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Sam Elliott had the final say after New South Wales had suffered a middle-order collapse

AAP20-Oct-2025Charlie Stobo was nearly the hero for New South Wales, as Victoria held on in the last over for their first one-day win of the season.Stobo, batting at No. 8, made 47 from 41 balls in a riveting finish, after NSW had collapsed again at Junction Oval in the wake of last week’s Sheffield Shield loss.Stobo’s impressive knock, which included 19 off the penultimate over from Todd Murphy, brought them to within five runs of a comeback win, before he holed out to Murphy at mid-off off the bowling of seamer Sam Elliott with four balls left.”It was a cracking game in the end … obviously very happy with the result,” said Elliott, who is back from an Australia A white-ball tour of India. “Anyone who says they don’t get nervous is a liar. I was definitely nervous at the end there.”Luckily, we’ve played a lot of cricket together now. Being able to have that clear communication towards the end, that definitely does help.”The game had been shortened to 36 overs per side because of morning rain.The visitors were well on their way at 97 for 3 in the 21st over. Young quick Austin Anlezark then struck twice in three deliveries and part-time spinner Campbell Kellaway took another wicket in the next over to wrest control from NSW.Kellaway starred with 2 for 25 from seven overs with his left-arm spin after anchoring the Victorian innings at No. 3 with 43.Captain Will Sutherland top-scored with 46 from 44 balls after NSW won the toss.Stobo top scored for NSW with four fours and a six in his rearguard knock after taking 3 for 32 to lead their attack.Sam Konstas and Kurtis Patterson gave NSW a solid start with their opening stand of 54, before wickets fell steadily.On Friday, Victorian Test paceman Scott Boland rifled through the NSW tail with five wickets to decide their Sheffield Shield match.”A frustrating week – we were in the game, both games, and we let it slip,” said NSW captain Jack Edwards. He [Stobo] held his nerve, gave us a chance. He showed in the last game as well, what he can do with the bat – he’s a very handy cricketer.”It’s a shame he couldn’t get over the line there. We need to be more ruthless if we want to be a good side. We let them back in the game, they take the opportunity and run with it.”NSW are 2-2 in the One-Day Cup after Monday’s loss, with Victoria 1-3.NSW will regain Test star Steve Smith for their next Shield game from October 28, against Queensland at the Gabba.

Celtic are in the process of finding their long-term successor to former head coach Brendan Rodgers, who resigned from the role last month after a 3-1 loss to Hearts.

The Northern Irish manager returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, and won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his full seasons in charge.

Celtic are now looking for a manager to come in and build on that success in the months and seasons to come, and Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy appears to be closing in on the job.

The latest on Wilfried Nancy to Celtic

According to Sky Sports, the Premiership champions have been granted permission by Columbus Crew to hold discussions with the French tactician this weekend.

The report claims that Nancy is open to making the move from the MLS to Scotland to replace Rodgers in the dugout, after the 2025 MLS came to an end for his side this month.

It adds that the Hoops want to have a new manager in place for their league clash with St Mirren next weekend, and that they will need to discuss compensation with Columbus Crew if they agree terms with Nancy.

If the French boss does take over the job in the coming days, one player who could benefit from his arrival at Parkhead is central midfielder Arne Engels.

Why Arne Engels could explode under Wilfried Nancy

Just as Matt O’Riley did when Rodgers took over from Postecoglou, Engels could explode with the change in manager from Rodgers to Nancy this season.

Chalkboard

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

The Belgian star could be O’Riley 2.0 with the potential that he has to be an exciting attacking force as one of the two number 10s behind the striker in his 3-4-2-1 system.

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international, who now plays for Marseille, scored 15 more goals and provided one more assist in the league under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou.

Engels could benefit in a similar way with this change in manager, as he has mainly played as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system for Rodgers, but he could play further forward under Nancy.

The Belgium international, whose set-piece delivery was hailed as “world-class” by Rodgers, produced nine goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, but has only managed one goal and one assist in ten games this term, with both of those goal contributions coming against Kilmarnock for Martin O’Neill.

Engels has created four ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Europa League this season, being rewarded with one assist, per Sofascore, which is a testament to his technical and creative quality.

