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In his new book, one of England’s fastest of all time gives us a sense of what it’s like to be in his shoes

Mark Wood12-Dec-2022Let’s start by taking a deep breath. Breathe in… and out. And once more, in… and out… You are now standing at the top of your mark. The ball is in your hand. Feel its seam in your fingers. You are relaxed. You are calm. The Barmy Army are singing your song. Your body is fresh, shoulders loose, spirit high. You are playing for England at home, and you have never felt more in your element. This is where you’ve always wanted to be.You look up and survey the field. Slips, a gully, point. Someone in short because, hey, you’re a fast bowler. You’re the one they all came to see. All the expectation is on you to do what you do. A bit of pressure? Sure. That’s to be expected. After all, you do something not many others in the world do. Quite a lot of pressure when you put it like that. But don’t worry. It’s fine. You’ve got this.Related

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Your eyes then fix on the batter. This is the battle – between you and them. The wicketkeeper, the fielders, the umpire, the crowd, your family and friends who have travelled all that way to see you, everyone else in the ground, the millions watching on television, judging you – they are all irrelevant in that moment. Don’t worry about them.So, this batter. They’ve probably been in for a bit. Maybe they’ve just come to the crease. All you know is that you hate them. Perhaps hate’s a strong word. Or it isn’t, because all they want to do is make you look bad. They’ll want to hit you for a boundary and if they do, a slow-mo of the shot will follow on the big screen to embarrass you even more. A commentator will say you bowled too full, too short or too wide and pick apart your technique. Twitter will go into overdrive and say you’re s*** or something, and at the end of the day the captain will be asked in his press conference if you should be dropped for the next game. Later that week you’ll be driving somewhere and switch on the radio and hear someone talking about how maybe you need to be rested because you can’t play two games in a row. All because this useless batter hit you for four.Sorry, no – calm. That’s it. Remember the breathing at the start. Do that again. Heck, you’ve probably done it five times already and are getting lightheaded as you eye up this scumbag before you finally set off. Quickly. None of this jog stuff. You have to charge to the crease, making sure you get there just when you reach your top speed. Don’t think about it too much. You’ve done this since forever. This is how you got to this position: all the overs in county cricket and ten thousand times more in practice. Don’t fret. Seriously – !It’s a straightforward run-up, marked along the way by the notches you painted earlier that morning when you were going through this all in your head. It seemed a lot easier then, didn’t it? The stands weren’t as full, you were having a joke with your team-mates. You might have even painted a smiley face at the top of your run-up along with your initials. This is fun, remember? Just a sport. With the wicketkeeper, the fielders, the umpire, the crowd, your family and friends who have travelled all that way to see you, everyone else in the ground, the millions watching on television, judging you. All irrelevant in that moment, of course.As the crease gets bigger, your speed increases, while your stride remains consistent. Because as soon as you get in line with the standing umpire, a few feet away from the crease, you are going to need to leap into your gather. And as soon as you land on your right foot (left foot if you’re bowling left-handed), you need to stomp your left foot down on the crease and send an incredible amount of force through it – seven times your body weight, in my case. On impact, you brace your landing knee and fling yourself over the top of it.Internally, it’s going to feel like you are the chain of an anchor that has just been dropped into the sea: all those connective links clicking into place one after the other. Each one needing to be in sync, else you don’t bowl fast enough, accurately enough – or you seriously hurt yourself. For fans of medieval weaponry, think of yourself as a human catapult. The run-up and gather are the cranks, pulleys and chains being set up. And as you land to deliver, everything from your shoulder down is rigid to fling yourself forward into a ! In the moment you deliver, everything is silent. All the external noises are blocked out. As you come over that front leg, even the batter disappears from view and, for a split second, your mind is empty.Sydney 2022: Pat Cummins takes a piece of Mark Wood’s foot without so much as a thank you•Getty ImagesBy now, ideally you’ve let go of the ball. If you haven’t, you’ve got a problem. Even if you have, there’s still the follow- through to negotiate. Refinding your feet isn’t particularly easy, especially as you need to ensure you don’t run over the “danger zone” in the middle of the pitch, which is naturally where your momentum is taking you. If in doubt, do as I do and just fall over.You pick yourself up and survey the end product. If you’re lucky, it hasn’t been hit for a boundary and your shame and career are safe. If you’ve got a wicket, why not go mental? Perhaps a section of the crowd have been giving you grief? Maybe even the batter? Feel free to rub it in their faces. If not, then get back to your mark. You’ve got five more to bowl to finish the over and five more overs to come after that. Not to mention the two other spells of all this you’ve got to get through before the day is over.Oh, and don’t forget those deep breaths.

