struggling. Kane and Russo have experienced tough times themselves on and off the pitch and want to use their voice, as prominent figures in society, to help spread the word of never being afraid to speak up and ask for help.

Kane & Russo overcame difficulties to reach the top

Kane and Russo have reached the very top of their chosen profession. The former is the all-time leading scorer for Tottenham and England’s men’s national team – while reaching 100 goals for current employers Bayern Munich – while the latter is a two-time European Championship winner with the Lionesses that also helped Arsenal to Champions League glory in 2024-25.

Their respective rises have not been without their difficulties. Kane took in several loan spells before making his breakthrough at Spurs, leading to questions being asked of his ability to perform at a high level, while Russo has spoken out in the past about online trolls causing her body image and personal wellbeing issues.

AdvertisementRusso's advice to younger self in times of struggle

The pair have now linked up on Mental Health Day 2025, with Kane asking Russo: "If you could go back and speak to your younger self during a particularly difficult setback, what is the most crucial piece of advice you would give?"

Arsenal and England forward Russo replied with: "I would tell her to stay calm. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. You may not feel it in the moment, but the tough times don’t last and I think staying positive, working hard, tapping into the people around you, your friends, your family, your support staff, your team-mates. Everyone wants the best for you. They want you at the top of your game, they want you to feel your best and be your happiest.

"It’s OK to reach out, it’s okay to ask for help. Just stay positive, don’t be too tough on yourself and enjoy the process. You’ll look back on it and have learnt so much and you’ll remember it in the highest of highs. I think it’s important to go through, learn about yourself and use it for the future when other things arise. You have the tools, you know how to deal with it, it always makes you stronger."

The Harry Kane Foundation: Important work to be done

The Harry Kane Foundation was launched on Mental Health Day 2022, with that project forming part of the Bayern striker’s past, present and future plans. He told in May 2025: "I think just normalising the conversation is huge. Mental health is something I’ve related to throughout my career – the ups and downs – and I think a lot of people can relate to that. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It can just be chatting with someone in a coffee shop. That’s how we start changing the narrative."

Kane added on his foundation, which will eventually take up more of his time once he hangs up playing boots for the final time: "We’re on a journey. We’re learning about mental health, what younger people are going through. We’ll just continue to have those conversations.

"Once I retire, I’ll probably be more involved with the Foundation. It’s good to get a head start now and really learn about it. I’m sure there’ll be other things we do in the future with other athletes or companies to see how much change we can make. But already, in the three years, I feel like we’ve come a long way and done some good stuff."

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Getty/GOALHow Russo removed the source of her discomfort

Russo said in June 2025 of removing the sources of her discomfort: "I think you have to remember that they are the people you need to lean on in tough times. As I’ve got older, I understand more what works for me. In my first Euros I was on social media and I would have a look, have a scroll, and I got caught in a trap sometimes.

"Going into the World Cup, I completely came off everything and I had people to run my Instagram. I just focused on the tournament. Staying away from it and staying focused as a team is what works for me."

That mindset is allowing Russo to thrive on the field, while Kane has mastered the art of turning a deaf ear and blind eye to any of his detractors. There is, however, still much work to be done when it comes to helping those struggling in everyday life deal with the problems that they are facing.

Varun Chakravarthy has moved to fifth place with 17 wickets from 12 games

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-20251:25

Rapid Fire: Is this the end of the road for KKR?

