Longtime first baseman and designated hitter Eric Karros had the Rockies' number over the course of his 14-year career—slashing .320/.380/.619 with 37 home runs and 108 RBIs in just 129 games.
On Tuesday, Colorado began to return the favor for all the damage the Karros family has done to it over the years.
With two out in the bottom of the sixth inning of the Rockies' game against the Dodgers, Colorado third baseman Kyle Karros—Eric's son—launched his first big-league home run over Coors Field's left-field wall. Eric was in the stands to witness the blast.
Kyle, a rookie out of UCLA, entered Tuesday having played in 11 games with the Rockies. He's slashed .273/.400/.364 with three runs batted in.
Eric, on the other hand, slashed .268/.325/.454 in 1,755 games played with Los Angeles, the Cubs and the Athletics. His 284 home runs rank 189th in history.
Though more of a doubles hitter than a home run hitter, Kyle has swatted six dingers in the minor leagues this year—so it was only a matter of time before he began his pursit of his dad.
Eight matches into his Rangers tenure, is Danny Röhl any closer to figuring out which players he can trust and who he cannot?
On Thursday night, the Gers were held to a 1-1 draw by ten-man Braga at Ibrox, despite taking the lead through James Tavernier’s spot-kick in first half stoppage time; the fact that only 38,014 spectators were in attendance encapsulates the mood.
So, with just one point on the board after five games, a frankly pitiful effort, unless they somehow manage to beat Ferencváros, Ludogorets Razgrad and then Porto, which seems unlikely if we’re being honest, the Gers’ Europa League adventure will be coming to a premature end in January, having got all the way to last season’s quarter-finals.
This will allow them to concentrate on domestic matters, which may be a good thing, given that they’ve slipped down to fifth in the Premiership table, despite having won all four league matches since Röhl’s arrival in Glasgow.
So, ahead of a visit from Falkirk, who would actually leapfrog their hosts with a shock victory at Ibrox on Sunday, what changes should the German head coach make?
Youssef Chermiti's uninspiring form
Back on Monday, it was announced that both chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had been sacked, after overseeing a chaotic summer of recruitment, with the £8m, potentially rising to £10m, paid to sign Youssef Chermiti among the more egregious and baffling of their decisions.
So far, he has scored just one goal for the club, on target against Kilmarnock last month, already surpassing his tally of zero goals during two seasons at Everton, also brought to Merseyside by Thelwell for £14m when he was working at Goodison.
Aside from his lack of goals, the striker simply isn’t offering enough, often allowing matches to pass him by and putting in anonymous performances.
Following this week’s draw with Braga, Mark Atkinson of the Scotsman asserted that he is driving supporters ‘demented’, adding that he ‘spurned a couple of presentable’ opportunities and is so far proving to be a mere baffling expensive purchase.
So, ahead of a sequence of three Premiership matches in seven days, facing Falkirk, Dundee United and then Kilmarnock, Chermiti should be stood down and Röhl must instead deploy the “best player in the league” up front.
Rangers' superior Chermiti alternative
Of the 13 players Rangers signed in the summer, many are young and inexperienced, hoping to grow and improve in the coming years, but Bojan Miovski was supposed to be a ready-made starter, brought in to produce right away.
The 26-year-old, returning to Scottish football after a season at Girona, is a proven goalscorer at both club and international level, bagging his ninth goal for North Macedonia against Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium earlier this month.
Meantime, at club level, prior to his season in Catalonia, he had been outstanding during two years at Aberdeen, as the table below documents.
Bojan Miovski’s stats for Aberdeen
Stats
Miovski
Appearances
98
Goals
44
European goals
4
Goals vs Rangers
4
Goals vs Celtic
3
Shots on target per 90
1.1
Big chances missed
31
Average rating
6.9
Stats via Transfermarkt & SofaScore
As the table makes clear, Miovski was an elite-level finisher during his time at Pittodrie, scoring 32 Premiership goals, while his strike rate in Europe as well as against the two Glasgow giants underlines his quality.
Then-teammate Nicky Devlin asserted that Miovski was “the best player in the league in his position”, firing the Dons to a third place finish in 2022/23, before being sold for £6.8m, the Dons’ record outgoing transfer.
However, we are yet to see very much of that from Miovski in a Rangers jersey, scoring his first goal for the club against Hibs in the League Cup, while his only Premiership goal came at Falkirk Stadium in October, the day Russell Martin was sacked.