****

So you’re probably thinking, yeah, bowling quick sounds like an awful lot of hassle. But let me tell you, when you’re in the zone, there’s nothing like it. You can’t feel the grass beneath your feet. Your legs feel light. You don’t even really feel like you’re sprinting. All you can feel is that build-up, build-up, build-up, build-up, build-up… and then WHOOSH! That release.
I felt like that on Finals Day at Edgbaston for Durham against Yorkshire in 2016. I was out of the England team and was coming back from injury on a big stage against England players. I got big wickets – Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Plunkett, Tim Bresnan – and I bowled well at Rooty, all top players. It reinforces your self-belief like nothing else.Similarly at the same ground, I bowled well against Australia in the 2017 Champions Trophy, with 4 for 33 off my ten overs. I got David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell. That was the first international tournament I felt like I belonged, and to get them players out, in a big game, felt good. I felt like the difference-maker. Maxwell was the most satisfying. Eoin Morgan had asked us to “bomb him” – bowl a load of short balls at him – and he swatted it to deep midwicket where Jason Roy was. Jase took the catch right on the boundary, close enough that they had to review it. He was a dangerous player, it was a brilliant catch and the plan had come off. If he hits that a tiny bit more, that’s six and I’m under pressure.The first time I felt like that in Test cricket was in St Lucia, where I picked up my first five-wicket haul. It was also the first time I ever felt like the fielders were irrelevant. I was bowling where I wanted, at pace, not thinking about my run-up, where I was landing on the crease or where they could hit it. It was the first time I felt like an England cricketer, not just a player who played for England.It makes all the other bad spells worthwhile. The spells where you don’t necessarily bowl badly, but you feel it more. Those times when you’re walking back to your mark and your body is reminding you of the toll you’ve put on your bones and joints. You feel like you’re sinking into the ground, through your legs. You ache. When you set off to go again, you still have that build-up, build-up, build-up, build-up… WHOOSH! But it’s just not as fresh. It might not be as explosive when it’s your third spell of a Test match day, but that’s something I have got better at over the years.Wood watches team-mate Jofra Archer, “a Rolls Royce of a fast bowler”, in the nets•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesI think that’s the aspect of fast bowling that surprises a lot of people, including fast bowlers. The relentlessness of it. The expectation and responsibility of doing it three times a day, five days in a row, for years. It’s why the guys at the top are adored by everyone else, especially other fast bowlers. My favourite at the moment has to be Pat Cummins. I think he’s immense, and not just because he owns half my foot. Just consistently fast as well as accurate and keeps turning out performances spell after spell, day after day, match after match. It’s remarkable really.Because every time you do it, it takes that little bit out of you. Bits you don’t get back. You’re never as fresh, you’re never free from pain, never as explosive as the first time, whether in a day or even in your career.But I suppose all the things that are worthwhile in life are earned. I’d love it if fast bowling came easier to me. I can’t tell you how much I envy someone like Jofra Archer. Now that man is a Rolls Royce of a fast bowler.
Throughout the 2019 World Cup we had a great partnership that bordered on a friendly rivalry. We’d gee each other up to bowl quick and it was so much fun.He was convinced they never put his speeds up on the board, all this kind of stuff. But then mine would come up all the time and I’d get him to have a look. But whenever it was under 90, he’d shout, “Oh, you just warming up?” So I’d be like, “Right, I’ll show you next, pal!” The next one might have been short, wide and a pile of rubbish – but it was never slow!At the innings break of that World Cup final, our analyst came to me and told me I’d officially bowled the fastest ball of the World Cup at 95.7 mph. He also told me my 18 wickets were the second-highest of our team, but there was only one stat I cared about.As soon as Jofra came through the door, I couldn’t help myself.Allen and Unwin”,” I shouted, desperate to tell him the news (and leave out that his 20 wickets were the most for our team). “You’ll never guess who got 95.7?” He looked at me and he was not impressed.”Look,” I offered, “you tried, mate. Keep your head up. It happens. Live and learn, eh? Maybe you’ll get to 95.7 one day.”
He furrowed his brow and looked me up and down. I had ice packs on my ankle, knee and side. I was barely able to stand and grimacing in between smiles.”Look at me,” he said, pointing down at his whole body, sleek, comfortable, barely a drop of sweat on him. “And now look at you.”I looked at myself, like an extra out of , and thought, “Yeah, fair enough. I’ve had to rip my body in half to get anywhere near you.”Unfortunately, Jofra has endured his own tough times with injuries recently, which goes to show how tough fast bowling can be even for someone as smooth as him. I can’t wait to bowl with him again.The Wood Life, A Not so Helpful How-To Guide on Surviving Cricket, Life and Everything in Between

Even victory in the Border-Gavaskar series would likely require Australia to still avoid a series loss in South Africa