Orange Cap tableMumbai Indians’ (MI) Suryakumar Yadav continues to lead the run-scorers’ chart with a tally of 510 runs from 12 innings. One run behind him is B Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans (GT) with his captain Shubman Gill occupying the third spot with 508 runs from 11 innings.Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) Virat Kohli isn’t too far away, with 505 runs, while GT’s Jos Buttler is at No. 5 with 500.Noor Ahmad struck twice in his first over against KKR•BCCIPurple Cap tableCSK’s left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad, who starred with 4 for 31 against KKR, has drawn level with GT’s Prasidh Krishna in terms of wickets at the top of the Purple Cap table. Both have 20 wickets each, but Prasidh retains the Purple Cap thanks to his better economy rate – 7.65 compared to Noor’s 8.02.RCB’s Josh Hazlewood is third with 18 wickets, the same as MI’s Trent Boult. Again, Hazlewood has a better economy rate.Meanwhile, KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy has jumped to fifth place after his 2 for 18 at Eden Gardens. He now has 17 wickets from 12 outings.You can also take a look at what the ESPNcricinfo MVP table looks like at this stage.Here are some other IPL 2025 tables. Highest batting strike rates Best bowling economy rates Most sixes Best bowling figures in a match

Arsenal kept up the pressure on their Premier League title rivals with a hard fought 1-0 win at Fulham courtesy of Leandro Trossard's second-half goal. The Gunners never looked like dropping points and relied on their prowess from set-pieces to get the job done, with Bukayo Saka, who caused the hosts all sorts of problems during the 90 minutes, creating the winning goal with a delicious corner.

Mikel Arteta's side had picked up just one point from their last two visits to Craven Cottage and they struggled again in a scrappy first half, with Viktor Gyokeres' effort which was well saved by Bernd Leno the only shot on target either side could muster.

The visitors improved after the interval, however, and got the crucial breakthrough just before the hour mark – with a set-piece again making the distance. Saka's corner was flicked on by Gabriel, with Trossard turning the ball in from close range.

Saka thought he had a penalty soon after when he was tripped by Kevin, but after awarding the spot-kick referee Anthony Taylor overturned his decision after a VAR review deemed that the Fulham substitute had got the ball first. The Gunners would hold on for the win that now makes it five on the bounce in all competitions, with the three points ensuring they'd take back their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Craven Cottage…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (6/10):

Didn't have a save to make all evening. Looked after his box well when called upon.

Jurrien Timber (6/10):

Looked to get forward and support Saka when he could, but lacked that quality in the final third when he got into some good positions. Solid defensively as always.

William Saliba (7/10):

Solid enough and dealt quite well with Raul Jimenez whenever it was his turn to pick him up. 

Gabriel Magalhaes (6/10):

Looked unusually nervy early on. Played a couple of loose balls out from the back and played Arsenal into trouble. Tough physical battle against Jimenez. Got the crucial flick-on for Trossard's goal.

Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

Just a crazy player to watch. A left-back who looks more like a No.10. Would have scored one of the goals of the season had it not been for the offside flag. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

Kept things ticking over nicely. Tidy in possession as always and protected the back four well.

Declan Rice (7/10):

Typical Rice performance. Never stopped working and looking to drive the team on. Whipped one shot just wide of the post late on in the first half.

Eberechi Eze (6/10):

Not at his best. A bit sloppy at times, although it was very hard for him to find any space in what was a very congested central area.

Getty Images SportAttack

Bukayo Saka (8/10):

Ryan Sessegnon played him quite well, but Saka still looked a threat. End product was just a bit off in the first half. Much better after the interval, caused Fulham so many problems when he got on the ball.

Viktor Gyokeres (6/10):

Had one shot saved by Leno in the first-half after a nice run into the box. Another hard-working display, with little to show for it. Blazed one good chance over in the second half after using his strength well to work a shooting position and had another effort saved late on.

Leandro Trossard (7/10):

Was the one player who found any space in the first half over on that left-hand side but was unable to make it count. Was in the right place at the right time to turn home Gabriel's flick-on and break the deadlock.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Mikel Merino (6/10):

Helped Arsenal see the game out.

Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

Saw a good a good chance saved by Leno late on.

Christian Norgaard (N/A):

Replaced Gyokeres in injury time.

Mikel Arteta (7/10):

Not his side's best performance by any means but it's three valuable points after the international break. 

Newcastle United took out their Premier League frustrations on Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Fresh off surrendering a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 to Arsenal in the top-flight to remain 15th in the top-flight standings, Eddie Howe’s Magpies went in for the kill against their shaken hosts, who might have expected a closer battle, considering they sit top of their own domestic league standings.