Since the appointment of Röhl, the North Macedonian has featured in all eight matches but has started just once, this coming at Dens Park before the international break, substituted at half time with the Light Blues leading Dundee 2-0.
So, for whatever reason, the German head coach appears to favour Chermiti and Danilo, despite the fact that Miovski is a proven goalscorer at both Premiership and European level, something this team desperately needs given that, 26 matches into this campaign, Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama are the only squad members who have four or more goals to their name.
Thus, when Falkirk visit Ibrox this weekend, surely Röhl has to bring Miovski back into his XI, ditching the ineffective Chermiti, with the former looking to net as he did against the Bairns once again, just as he did in Stirlingshire just last month.
Not just Djiga: Thelwell flop who lost ball 17x looks finished at Rangers
Rangers’ wait for a first Europa League victory goes on, held to a 1-1 draw by Braga at Ibrox, and a summer signing was just as bad as Nasser Djiga.
Senior seamers Mark Adair and Josh Little fit to return for T20I leg of tour
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2025
Mark Adair is back in Ireland’s T20I squad•Getty Images
Ireland have named five potential debutants in their 15-man Test squad to tour Bangladesh next month, while Mark Adair and Josh Little are fit to return for the T20I series that follows.Ireland were without their two senior seam bowlers for the recent T20Is against England but have received a boost to their preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup with both available for Paul Stirling’s side. Adair underwent knee surgery in August, while Little had been suffering from a side injury.The Test leg will see Ireland play a multi-match series for only the second time. Top-order batters Cade Carmichael and Stephen Doheny, allrounder Jordan Neill and left-arm seamer Liam McCarthy have all received maiden call-ups, while legspinner Gavin Hoey, who is uncapped in Tests, also returns to the squad.They will be captained by Andy Balbirnie, with Ireland having won their last three Tests dating back to February 2024.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Andrew White, Ireland Men’s selector, said: “It is fantastic to have Test cricket on the horizon again – and with that we are excited to see Cade Carmichael come into the Test squad following his ODI debut against the West Indies earlier this year.”Not only has he had a great season, but he has also demonstrated the qualities required to be an international cricketer in this format. Cade compiled an excellent century against Afghanistan A in a four-day match in the UAE earlier this year, and anyone watching his two ODI appearances against West Indies will have noticed his composure and his technical ability against quick bowling.”Stephen Doheny is another player who has had a good domestic season and demonstrated a number of technical changes that we hope will enable him to be successful going forward.”It is likely that we will need all of our seamers across the back-to-back Tests. Given the recent number of injuries we have been managing, and the volume of cricket in the coming months, we will need to proactively manage the group in what will undoubtedly be hot and humid conditions. This is only the second time we have played consecutive Tests as part of a tour – it’s a challenge I know the squad will relish as they adapt to Asian conditions.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The T20I squad is broadly similar to that which played against England, with the additions of Adair, Little and batter Tim Tector. Neill and seamer Graham Hume were omitted.”In terms of the T20 squad, the likelihood is that spin will play a more prominent role – so Gareth Delany, Matthew Humphreys and Ben White are expected to provide options in this area,” White said. “And with Mark Adair and Josh Little returning to the squad, Graham Hume makes way on this occasion.”On the batting front, the 15-player squad allows us to bring in Tim Tector while retaining Ben Calitz to give us middle-order depth.”Ireland Test squadAndrew Balbirnie (capt), Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Liam McCarthy, Paul Stirling, Jordan Neill, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig YoungIreland T20I squadPaul Stirling (capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig YoungFixturesNovember 11-15 – 1st Test, Sylhet November 19-23 – 2nd Test, Dhaka November 27 – 1st T20I, Chattogram November 29 – 2nd T20I, Chattogram December 2 – 3rd T20I, Dhaka
Queensland 26 for 0 trail Michael Neser continued his hot start to the summer with he and Mitchell Swepson taking four wickets each to bowl South Australia out for 228.Queensland went to stumps on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at 26 without loss in reply to South Australia, with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 22 at Adelaide Oval.Related
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Almost the forgotten man in the great pace-bowling debate ahead of the Ashes, Neser ripped the heart out of Tasmania with 4 for 75 in the opening round. And he backed it up again on Wednesday with 4 for 30, after South Australia had done well to build a base of 133 for 2.After taking the top of Nathan McSweeney’s off stump when the right-hander left a ball after lunch, Neser claimed the last three wickets on day one. He first had a pulling Wes Agar caught at slip, edged off a driving Liam Scott for 44 and also had Jordan Buckingham caught behind.While the wickets came late in the innings for Neser, it still won’t have hurt his push to add to his two Tests for Australia.Scott Boland is all but certain to replace Pat Cummins for the first Test if Australia’s captain does not recover from a back injury in time.But Neser could well be the next option if Cummins does not return for later in the series and one of Australia’s quicks needs resting. That situation appears even more serious after fellow-hopeful Sean Abbott split the webbing on his bowling hand while playing for NSW on Wednesday.While Neser’s wickets could have Ashes implications, former Test spinner Swepson was the pick of the bowlers for Queensland on day one.He took four wickets in South Australia’s collapse from 133 for 2 to 188 for 7, including the crucial wicket of Conor McInerney lbw for 60.The legspinner also had Jason Sangha well caught by Khawaja close to the ground at slip, before the in-form Jake Lehmann hit him straight to square leg.Swepson’s fourth scalp came when Nathan McAndrew drove him on the up to cover, capping a fine day for the Queenslander.