Daniel Brettig16-Jan-2021No better measure may be found for how Australia’s Test team have struggled to live up to their own expectations this summer than their increasingly shaky hold on a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Due to the events already played out over three Tests and two days against India, Tim Paine’s team may now stand a better chance of reaching the decider at Lord’s later this year should their looming tour of South Africa be cancelled rather than be played.This is not just a sharp reflection on the “points per series played” metric that was brought in once the WTC schedule was ravaged by Covid-19, but also a marker of how – against a severely under-manned India – a nominally full-strength team have plateaued rather than flourished. A 3-1 series margin over India would have meant that a 1-2 series loss to South Africa would have been sufficient to ensure a place in the final.Instead, another determined show from India to get a draw at the Gabba would mean that the Australians require at least a 2-1 margin against South Africa over three Tests away from home to guarantee their place in the final.Even a dominant performance over the next three days – weather permitting – to emerge victorious in the Border-Gavaskar series would still mean Australia would most likely need to avoid a series loss in South Africa, with draws being worth more than defeats. It is a series currently the subject of vigorous discussion between Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, given the deteriorating coronavirus situation in South Africa.There has been informal discussion of moving the series in its entirety to Perth, where South Africa enjoy an enviable record of success. But the scenario presently being war-gamed is for a repeat of South Africa’s recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, where the squad was housed in a self-contained resort and shuttled between Test matches at the Wanderers in Johannesburg and Centurion Park in Pretoria.”We saw even with the England series. It wasn’t ticked off until really, really late – four or five days before the team jet set over there,” Andrew McDonald, Australia’s senior assistant coach, said. “For me, it’ll be [on] until we’re informed [otherwise]. Otherwise, we’re expecting the tour to go ahead. All our planning and preparation with our quicks and everything on the back end of this tour will be geared around the team going to South Africa for the Tests and going to New Zealand [for T20Is]. I think it’s important for world cricket that the show goes on.”This task would be a steep one given the mental and physical fatigue on display among the Australians at the Gabba, where they were again unable to convert a promising overnight position into one of first-innings dominance on a quickening pitch. Ever since India were shot out for 36 to bring the opening Test in Adelaide to a shatteringly rapid conclusion, the hosts have never quite managed to pull it all together; now, they look increasingly as though they will be facing a substantial penalty for being unable to do so. Only they will know how much of this can be put down to the disorientation of a “Covid-safe” summer.Paradoxically, Tim Paine’s team may stand a better chance of reaching the WTC final should their scheduled tour of South Africa be cancelled•Getty Images”What I would say in terms of the biosecurity and the way we’ve been looked after, it’s been outstanding,” McDonald said. “There were fears at the start of the series that if we were to go into tighter restrictions and regulations that would have an effect on the group. At this stage, so far so good. Everyone’s in a great mental space, [and] physically we’ve got most of our bodies available.”In terms of team performance, there’s no doubt we’ve had some lulls with the bat. A couple of difficult surfaces in the first couple of games that lent themselves to a bit of movement – in particular seam – which made it difficult for the batting units. We saw that equalled out in Sydney where we did get a flat wicket that didn’t deteriorate, and then here there’s a lot of cricket to go that will define the series and the team performance.”As Marnus Labuschagne rightly pointed out after the first day in Brisbane, players are generally their own harshest critics. If Labuschagne, with 401 runs for the series at 57.28, cannot be entirely happy with his performances, then others will be even more introspective. Steven Smith has had – by his own lofty standards – a mediocre time of it, and his batting compatriots Joe Burns, Travis Head, David Warner and Matthew Wade have achieved even less.At Nos. 6 and 7, Cameron Green and the captain Paine have scored respectable amounts of runs, but without enough of the defining performances they would still be expected to provide in those positions. Paine’s innings in Adelaide was among the best of his career, but he was clearly frustrated not to at least match it in Brisbane, wincing as he walked off after a week in which his behaviour and performance were both put under enough scrutiny to have him make a public apology for his actions on day five at the SCG.Similarly, Green’s 199 runs at 33.16 have showcased a talent that is far from fully developed, but likely to learn quickly given the chance at a young age. Both Paine, suckered into the drive at an away-swinger, and Green, bowled by a gentle drifter from Washington Sundar that did not turn, might have wished to sell their wickets a little more dearly and not require Nathan Lyon to nearly double his series aggregate to ensure the total passed 350.Related

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A judge as shrewd as Brad Haddin reckoned the Australians fell at least 100 runs short of the ideal first innings, given the conditions and the opposition, and the early passages of India’s first innings did not suggest a rush of wickets will follow unless they are to be conjured by the remarkable Pat Cummins. Alongside Josh Hazlewood, Cummins has performed at extremely close to his best throughout. He might have even easily dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara once again if not for the India No. 3’s soft hands on a defensive blade.But neither Mitchell Starc nor Nathan Lyon can make the same claim, meaning that out of the players selected during this series for Australia, only three could reasonably suggest they have been close to the level they want to be. This will be a problem for the WTC final qualification, as it has already been for closing out an Indian side more resilient and persistent than most.”It probably is already,” Ricky Ponting said on Seven, when asked whether the SCG result would hurt Australia over the rest of this Test. “I think they would still be smarting about what happened in Sydney, but they’ve got no one else to blame. They weren’t able to get the job done.”Unable to get the job done in Sydney, Australia now face a far more difficult job to qualify for the Test Championship decider. Unless, that is, the administrators are forced into taking a decision through which the vagaries of the points system paradoxically reward them more for avoiding South Africa rather than playing there.