The midfield star is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, over a year on from his £11m move from Augsburg, which suggests that the Hoops need to find a way to get more out of him, to ensure that their £11m investment does not turn out to be a poor one.

Playing further up the pitch, as a number ten, as part of Nancy’s preferred tactical set-up would put him in more positions to show off his brilliant technical ability, rather than often being too far from goal as a central midfielder or as a number six under Rodgers.

Celtic now "granted permission" to take biggest step yet in push to hire Wilfried Nancy

The Bhoys are set to make their move…

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 15, 2025

Therefore, the Columbus Crew tactician could help Engels to explode and follow in O’Riley’s footsteps if Celtic hire him and he goes through with the 3-4-2-1 system used in the MLS.

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John Textor, sócio majoritário da SAF do Botafogo, citou dois jogos do Palmeiras em que teriam acontecido casos de corrupção: nas goleadas diante de Fortaleza e São Paulo, em 2022 e 2023, respectivamente.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

➡️ Aposte R$200 no Lance! Betting e fature mais de R$400 se o Internacional superar o Belgrano

Sem mostrar provas e afirmando que chegou à conclusão através de “especialistas e inteligência artificial”, o empresário acusa um grande esquema de manipulação de resultados, envolvendo jogadores e arbitragem. Palmeiras e São Paulo rebateram, repudiaram as afirmações e prometem acionar a Justiça.

➡️ Veja o posicionamento do Palmeiras

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PALMEIRAS 4 X 0 FORTALEZA (03/11/2022)

O Palmeiras entrou em campo contra o Fortaleza já sabendo que era o campeão brasileiro de 2022. Antes de a bola rolar, o Internacional perdeu para o América-MG e ficou impossibilitado de alcançar o Verdão na pontuação.

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A partida contou com uma atuação de gala do Alviverde. Dudu foi o melhor em campo, marcando dois gols, Rony ampliou e Endrick balançou as redes pela primeira vez no Allianz Parque, além de começar como titular de forma inédita.

PALMEIRAS 5 X 0 SÃO PAULO (25/10/2023)

Em busca da reação no Brasileirão, o Palmeiras recebeu o São Paulo no Allianz Parque, fez 5 a 0 e poderia ter imposto uma goleada ainda maior.

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Somente no primeiro tempo, o Verdão abriu 3 a 0 contra o time treinado pelo então técnico Dorival Júnior. Breno Lopes anotou dois gols, e Piquerez ampliou. Na segunda etapa, Marcos Rocha balançou as redes, e o lateral uruguaio guardou mais um, em golaço com chute de longa distância.

FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS 4 x 0 FORTALEZA
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 35ª RODADA

Local: Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data-Hora: 02/11/2022 – 21h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Wilton Pereira Sampaio (Fifa/GO)
Assistentes: Bruno Raphael Pires (Fifa/GO) e Bruno Boschilia (Fifa/PR)
VAR: Wagner Reway (PB)
Público/Renda: 29.104 torcedores/R$ 3.675.069,73
Cartões amarelos: Gustavo Scarpa e Danilo (PAL) Titi (FOR)
Cartões vermelhos: –
Gols: Rony (14’/1ºT) (1-0), Dudu (31’/1ºT) (2-0), Rony (2’/2ºT) (3-0), Endrick (18’/2ºT) (4-0)

PALMEIRAS:Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Danilo (Gabriel Menino, aos 20’/2ºT), Zé Rafael e Gustavo Scarpa (Bruno Tabata, aos 20’/2ºT); Dudu (Mayke, aos 37’/2ºT), Rony (López, aos 30’/2ºT) e Endrick (Merentiel, aos 30’/2ºT).Técnico:Abel Ferreira.

FORTALEZA: Fernando Miguel; Tinga, Brítez, Titi (Marcelo Benevenuto, no intervalo) e Juninho Capixaba; Lucas Sasha, Caio Alexandre (Zé Welison, aos 22’/2ºT) e Lucas Crispim (Fabrício Baiano, aos 22’/2ºT); Romarinho (Hércules, no intervalo), Thiago Galhardo (Romero, aos 13’/2ºT) e Robson. Técnico: Juan Pablo Vojvoda.