England’s captain said he had a feeling on an auspicious date, and so it transpired
Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Jul-20250:55
Manjrekar: Stokes always makes things happen
Ben Stokes had a hunch when he woke up on Monday morning.On the sixth anniversary of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup win, on the final day at Lord’s, with six wickets to get before India achieved the remaining 135 to win this third Test, Stokes felt there was only one man who should start the day with the ball.It was not from the end from which Jofra Archer bowled that famous Super Over against New Zealand. Stokes still had two deliveries left after taking out nightwatcher Akash Deep with what became his final ball on Sunday. But the Pavilion End, from where Archer, on Thursday, had taken his first Test wicket since February 24, 2021, would do just fine. Especially when fate was calling.Related
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So it proved. A six-over spell produced a pearler to send Rishabh Pant’s off stump for a walk, then a stunning reflex catch – Archer sprawling to his right in his follow-through – did for Washington Sundar. Since 2006, when such records started being kept, Archer’s was the sixth fastest day-five spell recorded.”It felt right in my tummy that Jofra was going to do something this morning to break the game open,” Stokes said. “Gut feel doesn’t always work, but those two wickets he got this morning swung the game massively in our favour.”Undoubtedly, it was Stokes’ dismissal of KL Rahul, sandwiched by Archer’s strikes, that was top of the podium. England’s three wickets in the first seven overs of play had put them out in front. And just when it looked as though India were creeping back into the picture with their ninth-wicket stand, Stokes returned to prise out Jasprit Bumrah, even if the No. 10’s shot selection was curious given the situation.England’s heroes in that 2019 final – both the man who dragged them to that Super Over, and the one who held his nerve to defend 15 therein – were back at it in 2025. Cricket is a sport that, more often than not, baits romance rather than serves it up. However, for Stokes to bowl as much as he did, and for Archer to be back bowling in a Test match at all, provided a moment – as was the case six years ago – that English cricket will not be able to take for granted.Then and now: Six years on from the 2019 World Cup final, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were centre stage at Lord’s•Getty Images
****
Archer was at midwicket when the final ball of the match trickled agonisingly onto Mohammed Siraj’s leg stump. As Shoaib Bashir charged off towards the Grandstand – where Archer himself had been enveloped by Bashir after removing Jaiswal four days earlier – Archer fell to the floor.His resting place was more or less the same patch of grass onto which he had sprinted and dived after Jos Buttler had run out Martin Guptill from Jason Roy’s throw. But the significance of that moment is probably a little overblown, considering Archer could not recall why July 14 was special when Stokes broached it with him”You know what day today is, don’t you?” Stokes had asked before the start of play, looking to stir the 30-year-old. It turns out, Archer thought this was the anniversary of India’s two-wicket win over England at Lord’s in 2002’s NatWest series final. “You know that highlight package of India knocking off 300-odd back in the day with Ganguly?” Stokes explained to the media, referencing the then-India captain windmilling his shirt over his head on the away balcony. “He thought that was a World Cup final. He thought that was six years ago today.”The confusion was broadly understandable. That fixture actually took place on July 13, and highlights of that 325-plays-326 slobberknocker were on the television screens on Monday morning when England arrived at the ground. When Stokes informed Archer he meant the World Cup “we won”, Archer responded with, “oh, that one”.Ben Stokes at the centre surrounded by the rest of England•Getty Images
****
Archer will have known which one, of course, and confusing it with a match that took place 23 years ago suggests 2019’s final feels more recent than it actually is.The memories from that summer have kept Archer going, and kept England so invested – literally – in getting him back to this point. He had followed his World Cup haul of 20 dismissals at 23.05 (the third most in the tournament) with 22 more at 20.27 in the men’s Ashes, all of them underpinned by express pace. Few players have had such a sweet first taste of international cricket, and fewer still have nailed their own involvement so spectacularly.Archer’s problems have come ever since. From that summer into this one, his nine Test caps brought just 20 further wickets at 42. When people doubted that Archer could return as the bowler he had been back in 2019, they had their reasons.During this period, England did overbowl him, most notably on a flat pitch in Mount Maunganui, where he sent down 42 in a single innings. The link between his elbow and lower-back stress fractures was easy to make.Even on his thrilling Test debut at Lord’s against Australia, England were already playing recklessly with their new toy, as he sent down 44 overs in the match. And though he did get into a 40th on this comeback, the breakdown of his work suggests lessons have been learned.In 2019, there was an eight- and seven-over spell, along with six other spells at least four. This time, there were only six spells of four or more across the four days England spent in the field, with his two longest at five when opening the first innings, and six on this final morning.Much of that is down to the fact Stokes shouldered the longest burdens. Going into stumps on day four with 4.4 overs, he resumed in the morning for 9.2 more, and then later in the day for 10.While Archer did the post-match media rounds, looking fresh and beaming from ear to ear, an exhausted Stokes, carrying his bowling boots in one hand, blood seeping through the sock on his left foot, began his session for the written media with a simple request: “Any chance you can just do ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions?”2:32