أكد الإعلامي أحمد شوبير أهمية الدور الداعم للإعلام المصري خلال المرحلة الحالية، مشددًا على ضرورة الوقوف خلف منتخب مصر، ورفض أي محاولات للتشكيك أو تمني الفشل، وذلك في ظل استعدادات المنتخب لخوض منافسات كأس أمم إفريقيا.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأحد: “الإعلام يجب أن يكون مساندًا في هذه الفترة، وأقول ذلك بوضوح وصراحة ومن دون لف أو دوران، فهناك بعض الأشخاص الذين يتمنون الفشل لمنتخبنا الوطني، وأنتم بالتأكيد تعلمون من أقصد”.

وتابع: “نحن من يجب أن يتصدى لهؤلاء، ولا يهمني اسم حسام حسن أو إبراهيم حسن أو أي شخص آخر، ما يهمني هو اسم بلدي واسم منتخبنا الوطني واسم منتخب مصر. الفوز في النهاية يعود إلى مصر”.

واستطرد: “لقد عشت هذه الفرحة عام 1986 وأنا لاعب في منتخب مصر عندما فزنا بالبطولة، ثم عشتها مرة أخرى عام 1990 عندما تأهلنا إلى كأس العالم، ثم عشتها مجددًا كمعلق في عام 1998 أثناء مشاركتنا في بطولة بوركينا فاسو، ثم عشتها وأنا مسؤول ونائب رئيس الاتحاد في بطولتي 2006 و2008، وكنت أعتبر نفسي مشاركًا أيضًا في 2010، وإن كنت حينها في موقع المسؤولية”.

وأردف: “في بطولة 1998، وأنا أعلق في بوركينا فاسو، قلت أشياء لا تزال حاضرة حتى اليوم، فهذه البطولة مرّ عليها وقت طويل، لكنني ما زلت أعيش تفاصيلها، لأن الأداء الجيد والنتائج المميزة هما ما يدفع الإنسان لتقديم أفضل ما لديه”.

طالع أيضًا | أحمد حسن: تمنيت تواجد حسام حسن في كأس العرب.. وبيراميدز أربك حساباتنا

وواصل شوبير: “أتذكر مباراة النهائي أمام جنوب إفريقيا، وكنت من المفترض أن أعلق على مباريات مصر، لكنني كنت تابعًا لاتحاد الإذاعات العربية، فتم الاتفاق على تعليق مشترك مع زميل عزيز هو رضا العودي من تونس الشقيقة”.

واستمر: “اتفقنا أن يعلّق كل منا لفترة، وبما أنه كان الأقدم بدأ المباراة، وبعد ثلاث دقائق فقط سجل أحمد حسن هدفًا رائعًا في شباك إبراهيم بلوفي، نجم وحارس مرمى منتخب جنوب إفريقيا، وكان رضا العودي لم يستوعب بعد ما حدث، فقمت بدفعه وقلت: هدف، وانطلقت أصرخ، حتى أن البعض قال إن هذا ليس معلقًا بل مشجعًا، نعم نحن جميعًا مشجعون لمنتخب مصر، نفرح لفرح منتخبنا الوطني”.

وشدد: “أقسم بالله إن شعوري في تلك البطولة لا يمكن وصفه، فقد واجهنا صعوبات كبيرة في الوصول إلى الملعب، وتأخرنا كثيرًا، وكانت هناك مشكلات في التواصل، حتى قيل لي إن الأبواب أُغلقت، فسألت ماذا نفعل، ورأيت سورًا قصيرًا فقفزت من فوقه، وركضت حتى كابينة التعليق، وجلست أبدأ التعليق وأنا ألهث من شدة الجري”.

وأضاف: “كنت قد اعتزلت اللعب قبلها بأشهر، ورغم ذلك، يبقى من يعتزل بداخله إحساس دائم بالانتماء، ولا يمكن أن يتخلى عن تشجيع منتخب بلده، حتى لو كان مسؤولًا عن منتخب آخر، أتمنى الخير للجميع، والله العظيم من يتمنى الخير للناس يجده في حياته، ويجد من يتمنى له الخير، وينجح ويتفوق ويتألق، إما بدعوة صادقة أو بستر من الله”.