FICHA TÉCNICA
PALMEIRAS 5 x 0 SÃO PAULO
CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO – 29ª RODADA

Local:Allianz Parque, em São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:25/10/2023 (quarta-feira), às 20 horas (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Raphael Claus (FIFA-SP)
Assistentes:Alex Ang Ribeiro (FIFA-SP) e Fabrini Bevilaqua Costa (FIFA-SP)
VAR:Daiane Caroline Muniz dos Santos (FIFA-SP)
Público e renda:32.618 pessoas e R$1.995.950,97
Cartões amarelos:Zé Rafael (20’/1ºT), Endrick (44’/1ºT) e Raphael Veiga (55’/1ºT) para o Palmeiras; Lucas Beraldo (25’/1ºT), Rafinha (aos 47’/1ºT e aos 16’/2ºT) e Wellington Rato (34’/2ºT) para o São Paulo
Cartões vermelhos:Rafinha (aos 16’/2ºT, após receber o segundo amarelo)
Gols:Breno Lopes (16’/1ºT) (1-0), Breno Lopes (26’/1ºT) (2-0), Joaquin Piquerez (52’/2ºT) (3-0), Marcos Rocha (39’/2ºT) (4-0) e Piquerez (42’/2ºT) (5-0)

PALMEIRAS:Weverton; Luan, Gustavo Gómez e Murilo; Mayke (Marcos Rocha, aos 22’/2ºT), Zé Rafael, Richard Ríos (Fabinho, aos 22’/2ºT) e Joaquin Piquerez; Raphael Veiga (Artur, aos 27’/2ºT), Breno Lopes (Luis Guilherme, aos 34’/2ºT) e Endrick (Rony, aos 27’/2ºT).Técnico:Abel Ferreira

SÃO PAULO:Rafael; Rafinha, Diego Costa, Lucas Beraldo e Caio Paulista; Alisson (Nathan, aos 18’/2ºT), Gabriel Neves (Rodrigo Nestor, aos 35’/1ºT), James Rodriguez (Jhegson Méndez, no intervalo) e Michel Araújo; Lucas (Wellington Rato, aos 40’/1ºT) e David (Luciano, aos 18’/2ªT).Técnico:Dorival Júnior

Tudo sobre

BotafogoFortalezaJohn TextorPalmeirasSão Paulo

Mitchell Starc ripped through England with a seven-wicket haul but England hit right back thanks to Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes

Tristan Lavalette21-Nov-2025

Ben Stokes holds the ball aloft after claiming a five-for•Getty Images

Living up to the hype after such a prolonged build-up, the first Ashes Test started in frenetic fashion with wild momentum swings as pace bowlers from both attacks dominated on a bouncy Perth Stadium surface.By the end of a thoroughly entertaining opening day, England have amazingly finished with the edge after 19 wickets fell in front of 51,531 fans.Stepping up in the absences of fellow quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc had initially given Australia a sensational start to the series with career-best bowling figures of 7 for 58 as England were dismissed for just 172 in their first innings.Related

• Bareknuckle Baz-brawl produces Ashes all-nighter for the ages

• Shots fired in battle for Ashes as England roll out heavy artillery

• Fast-forward Brook sets tempo in thrilling Ashes curtain-raiser

• Stats – Stokes and Starc lead the charge as wickets tumble in Perth

In the lead-up to the Test, Starc had stated his preference for series-openers to be played in Australia’s traditional fortress of the Gabba, while he was also dubious about a Perth surface dubbed as a “green monster”. Bowling consistently around 145kph/90mph, Starc relished a green-tinged surface he was able to find some extra zing off to tear through England’s batting.Learning from Starc’s efforts, England’s all-out pace attack hit back against a reshuffled Australia batting order after Usman Khawaja was unable to open having spent time off the field during England’s innings with back stiffness.After months of speculation over who would open, Marnus Labuschagne did end up partnering debutant Jake Weatherald, who at the start of the day had received his cap from David Warner.Much like Nathan McSweeney a year ago against India on the same ground, Weatherald faced a baptism of fire and was trapped lbw by quick Jofra Archer to fall for a second-ball duck.Jake Weatherald was blown off his feet by Jofra Archer to fall for a duck•Getty Images