Stokes: I was going to decide when I stop bowling
****
The connection between Stokes and Archer truly began in 2019, bound by that World Cup win.Stokes was the first to go over to Archer in the moment of victory, putting his arms around him during those celebrations on the outfield. They have gone on to become good friends, gaming together, even becoming business partners. And as Test captain, with Archer trending towards full fitness throughout Stokes’ tenure, the 34-year-old has been his biggest cheerleader and defender during various setbacks.Despite all the affection, Stokes did lose his cool with Archer on Sunday evening.During Archer’s third over, after Karun Nair had hit him for a second boundary through the covers in four deliveries, he gestured for a man to be placed out as insurance. Stokes refused.At the start of the 16th over, Rahul’s bunt out to deep square-leg was not immediately attacked, resulting in Stokes throwing his arms out at Archer, who was stationed back on the leg-side boundary. As the players walked off after Stokes had taken out Akash Deep’s off stump, Sky cameras caught Archer trying to speak to Stokes, who gave him short shrift.This is not Archer’s first Test in which Stokes has been captain, but it is his first since his regime officially began in 2022. Though Archer has been with the team since the second Test, this was the first time he was really “in it”. It is not a total surprise he is not up to speed with some of the non-negotiables.One insistence he seemed to fall foul of was asking for negative field settings – Stokes believes every fielder should be affecting a dismissal, something he reiterates by telling his bowlers he simply does not care about their economy rates. The other “must” is giving your all in fielding. No dawdling or escorting. A great example was Bashir, an over before he took the final wicket. Nursing a broken pinkie on his left hand that has ruled him out for the rest of the series, Bashir slid along the point boundary to intercept the ball inside the rope – scooping it with his right hand, then cradling it in the pit of his right elbow.Archer, by Monday, had clearly got the memo, diving about in the field, and letting his captain set whatever field he demanded. In return, he maintained his express pace throughout, including when he struck Siraj on the shoulder with a fierce bumper clocking in at 88mph. It turned out to be his final delivery of the match.Ben Stokes celebrates after sending back Jasprit Bumrah•Getty Images
****
Stokes revealed the main sticking point he had with Archer on the penultimate evening was not to do with his fielding but where people were stationed. Specifically, Stokes himself.”He wanted me to come to mid-on and Carsey [Brydon Carse] to go to leg slip so he could talk to me,” Stokes said. “But I didn’t trust Carsey at leg slip, to be honest. Honestly, that whole thing was he wanted me to come to mid-on so we could chat about what he’s trying to do.”Even in the heat of this Test match, it was a rare moment of vulnerability from Archer. Public-facing, too. Those chats would have been tactical, but there is something to be said for the extra comfort Stokes would have brought Archer by his side.Stokes was at mid-on for the last ball of the Super Over, collapsing onto his back at its conclusion. His unbeaten 84 had left the match all-square in normal time. But more important even that the eight extra runs he picked off alongside Jos Buttler in setting New Zealand a Super Over target of 16 was his advice to Archer before he took centre stage.Though Archer already had the confidence – he knew he’d have to bowl the Super Over even before Eoin Morgan had confirmed it – he was wary. He would later admit: “I don’t know what I would have done tomorrow” had he been responsible for losing that final.Stokes, however, had experience of that from 2016’s World T20 final in Kolkata. And so, he took Archer to one side and offered the following: “Win or lose, today does not define you. Everyone believes in you.”The irony is failure in this Test may have re-defined Archer. It would have been proof, in the eyes of the doubters, that he was a waste of central contracts. That he has been coddled by the ECB. That maybe he does only care for franchise riches, that he is only good for white-ball cricket. That, you know what, he is overrated. Speaking to Sky in the moment of victory, he railed against the “keyboard warriors” who had been the bane of his rehab for four years.Now, those thoughts can settle down. Of course, much will depend on how Archer recovers from this week’s exploits, though the nine days between now and the fourth Test will help him. A meaningful role in this winter’s Ashes is now a genuine possibility.A lot has happened in six years. And yet here we are, back at Lord’s, with English cricket grateful for Stokes and giddy about Archer all over again. All told, it’s good to be back.