واختتم: “وفي النهاية، أدعو الله بالتوفيق لمنتخبنا الوطني، وأن تكون مباراة نيجيريا مباراة جيدة، فهي مباراة ودية، ونأمل أن تكون بداية موفقة ورائعة في البطولة، وندعو الله أن يكلل مشوارنا بالنجاح. دعواتكم لمنتخبنا الوطني”.

After staying quiet for much of the day in the lead up to the trade deadline, the Brewers have reportedly traded for starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery and reliever Shelby Miller from the Diamondbacks, per Jon Heyman of

Arizona's return in the deal has not yet been reported.

The Brewers, who rank top-five in ERA this season and own the best record in MLB, add reinforcements to the bullpen in Miller and a future asset in Montgomery. Miller, who is on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain, is 3–3 with a 1.98 ERA and 10 saves across 36.1 innings pitched this season. The 34-year-old veteran is now joining his tenth team as he heads to Milwaukee.

Montgomery underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year and will miss the rest of the season. When he was last available for a full season in 2023, he combined for a 10-11 record with a 3.20 and 166 strikeouts for the Cardinals and Rangers, and helped Texas go on to win the World Series.

Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool has been thrown into fresh doubt after Arne Slot dropped the Premier League icon for consecutive matches, prompting renewed interest from the Saudi Pro League. The division’s leadership is reportedly prepared to fund a major bid for the 33-year-old, with previous negotiations and Salah’s strong ties to SPL officials viewed as key factors in a possible move.

Saudi Pro League ready to fund Salah move

Salah has found himself on the bench for Liverpool’s last two Premier League matches, a decision that has stunned fans and reopened questions regarding his long-term future at the club. Slot’s call to leave out the Premier League’s top active goalscorer comes during a period of inconsistency for Liverpool, adding to speculation about the winger’s relationship with the under-pressure head coach. In the background, the Saudi Pro League has made clear that funding will be available should Salah signal an openness to leaving Anfield, as per .

Liverpool previously rejected a £150m bid from Al-Ittihad in 2024 and Salah himself has admitted negotiations with SPL officials were “serious” before he chose to renew his deal at Anfield last summer. This means that any revived move would now require a transfer fee rather than a free signing, making the timing of Salah’s current benching even more significant. His contract, which runs until 2027, ensures Liverpool remain in control, but the optics of Salah being dropped have shifted the power dynamic.

With the Saudi Pro League still aiming to attract superstars with the 2034 Saudi Arabia World Cup in mind, Salah fits the profile of a transformational signing. Four clubs are majority-owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund, meaning financial backing for a marquee arrival remains available even after last summer’s restrained spending. If Salah expresses willingness, the Saudi Pro League’s hierarchy is prepared to act quickly.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSalah benched in two sraight games as form dwindles

The sudden sidelining of Salah has magnified Liverpool’s internal tensions during a difficult start to the season under Slot. Captain Virgil van Dijk’s admission that no player has “unlimited credit” underscores the shift in standards and the manager’s attempts to impose a new tactical identity. Slot has acknowledged that Salah is “not happy,” yet has persisted with benching him to address structural issues in the team’s performances.

For the Saudi Pro League, this moment represents a rare window to acquire one of the most globally marketable players of the last decade. Previous attempts failed because Liverpool were unwilling to break up their attacking core, but the current scenario gives Saudi clubs renewed confidence that a deal could be revived. Crucially, Salah’s own words about his positive relationship with SPL officials suggest a pathway remains open.

Saudi Arabia’s transformation of its league has slowed following the initial wave of superstar signings in 2023, yet officials continue to insist they will invest heavily again for strategic, image-defining transfers. Salah fits that brief perfectly, given his Arab heritage, international profile and elite pedigree. With several high-earning imports nearing contract expiry, the SPL sees 2026–27 as the next phase of targeted big-name recruitment.

Saudi Arabia want more star power ahead of 2034 World Cup

Salah’s frustrations this season have been visible, with the 33-year-old producing just five goals in all competitions. His reduced productivity, combined with adjustments under Slot’s system, has created an unfamiliar situation where Liverpool feel compelled to prioritise collective balance over Salah’s long-established attacking freedom.

The timing also matters because Salah is now more than halfway through his contract, making the next 12 months crucial for Liverpool’s long-term planning. If the club believes Salah’s role will diminish under Slot, selling him for a substantial fee before 2027 becomes a logical financial decision.

Conversely, failing to resolve tensions risks entering the final year of his deal with declining leverage and uncertainty over reinvestment. From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, Salah’s age and elite fitness profile make him an ideal headline signing as they look to increase the star power in the Pro League in the lead-up to the 2034 World Cup.