The travelling Toon contingent were treated to a goal-fest at the Joseph Marien Stadium, with Newcastle running out convincing 4-0 victors due to a whole host of standout performers, as Anthony Gordon continued his fine form in Europe’s elite competition versus Sébastien Pocognoli’s men.

Gordon's impressive performance in Belgium

Scoring last time out in the Champions League as a Marcus Rashford-led Barcelona narrowly beat Newcastle, Gordon picked up from where he left off at St James’ Park when making the trip to Belgium.

The England international hasn’t had the most vibrant of campaigns so far but was outstanding this week, with the tricky number ten a major thorn in the side of hosts all night long.

He notably completed five dribbles across the course of the one-sided contest. Still, despite his slick nature, it was his partner on the opposing right channel in Anthony Elanga who won the Toon the first of two penalties Gordon confidently put away.

Nick Woltemade had opened the scoring by this point. Still, just on the stroke of half-time, Gordon would essentially end the contest with his coolly dispatched penalty, which beat a helpless Kjell Scherpen, who had to fish another spot-kick out of the back of his net from the electric 24-year-old in the second half.

Winning nine ground duels for the cause as well, Gordon will hope he can put in an equally lively performance when Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest travel to Tyneside next in the Premier League, having yet to pick up a goal or assist this season in league action.

Amazingly, while Gordon did help himself to a brace, there was another Newcastle star who caught the eye even more.

Newcastle star proving he is now one of the best in the world

The Toon do have a lot of exciting players on their books at this moment in time who could easily slot into a lot of elite sides if given the chance to do so. Alexander Isak has now gone but Howe already has another talisman.

Sandro Tonali’s name instantly springs to mind in this regard, with one Toon-focused content creator after the final whistle had been sounded on the big win away at Union, going as far as to declare the energetic Italian as “world-class”.

Fortuitously collecting this assist when his effort was cleverly diverted home by Woltemade only tells a mere fraction of his tale in Belgium, with the relentless drive he has displayed in the Premier League in spades this season – with 3.7 ball recoveries averaged per league clash – on full display in Europe’s premier competition, too, winning four duels in total helping him to completely dominate proceedings centrally.

Tonali dictated the game throughout with 90 touches overall, which led to journalist Henry Winter declaring the 25-year-old as “incredible” for both his quality on the ball and also his unwavering stamina levels.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

90

Accurate passes

64/72 (89%)

Total duels won

4/8

Off the back of another near faultless showing, it’s not completely absurd to say Tonali is one of the best in the world in his central midfield position, right now, with the constantly active number 8 clearly a vital cog capable of helping Newcastle through some treacherous clashes on stages such as the Champions League.

After all, if Ryan Gravenberch is in that conversation for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, Tonali should follow closely behind for Howe and Co.

Further hailed as being the “heist of the century” by Magpies-based journalist Thomas Hammond, with Tonali costing around the £55m mark to sign back in the summer of 2023 from AC Milan, Newcastle will hope they can continue to get the best out of their exceptional gem for many years to come, cautiously hoping they don’t fall victim to another Isak situation.

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Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears all absent for T20I leg of Zimbabwe tour

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2025New Zealand have included Adam Milne and Bevon Jacobs in their T20I squad for next month’s tri-series in Zimbabwe, but they will be without Kane Williamson and Lockie Ferguson as new head coach Rob Walter begins preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup.Williamson, who is currently with Middlesex as part of a deal that will also encompass playing for London Spirit in the Hundred, made himself unavailable for the tour, while Ferguson has been rested as part of workload management. Kyle Jamieson is also absent as he awaits the birth of his first child, and Ben Sears has a side injury.Milne last played a T20I in February 2024 and missed the previous World Cup after undergoing ankle surgery. He has been in good form for Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket (MLC), with nine wickets from four appearances.Related

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