Khawaja was still not able to bat by this point, meaning Steven Smith walked out at No. 3 for the first time in a Test since 2017. He had a torrid time, smacked on the elbow by a vicious short ball from Gus Atkinson that required medical attention.Bowling at speeds around 150kph, Archer was a handful and he conjured awkward bounce that accounted for Labuschagne, who was also struck on the elbow and bowled.Having copped another painful blow, Smith battled hard with 17 off 49 balls before edging a sharp delivery from Brydon Carse to second slip. Batting at No. 4 for just the second time in his Test career, Khawaja could do little against a rapid short delivery from Carse that grazed the bat handle and he was caught behind.Feeling in much better spirits than he had earlier in the day, Ben Stokes finished with five wickets in his six-over spell, including Travis Head and Cameron Green – who had threatened with a 45-run partnership – in the shadows to cap England’s remarkable rally.There are eerie parallels to the corresponding India Test from 12 months ago when 17 wickets fell on the opening day. This surface did not appear to be quite as challenging, but sharp bounce and pace was evident with a slew of top-order batters falling caught behind the wicket.Harry Brook was the only one to score a half-century•Getty Images

England’s first attempts of unfurling their aggressive batting style on Australian soil did not go to plan after winning the toss. They did score at 5.3 runs per over but were bowled out in just 32.5 overs, capitulating to lose 5 for 12 in 18 deliveries by the drinks break of the second session.It was the shortest innings of an Ashes Test since Trent Bridge 2015 when Australia were routed for 60 on the opening day. Three of England’s top-six batters were caught behind the wicket – by the keeper or in the well-stocked cordon – in a mode of dismissal that has been common in Perth over the years, while the other three were beaten by pace.England’s fightback later in the day has vindicated their decision to go in with an all-out pace attack, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir missing out in a rarity when fit.There had been an expectation that Australia would bat regardless of which side the coin landed, given Stokes’ preference of bowling first. But he opted to follow the brief history of the ground, where batting first had proven advantageous before the surface cracked up later in the match.Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett walked to the crease amid some jeers from Australian fans, who only just outnumbered their English counterparts in the terraces. Given the high drama over first deliveries of several previous Ashes series, there was a swirl of anticipation as Starc charged in with thundering clapping reverberating around the massive ground.Steven Smith grimaces after being struck on the elbow by Gus Atkinson•Getty Images

Crawley, of course, had famously swatted Cummins for a boundary on the first delivery of the last Ashes series, but he blocked Starc into the off side in an anti-climax.It didn’t take long for drama to ensue with Crawley, who effectively collared Starc in the 2023 series, playing and missing on the third delivery before being unable to see out the opening over after edging to Khawaja at first slip.There had been concerns over Crawley’s ability to drive on a length in Perth and the shorter length from Starc undid him. While Starc was a handful from the jump, a nervous looking Scott Boland struggled with his lengths in his first red-ball match at Perth Stadium as Duckett pounced with several lovely drives down the ground.After a strong hit-out in the Lilac Hill warm-up cemented his No. 3 spot, Ollie Pope underlined his confidence with several crisp punches down the ground, striking the right mix of balance and aggression.The runs flowed despite the outfield being particularly sluggish after a Metallica concert was held on the ground just three weeks ago. Even though he cruised at run-a-ball pace, Duckett was never at ease against Starc and on 21 was beaten by pace to fall lbw after an unsuccessful review.Joe Root arrived at the crease in the ninth over, with a tough task ahead to produce an elusive century in Australia. But Starc was on a roll and had Root turned inside out to nick to third slip with a cracking delivery that pitched on leg and nipped across. It was Starc’s 100th Ashes wicket and his celebration was fitting.To that stage, Starc had the figures of 3 for 10 from five overs, but Harry Brook was undaunted in his first Test innings in Australia as he unfurled trademark cavalier shots, some of which failed to connect.Brook and Pope combined for a brisk 55-run partnership to steady the ship briefly for England. Starc was playing a lone-hand amid Boland’s struggles, while debutant Brendan Doggett, who came on first change just before the drinks break, bowled sharper than his pace in the 130s suggested.Mitchell Starc acknowledges his five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Pope appeared to be cruising to his first half-century in Australia before being trapped by a full delivery on leg stump from Green, who proved his fitness in his return to Test bowling since March 2024.There was the expectation that batting would be easier after the lunch break and Brook wasted no time by flaying a hapless Boland for six over extra cover that had spectators ducking.But Starc’s momentum was not halted by the interval and he rattled the stumps of Stokes with a cracking delivery that nipped back through the gate as Stokes dropped to one knee in disbelief. It was the tenth time Starc has dismissed Stokes in Tests, heightening the burden on Brook who punched his way to a half-century off 58 balls with the Australian bowlers resisting bowling short.But Brook soon walked off after gloving a short delivery from Doggett, who had only appealed half-heartedly before being swamped by his team-mates in a memorable first-Test-wicket celebration.Doggett, who had earlier received his cap from Boland and his former South Australia coach Jason Gillespie, also dismissed Carse with a short ball as England collapsed.Starc claimed the final two wickets in consecutive deliveries, walking off the ground to a loud ovation from the home fans. But just three hours later he trudged off the field after his dismissal as the match took a dramatic turn.