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Getty Images SportSalah set for AFCON duties later this month

Much depends on Salah’s response to being dropped and the conversations that take place between him, Slot and the Liverpool hierarchy in the coming weeks. If the reigning Premier League champions reintegrate him into the starting XI and restore his confidence, the Reds may successfully delay Saudi interest until 2027. But if the benching becomes a trend, or if Salah feels under-appreciated, the SPL will be ready to strike with a renewed, fully funded offer in the summer of 2026, or maybe even in January.

However, the first hurdle for Salah stands away from England as he is set to travel away for the Africa Cup of Nations later this month as he looks to lead Egypt to their first AFCON title since 2010.

Tottenham are looking to sell a Spurs regular who Thomas Frank no longer wants with the January transfer window looming, according to a new report today.

Tottenham's rumoured plans for the January transfer window

If there’s one thing the last month has taught us, it is that the Lilywhites are still far from the finished article.

Tepid London derby defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea in the last few weeks, where Spurs barely managed to threaten in either encounter, significantly highlight the need for more firepower in particular.

Striker Dominic Solanke remains out with an ankle injury that required minor surgery, while star playmakers James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are still working to come back from their respective long-term problems.

This has left Spurs starved of attacking quality at times, with summer signing Xavi Simons largely failing to impress bar a player of the match display at home to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

A silver lining for the north Londoners was Randal Kolo Muani’s exceptional outing against parent club PSG in Europe on Wednesday, where the Frenchman bagged a brace and an assist during the thrilling eight-goal thriller in Paris.

However, amid Solanke’s injury problems and the uncertainty surrounding Kolo Muani’s long-term future, considering he is only on a dry loan, reports suggest that Tottenham could look to sign a striker in January.

Co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are also targeting a winger, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo on their radar.

Semenyo, who has stood out as one of the Premier League’s finest attacking players this season, could leave for just £65 million during the early stages of January due to a release clause in his contract.

Ex-club chief now tips Tottenham to sign Man City star for £50m in January

A deal is apparently there to be done.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 28, 2025

Some media sources claim that Tottenham are prepared to shatter their winter transfer record by signing both Semenyo and FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, with the latter in excellent goalscoring form right now.

To fund such a big investment, player sales may be needed, and one man believed to be on the chopping block is striker Richarlison.

Tottenham looking to offload Richarlison in January

According to recent reports, despite selecting him 20 times this season, whether that be in the starting eleven or from the bench, Frank views Richarlison as ‘expendable’ heading into 2026.

Now, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that Tottenham are looking to sell Richarlison in January.

Amid concerns surrounding inconsistent form and the fact his contract expires in 2027, it is clear to see why.

The Brazil international has actually scored six goals and bagged a further two assists this term, including two stunning goal of the season contenders against Burnley and Arsenal respectively.

However, Richarlison has still come under criticism this season, and January represents an opportunity to offload for a significant fee before it is too late.

The 28-year-old cost £60 million to sign from Everton, and reports suggest that Richarlison could return to Goodison Park as one mooted destination.

Newcastle United need some fresh ideas. This much is clear after a turbulent start to the season that has left Eddie Howe searching for answers, his side 14th in the Premier League after 11 matches.

There are internal solutions available to the esteemed English coach, but there’s no question that he views St. James’ Park academy graduate Elliot Anderson as being the missing cog in the machine.

The Magpies reluctantly sold Anderson to Nottingham Forest for around £35m in 2024 to avoid PSR ramifications falling on their head. But now, the 23-year-old is flying, and his boyhood club want him back.

The latest on Newcastle's interest in Elliot Anderson

It is understood that Newcastle and Manchester United are the most likely clubs to do battle for Anderson’s signature next summer. Word on the street, however, is that Forest are set to demand a figure in excess of £100m.

Elliot Anderson – PL record for Forest

Stats (*per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

37 (33)

11 (11)

Goals

2

1

Assists

6

1

Touches*

54.2

94.4

Accurate passes*

28.7 (82%)

62.1 (87%)

Chances created*

1.0

1.4

Dribbles*

1.0

1.3

Ball recoveries*

5.6

8.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.5

3.5

Duels (won)*

6.5 (52%)

7.5 (55%)

Data via Sofascore

That might be an exorbitant asking price, but we can see why the City Ground side would be so reluctant to part with their man. Anderson has grown into a world-beater of a midfielder, and he is emerging as the most likely candidate to partner Declan Rice in England’s midfield at the 2026 World Cup over the pond.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed, but with the Tricky Trees likely to prove difficult negotiators, don’t hold your breath.

However, it might be pleasing to note that PIF have been busy at the academy level, reinforcing the youth team with top talents capable of finding a way into Howe’s outfit.