Harry Kane has urged his Bayern Munich team-mates to defend set pieces better against dead-ball specialists Arsenal. The ex-Tottenham striker is all set to take the field against his old north London rivals as Bayern face the Premier League leaders in a huge Champions League clash at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, and has admitted to being afraid of the Gunners' deliveries.
Arsenal's set-piece prowess
Arsenal have earned the 'set-piece kings' tag since the 2024-25 campaign for their amazing goal-scoring prowess from dead-ball situations. In the current season, 12 out of the Gunners' 39 goals across all competitions have come from set-pieces as they have maintained a 30.77 per cent conversion rate.
However, in their last Premier League fixture, which saw Mikel Arteta's side clash against rivals Tottenham, the league leaders did not need a single dead-ball situation to register a dominating 4-1 win over Thomas Frank's side.
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Kane sends warning to Bayern colleagues
Bayern and England's star forward Kane has admitted that he is wary of Arsenal's set-piece skills ahead of their Champions League fixture, as he told reporters: "Of course I follow the Premier League. Arsenal have done well so far in that department. We've prepared for Arsenal as usual. The best thing will be to not give them any set pieces, to control the game – and we need to defend better than we have recently when we do concede set pieces."
Arteta loves scoring from set-pieces
While Arsenal comfortably overcame the derby hurdle against Spurs without requiring a single dead-ball situation, Arteta later admitted that he loves watching his team score goals from set-pieces. "I am upset we didn’t score with a set piece. I want to score with a set piece as well," Arteta told reporters after the match.
Bayern have dominated the 2025-26 Bundesliga race so far, but have conceded six goals from dead-ball situations, and will need to heed Kane's warning in order to conquer the Gunners.
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How are Arsenal planning to stop fiery Kane?
Kane has displayed terrific form once again in the 2025-26 campaign as he has already scored 24 goals in 18 matches across all competitions. When Arsenal star Jurrien Timber was asked about their plans to silence the England captain, he said: "That is not going to be easy, of course. I think he is an amazing striker, everyone knows that. He has so many qualities. He has been doing it for such a long time already, and now at Bayern Munich he has been one of the best players in the world. So, it is going to be a nice challenge for us as a team, as defenders, to stop him tomorrow. I think when you face an opposition with Harry Kane as the striker, he is a topic and you discuss him as defenders, because he is one of the dangerous players. It is the same with any other game, we discuss their players and the way they play. For tomorrow, it is the same."
From overhead kicks, last-gasp winners and routine thumpings, the November international break was full of moments of jubilation. But, in between that jubilation, came the heartbreak of missing out on a place at the 2026 World Cup.
For many players, it was their final opportunity to reach football’s biggest stage, only to see it snatched from their grasp once more. Whilst Scotland may still be in party mode and Ireland preparing for the playoffs after Troy Parrott heroics, the likes of Hungary and Nigeria have been left to wonder what might have been.
With the tournament fast approaching, some of the world’s most impressive stars have now had their fates sealed and face the heart-wrenching task of watching on from home as their club teammates do what they can only dream of next summer.