علق مؤيد الحداد، نجم منتخب الكويت السابق، على التعادل مع منتخب مصر، بهدف لكل فريق، في اللقاء الذي أقيم ضمن منافسات كأس العرب.

وتواجه منتخبا مصر والكويت، في الجولة الأولى من منافسات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب، على ملعب استاد لوسيل.

ويتواجد منتخبا مصر والكويت في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، مع منتخبي الأردن والإمارات.

طالع|إسلام عيسى: مواجهة الإمارات بوابة تأهل مصر للدور التالي في كأس العرب

وقال مؤيد الحداد، نجم منتخب الكويت السابق، في تصريحات  لبرنامج البريمو على قناة تن: “منتخب الكويت كأول مباراة له في البطولة أدى اللقاء بشكل جيد، خصوصًا أنه يواجه المنتخب المصري والذي يقدم كرة قوية”.

وتابع: “أداء منتخب مصر لم يعجبني حتى بعد المباراة، تصريح حلمي طولان بأنه كان ممكن يسجل 4 أو 5 أهداف في الشوط الأول والثاني كان غير موفقا، أنت لم تقدر على تسجيل هدف لأن اللعب كان فوضويا للمنتخب المصري ولم أرى أي تنظيم”.

ويحتل منتخب مصر، المركز الأول بشكل مؤقت برصيد نقطة واحدة، ويأتي منتخب الكويت في المركز الثاني بنفس عدد النقاط.

The Premier League has confirmed that the 2026/27 campaign will begin a week later than usual, marking the latest season start in the competition’s history. The decision, announced after a shareholders’ meeting on Friday morning, is designed to counter the growing strain on players created by an "increasingly congested global football calendar".

• A historic schedule shift to ease calendar chaos

  Next season will kick off on Saturday, August 22, 2026, rather than the traditional mid-August weekend. The final round of fixtures will take place on Sunday, May 30, 2027, six days later than this season’s planned finale. The move, officials say, ensures adequate rest following the expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The global tournament, set to conclude in mid-July 2026, pushes many players to the brink of burnout. The Premier League’s solution is an 89-day gap from the end of this season and a 33-day buffer after the World Cup final.  

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  What did the Premier League say

  In a detailed announcement, the league outlined the reasoning behind its decision: "The Premier League Season 2026-27 dates have been confirmed, with the opening match round starting on Saturday 22 August 2026. The final match round will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, when all fixtures will kick off simultaneously as usual. With an increasingly congested global football calendar, player welfare remains a priority for the Premier League. As a result, the Premier League will start one week later next season. This will allow for 89 clear days from the end of the current season and 33 days from the FIFA World Cup 26 Final. The season will conclude one week prior to the UEFA Champions League Final, which will be played on Saturday, 5 June 2027.   

  "The 2026-27 Season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. The Premier League schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with UEFA club competition dates, wherever possible. Over the Christmas and New Year period, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours. This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule within the expanded international calendar."

  From next season, the September international break will stretch to three weeks, with four matches squeezed into that window. Meanwhile, the October international break will be scrapped entirely. European leagues have been vocal in recent years about FIFA and UEFA expanding competitions without providing adequate breathing room. The newly enlarged Club World Cup, expanded European Championship, extended Nations League matches, and a record-breaking World Cup all contribute to an unprecedented workload for top players. Privately, several clubs are understood to be pushing for further reforms in future seasons, including fewer midweek rounds and stronger coordination with FIFA.