And there’s one who might actually prove a bigger talent than Anderson, once given an opportunity to make his mark.

Newcastle have a bigger talent than Anderson

There has been a concerted effort toward raising Newcastle’s youth system over the past few years. And it is working, with prospects such as Vakhtang Salia added to the fold.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich all fancied Dinamo Tbilisi’s talented forward this year, but it is a testament to Newcastle’s development that they won the race, enticing the youngster with a clear pathway toward the first team.

A versatile forward, Salia can play on either flank or in a central striking berth. In Ukraine, he scored eight goals and provided four assists across 57 matches for Dinamo’s seniors.

Salia only turned 18 in August, and it was then that his move to Tyneside was green-lit. However, it’s been a rocky start on English shores for the man who has been likened to Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal. He hasn’t played for United yet, injured early in his new start.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has described him as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world”, and with the right care and attention over the coming years, there is every reason that Salia could be fashioned into a superstar, so naturally gifted and with a physicality on the ball that suggests he could adapt to the brutality of the Premier League.

It is frustrating that Salia should have been disrupted in this way so early into his Newcastle career, but this will teach him about adversity, and in this, he could rival Anderson, who has weathered storms of his own before emerging as a superstar at the City Ground.

Related Woltemade will love him: Newcastle targeting a "top 5 manager in the world"

Newcastle are in dire straits in the Premier League at the moment.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 19, 2025

Gloucestershire 404 for 9 dec (Phillips 136, Hammond 71, Bancroft 58) drew with Middlesex 445 (Williamson 153, Hollman 60, De Caires 58, Du Plooy 57)Gloucestershire’s Joe Phillips hit his maiden first class century as the rain-ruined Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Middlesex ended in an inevitable draw.After the third day washout, a still wet outfield prevented any play until 1.25pm, with a minimum of 68 overs left in the game. Resuming their first innings on 54 for 1, a deficit of 391, Gloucestershire extended it to 400 for 9 by stumps, 21-year-old Cornishman Phillips making 136 from 182 balls, with 19 fours.Miles Hammond contributed an attractive 71 and Cameron Bancroft 58. But there had been too little time on a placid pitch for the teams to conjure a decisive outcome and both had to settle for 15 points.Following an early lunch at 12.45pm, Phillips and skipper Bancroft played confidently on a pitch still proving surprisingly straightforward to bat on considering it was shaved at both ends.Unbeaten on 11 at the start, Phillips had a scare on 34 when advancing down the pitch to offspinner Josh De Caires and edging between wicketkeeper and first slip for four. It was a rare moment of anxiety for Gloucestershire as Bancroft was first to his half-century, off 104 balls, with nine fours.The experienced Aussie was looking in prime form and it was a surprise when, with the total advanced to 126, he was bowled off a bottom edge aiming to pull a boundary off left-arm seamer Noah Cornwell.By then Phillips was treating the sparse crowd to a range of sweetly-timed strokes off front and back foot, a single to deep cover off Luke Hollman’s legspin taking him to fifty off 92 deliveries, with five fours. Two more boundaries followed from fierce pull shots in the same Cornwell over.Ollie Price was soon looking equally at home on the two-tone coloured surface. A glorious square drive for four off Ryan Higgins took Truro-born Phillips past his previous best first-class score of 80, made on the same ground against Worcestershire in 2023.By tea, he had moved to 96 and, with Price unbeaten on 33, Gloucestershire were 209 for 2, still trailing by 236. A looping full toss from Sam Robson gave Phillips the chance to strike the boundary that brought up his century off 145 balls. It was his 15th four and he raised a clenched fist in the air to celebrate.Price departed soon afterwards for 34, caught behind top-edging a sweep off Robson’s leg-breaks. The dismissal meant a first bowling point for Middlesex on a day their promotion hopes suffered a damaging blow with Glamorgan’s victory over Lancashire.Phillips and Hammond took Gloucestershire to 250 and a batting point. With more bonus points up for grabs, neither team wanted to shake hands on the draw.Using his feet well to attack the spinners, Phillips continued on his merry way, while Hammond also went on the attack at every opportunity. Their entertaining stand of 66 in 12.1 overs ended when Phillips holed out to long-on off Higgins.Cheltenham-born Hammond, who often flourishes at the Festival, advanced to smack a straight six off De Caires as Gloucestershire progressed to a second batting point, losing James Bracey cheaply, caught at mid-on off De Caires with the total on 299.Hollman earned Middlesex a second bowling point when having Graeme van Buuren caught at slip. But Hammond moved to a fluent half-century off 63 balls before Zaman Akhter was seventh man out, caught at backward square leg sweeping a ball from Hollman with eight overs remaining.A Hammond six off Hollman took Gloucestershire to a third batting point before he fell aiming to clear long-on off Higgins. With three overs remaining, Middlesex took the second new ball and Cornwell had Matt Taylor caught behind to give his side maximum bowling points.There was still time for a Josh Shaw six off Higgins as he and Todd Murphy helped the hosts reach 400 in the very last over. Both teams could feel happy at the end of a thoroughly entertaining final hour.