From Victor Osimhen to Dominik Szoboszlai, we’ve taken a look at the best XI of players set to miss out on a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Goalkeeper and defence
GK: Jan Oblak (Slovenia & Atletico Madrid) – Part of Slovenia’s disastrous qualification attempts, Jan Oblak could do nothing but watch on as his side earned just four points from six games in a group with Switzerland, Kosovo and Sweden.
By the end of qualifying, the standings weren’t even close as Kosovo’s 11 points were enough to finish second and leave Slovenia in third to sum things up.
RB: Ola Aina (Nigeria & Nottingham Forest) – If Oblak’s situation was frustrating then Ola Aina’s was on a whole new level over the international break. The right-back could only watch amid his recent injury woes, as Nigeria crashed out of qualifying in a disastrous penalty shoot-out.
The Super Eagles’ manager, Eric Chelle, limited his penalty options by taking off attacking players to hold on for the shoot-out, before suffering the consequences.
CB: Willi Orban (Hungary & RB Leipzig) – As Parrott wheeled away in celebration for Ireland, Willi Orban was one of several Hungary players suffering the heartbreak of late defeat.
They had their World Cup fortunes in their grasp, only for it to be snatched away in the most harsh way possible. Now, the RB Leipzig man, at 33 years old, may never get the chance to feature in the tournament.
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CB: Nikola Milenkovic (Serbia & Nottingham Forest) – It makes Serbia’s struggles all the more confusing, the fact that they also had a defender of Nikola Milenkovic’s calibre at their disposal, but it sums up his season. The Nottingham Forest star has struggled to replicate last season’s form at club level and took that form into the international break.
LB: Milos Kerkez (Hungary & Liverpool) – It’s been a difficult season for Milos Kerkez. The left-back has failed to hit the ground running at Liverpool and recently lost his place back to Andy Robertson. Now, he’s had his World Cup dreams shattered to coincide with his dream move slowly but surely becoming more of a nightmare.
Midfield
CM: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon & Brighton) – Carlos Baleba is undoubtedly destined for big things, but the world stage will have to wait for his presence as Cameroon crashed out of qualifying against DR Congo. At 21 years old, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder will still have more opportunities in his future and those may yet coincide with an impressive move at club level.
CM: Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary & Liverpool) – Szoboszlai was lost for words after Parrott’s late winner. When his side took the lead before half-time, the Hungary captain would have had his sights set on the World Cup.
Just 45 minutes later, however, he saw his dreams torn apart in cruel fashion. A rare standout for Liverpool this season and often dragging Hungary to victory, Szoboszlai has certainly been hard done by.
RM: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon & Man Utd) – Like his international teammate and potential future club teammate, Belaba, Bryan Mbeumo will be missing the 2026 World Cup.
At the peak of his powers and with everything beginning to come together at Old Trafford, there would have been plenty of hope around Cameroon that the winger could drag them through the qualifiers. Ultimately, though, he struggled to land a mark on DR Congo.
LM: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia & PSG) – As talented as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is, Georgia were always likely to be underdogs in World Cup qualifying. They finished third in Group E and won just once in six games, as Spain and Turkey took the top two spots, and they were forced to settle for third ahead of Bulgaria.
Attack
ST: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria & Galatasaray) – The biggest stage has continuously passed Osimhen by in recent years. Since falling out with Napoli, he’s played much of his club football at Galatasaray, despite endless rumours linking him with some of Europe’s biggest clubs and leagues. Now, he’s set to miss the World Cup and didn’t even get to take a penalty for Nigeria as they crashed out after he was substituted off.
ST: Serhou Guirassy (Guinea & Borussia Dortmund) – Serhou Guirassy is quietly one of the most impressive strikers that European football has to offer. He’s consistently starred in the Bundesliga in recent years, yet won’t get the chance to do the same for Guinea next summer. His side finished fourth in Group G, despite losing just three of their 10 games.
There’s no denying that Chelsea employed a scattergun spending approach in the early days of BlueCo’s ownership, but that has since been streamlined over the past few years, with Enzo Maresca proving the perfect man for the job.
Sunday’s Premier League clash is a big one, with Stamford Bridge playing host to a top-of-the-table clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. The second-place Blues will narrow the deficit to just three points with a win.
This is a team building toward a period of sustained success, and the tactical readings suggest that Chelsea are already one of the most exciting attacking outfits in the division, even if there is a sense that there are several levels still to be scaled.
Chelsea
2nd
22.1
Man City
3rd
21.8
Arsenal
1st
20.7
Crystal Palace
5th
20.2
Man Utd
10th
19.9
However, a question mark lingers over number nine, with Liam Delap yet to prove he is the answer. Could Chelsea be looking to sign an upgrade?