• Guardiola sounds the alarm over PL title race

  Pep Guardiola admitted that Arsenal’s form could make them untouchable in this season’s title race, but the fight is far from over. City sit second in the table, four points behind Mikel Arteta’s side after 11 games. While the gap is manageable, Arsenal boast the division’s best defensive record, conceding just five goals so far. 

  Although Guardiola is well aware of the challenge, he warned that the season has just begun. He said: "We are in November, and in November in this league nothing is final. What happens in February or March, be careful. But the season starts now. The first start is when the transfer window is over in the summer. And now again, when the international breaks are over. Now until March, we see each other every three days. Now the real season starts. It is important to be there and to arrive at the end of the season with a chance to fight. Winning (in Newcastle) would be an important step for us."

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  Arsenal’s new reality: Playing with the target on their back

  Arsenal’s rise from title challengers to early-season pacesetters has transformed expectations. They have won four of their last five Premier League matches, but their challenge now is sustaining a title pace with several of their key players injured. Their defensive stalwart, Gabriel, is set to miss almost two months of action with a thigh injury, while skipper Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus are long-term absentees. Their next challenge is against fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday, and they will be desperate to win the bragging rights of north London.     

Chelsea are now looking to sign an “outstanding” experienced centre-back who’s won 11 trophies, having struggled defensively at times this season.

Blues fall to ninth after Sunderland setback

Enzo Maresca has been forced to contend with a number of injury problems already this season, with the manager particularly light on options in defence, given the absence of Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile, who are both set to be out for quite some time.

Colwill is a long-term absentee, having suffered an ACL injury in the summer, while Maresca has confirmed Badiashile won’t be back for another couple of months, saying: “Benoit will be out until December. He is injured again with a muscle problem. He was doing fantastic, showing how good he is, and we will wait for him.”

That said, the manager is still likely to be concerned by just how susceptible his team have been to conceding chances, with Nottingham Forest missing four big opportunities and hitting the woodwork last weekend.

The Blues got away with it against Forest, but Sunderland made them pay on Saturday, with the Black Cats emerging as 2-1 winners at Stamford Bridge, which means the hosts have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table.

As such, Maresca may need to bolster his backline if Chelsea are to transform into title contenders, and they are now looking to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who is facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena.

That is according to a report from CF Bayern, which states the west Londoners want to sign Upamecano in 2026, at which point his contract with the German club will have expired, having been unable to agree a new deal.

Related Chelsea now join race to sign "hugely impressive" £70m Champions League forward

A new forward has emerged as a target for the Blues.

Posts ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025

With the Blues potentially looking to offload ‘bomb squad’ member Axel Disasi, a new centre-back could be brought in to replace him, and the Bayern defender has been identified as a target, although there could be competition from Real Madrid.

"Outstanding" Upamecano could be exactly what Maresca needs

Jamie Carragher has made it clear just how much he disagrees with BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing young players, saying: “Chelsea should be title contenders and considered Champions League challengers this season. Instead, their hierarchy seems content to be praised for being the smartest recruiters in the business – the world’s richest development club.”

In fairness, while Chelsea did win the Club World Cup in the summer, the model is yet to translate to success in the Premier League, and more experienced players are arguably needed if they are to become title contenders.

As such, the “outstanding” France international, as lauded by Joshua Kimmich, could be exactly what they need, given that he is experienced at the top level, winning 11 major trophies throughout his career, and the 27-year-old’s passing ability indicates he could be an ideal fit in a Maresca system.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

89.32 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

93.4% (96th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.39 (95th percentile)

The £168k-a-week star’s potential availability on a free transfer is an added bonus for Chelsea, who clearly need greater strength in depth at the back, given that 19-year-old Josh Acheampong has emerged as a regular starter.

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Mohamed Salah

39 + 26

65

Cody Gakpo

23 + 11

34

Dominik Szoboszlai

12 + 14

26

Luis Diaz

17 + 8

25

Alexis Mac Allister

8 + 8

16

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

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