Crystal Palace are facing a pivotal season as the Eagles look to build upon what has been an absolutely excellent 2025 — a year which has seen them go on an unprecedented unbeaten streak whilst ending their history-long wait for a major trophy.

Crystal Palace face an uncertain future after stellar 2025

Oliver Glasner masterminded an historic win over Man City in the FA Cup final in May, delivering the club’s first ever piece of silverware, with the Eagles also tasting defeat for the first time in 20 games against Everton last weekend.

Palace’s club record 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions is testament to the phenomenal job done by Glasner with very limited resources, all whilst coping with the departures of key stars like Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze since his arrival.

Crystal Palace’s 19-game unbeaten run in full
Palace 0-0 Bournemouth (Premier League)
Arsenal 2-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 3-0 Aston Villa (FA Cup)
Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
Tottenham 0-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 1-0 Man City (FA Cup)
Palace 4-2 Wolves (Premier League)
Liverpool 1-1 Palace (Premier League)
Crystal Palace (3) 2-2 (2) Liverpool (Community Shield)
Chelsea 0-0 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 1-0 Fredrikstad (Conference League)
Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
Fredrikstad 0-0 Palace (Conference League)
Aston Villa 0-3 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 0-0 Sunderland (Premier League)
Palace (4) 1-1 (2) Millwall (Carabao Cup)
West Ham 1-2 Palace (Premier League)
Palace 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dynamo Kyiv 0-2 Palace (Conference League)

However, while the Eagles are currently riding high, and still sit unexpectedly near the Premier League top four, this era is seriously threatened by Glasner’s uncertain future and a potentially imminent exit for star defender Marc Guehi.

Glasner is out of contract at the end of 25/26, and is attracting attention from top-flight rivals like Nottingham Forest amid his excellent work at Selhurst Park.

Guehi, meanwhile, was on the verge of joining Liverpool last summer only for Palace to pull out of the deal in dramatic fashion. The England star, who’s established himself as a Three Lions mainstay and proven Premier League defender since joining the South Londoners in 2021, will have his pick of new clubs once his deal also runs out in 2026.

It is absolutely imperative that Steve Parish shows a statement of intent to back Glasner if he hopes for the Austrian’s extended stay, and January could be vital in this respect.

Crystal Palace in contact with Conor Gallagher and could strike January deal

£150,000-per-week Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who dazzled at Palace on loan from Chelsea in 2021/2022, is apparently a potential winter target.

The England international has been in and out of the Atlético starting eleven under Diego Simeone this season, and journalist Graeme Bailey reports that Palace are in contact with Gallagher’s representatives ahead of a possible January swoop.

The 25-year-old was one of Palace’s star performers of the 21/22 season, bagging eight goals and three assists over 33 Premier League starts, and his contribution stretched far beyond the numbers going forward.

Gallagher’s loan spell at Palace was widely regarded as a breakthrough period in his career, showcasing his immense talent and versatility in midfield.

Arriving from Chelsea, Gallagher quickly became a key figure, impressing with his energy, work rate, and technical ability. His box-to-box style of play combined relentless pressing with intelligence, making him a versatile asset both defensively and offensively.

The ex-Chelsea man’s performances earned praise from teammates, managers, and pundits alike, with many highlighting maturity beyond his years. Gallagher’s impact was so pronounced that Palace even sought to extend his stay, but while those attempts fell through, he could still make a sensational return.

استقرت قناتا أون سبورت وأبوظبي، الناقلان الرسميان لمباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن منافسات مسابقة نصف نهائي بطولة السوبر المصري، على معلقي اللقاء.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، في إطار منافسات الدور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس السوبر المصري المقام في الإمارات.

طالع|مصطفى شوبير: هدفنا إضافة لقب جديد لخزائن الأهلي

ويشارك النادي الأهلي “بطل الدوري المصري الموسم الماضي” في بطولة السوبر المصري في الإمارات، بجانب أندية الزمالك وبيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا.

وفي نصف النهائي الآخر، يلعب الزمالك وبيراميدز، غدًا الخميس، في موقعة ينتظرها عشاق الكرة المصرية، حيث يسعى الفريقان لخطف بطاقة التأهل إلى نهائي السوبر المصري. معلقا مباراة الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا في نصف نهائي السوبر المصري 2025-2026

أسندت قناة أبو ظبي التعليق على المباراة إلى فارس عوض، بينما يعلق أيمن الكاشف على اللقاء عبر قناة أون سبورت.