Why Chelsea are searching for a striker
In fairness, Delap has spent a sizeable portion of his first months in west London in the infirmary. Still, since returning from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for much of the autumn, the English striker has started twice in the Premier League and failed to break his duck on both counts.
That said, he did net his first goal of the campaign for the Blues against Barcelona in midweek, coming off the bench and coolly converting to seal the 3-0 win after neat interplay between Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
However, the £30m summer signing from Ipswich Town has yet to prove he has what it takes to nail down a berth at the front of Maresca’s system, and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are searching for a potential upgrade.
They may have found one. According to Sky Germany, Chelsea are among the outfits to have been informed that Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is worth about €50m (£44m), applicable for a number of top European outfits.
Chelsea are in the mix, and though Delap and Joao Pedro make up a dynamic central strike force in west London, Guirassy’s clinical record suggests he could add an interesting dimension to a title-challenging side.
What Guirassy would bring to Chelsea
Guirassy, 29, might not fit the age profile Chelsea have focused on targeting in recent years, but his experience and maturity in the final third would serve as a neat counterpoint to the younger generation.
Delap caught the eye for Ipswich last season, a shining light as he scored 12 goals across 37 Premier League outings. Kieran McKenna’s side were relegated, but so many teams swarmed for Delap’s signature, and Chelsea won the race.
The 22-year-old has a future at Stamford Bridge, but Maresca’s side need someone in the now who can maintain a fight against Arsenal, while pushing deep into the Champions League too.
Guirassy is “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to German legend Lothar Matthaus, and he ranks among the top 11% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.
25/26
10
5 + 1
24/25
30
21 + 2
23/24
28
28 + 2
22/23
22
11 + 0
He’s hardly just a mindless poacher, with silky footwork and intelligent positioning that allows him to roam around the attacking half and link up with teammates.
But, at his core, Guirassy is indeed a goalscorer, and Chelsea may find that Delap earns fewer minutes with the Guinean striker in the mix.
It’s a tough one, but given the promising position Maresca’s side have placed themselves into, it might just be the move to make.
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Sometimes a win is just that, other times it’s a statement, and Wednesday night felt like the latter for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side had the incredibly tough task of hosting Bayern Munich in the Champions League, in what many saw as a clash between the two best teams in Europe this season.
The first half played out that way, with a goal each, but in the second 45, the Gunners blew the visitors away.
There were sensational performances across the pitch from the hosts, but two players really stood out above the rest, one of whom was Declan Rice.
Rice's performance against Bayern Munich
Arsenal needed their leaders to step up on Wednesday night, and that is precisely what Rice did.
The former West Ham United captain was here, there and everywhere from the first minute to the last, especially in the second half, so much so, in fact, that he had Ally McCoist waxing lyrical about him nonstop towards the end of the game.
For good reason, though, as one minute he was clamping down on a Bayern player to stop an attack, and the next he was marauding up the pitch to create a chance for the Gunners.
It was the sort of display that led content creator Jamie Kent to describe the Englishman as “the best midfielder in Europe” and the Express’ Tom Parsons to award him a 9/10 match rating at full-time.
It might sound like hyperbole, but it’s really not, and his statistics prove as much.
For example, in his 94 minutes of action, the all-action monster produced a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.61, played three key passes, took one shot on target, won 100% of his tackles, made one interception, took 66 touches, made one clearance, blocked one shot and recovered the ball five times.
In all, it was one of Rice’s best performances since moving to Arsenal, and just like one of his teammates, he proved he’s one of the best in the world in his position.
The Arsenal star who is one of the best in the world
What’s so great for Arteta and Arsenal is that there are plenty of other players you could single out for their performances against Bayern.
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Eberechi Eze, for example, was incredible in the ten; Mikel Merino was unreal as a false nine, and Martin Zubimendi gave Rice the platform to thrive.
However, when it really came down to it, Jurrien Timber was the starter who really stood out alongside the former Hammer.
The Dutch international has been one of the team’s best players all season, but against the German behemoths, he really stepped it up a level.
On top of his usual incredible defensive performance, the former Ajax star was once again a dangerous outlet going forward.
For example, in addition to scoring the opening goal, he was constantly getting forward and helping make the right-hand side a real threat alongside Bukayo Saka.
Unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old left quite the impression on the watching press, with Parsons also awarding him a 9/10 match rating and The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid dubbing him “the best right-back in the world at the minute.”
Once again, while it sounds like hyperbole, the full-back’s statistics prove otherwise.
In 81 minutes, he scored a goal, won 100% of his tackles, made one interception, won seven of eight duels, recovered the ball four times, wasn’t dribbled past once, completed 100% of his long balls and dribbles and won one foul.
Minutes
81′
Expected Goals
0.52
Goals
1
Tackles (Won)
2 (2)
Interceptions
1
Recoveries
4
Ground Duels (Won)
5 (4)
Aerial Duels (Won)
3 (3)
Long Balls
1/1
Dribbles
1/1
Ultimately, there is a long way to go this season, but Arsenal made a serious case for being the best team in Europe with their win over Bayern, and both Rice and Timber were key components of that.
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Former Manchester United, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur striker Louis Saha has warned Lamine Yamal that he won't match the legacy of Lionel Messi because he doesn't have the same "obsession" with football as Cristiano Ronaldo. The Barcelona youngster has often been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons this season, with Saha the latest to fear that his potential could be wasted.
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Yamal lost his duel against Spanish national team-mate Marc Cucurella comprehensively on Tuesday evening at Stamford Bridge, with the left-back keeping his word. "I'll try to make things as difficult as possible for him," the left-back joked in September when talking about the matchup.
Even with his steady return of goals and assists, there’s been a subtle – but unmistakable – dip in the influence Yamal exerts on games this season. Granted, his performances have been affected after being diagnosed with pubalgia, with has prevented the 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up from gaining the necessary rhythm.
However, over the past four months, he has made headlines for the wrong reasons more often than the right ones. He received severe backlash for his wild 18th birthday bash in July. Then, he accused eternal rivals Real Madrid of stealing and complaining.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportYamal warned of wasting his talent
Saha, a Premier League icon, recently spoke to and warned that Yamal's "talent could be wasted because we are starting to see too many things in the papers about him."
“I think only PSG or Man City could afford to pay £300m for Lamine Yamal. I still think that if you look at his trajectory, it would be sad to see him go so early for a big move," said Saha.
“For the sake of the football we love, we want to see him develop in Barcelona, do well for Barcelona and be stable in Barcelona. I'm scared that this talent could be wasted because we are starting to see too many things in the papers about him.
“That's going to be a sad story because he's such a big talent for the next 15 years and I want to see the best from him so I want to protect this kid. Moving around is not good. I think Neymar left Barcelona for this kind of hype. He wanted to be the one big player at PSG.
“Neymar is such a waste because I think at Barcelona he will have really enjoyed himself and show that there was a complementary way to play with Messi over the years. Sometimes the management it's not easy to do because you have ego and you can find yourself dragged into something that is not very useful to your game.”
Yamal won't reach the heights of Messi & Ronaldo, says Saha
Yamal's meteoric rise to superstardom, all while being only 18, has drawn comparisons to Barcelona legend Messi. Recently, former Netherlands international Wesley Sneijder even claimed that it was "possible" for Yamal to supersede the heights scaled by Messi. However, Saha disagrees, explaining that it's likely he will follow the footsteps of a Neymar rather than a Messi or a Ronaldo.
“Could Lamine Yamal one day overtake Lionel Messi? It would be good for him but I don't think so," the ex-Manchester United forward opined. "I doubt that he can achieve that because I see Lamine Yamal’s quality as a player but I don't see an obsession where you really focus on your football that Cristiano Ronaldo also has.
“These guys are absolutely insanely obsessed. Some distractions are already around Yamal, that's not good. I think you’ll find him dragged away from the game like Neymar, who has, for me, maybe better quality.
“Over the years, I've never seen anything like Neymar. Even if Yamal is incredible, I think Neymar was just at another level but he did not have the best lifestyle and over the years he got injuries and was dragged into things that are not helpful for his career.
“This is where I'm very scared that Yamal will try to choose the same kind of trajectory. That would be sad for football.”
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AFPYamal in it to win it all
While onlookers and naysayers may try to diminish Yamal's light, the youngster continues to remain a highly ambitious and motivated individual. The Barca academy graduate has laid the gauntlet for himself, targeting a treble of Champions League, World Cup, and the Ballon d'Or. "I want it all. I hope I achieve it all, and as long as we can play, it's possible," he stated to .
"All the individual titles indicate that it has been a great season for the team. For me, it brings me happiness and pride. Accumulating awards at my age is very positive. I'm going to keep working and fighting to achieve things like this."