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Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith’s 52-run stand for the seventh wicket ensured New Zealand ended the rain-affected opening day on an even keel. In seam-friendly conditions at the Hagley Oval, Kane Williamson had set the platform with a half-century but once he fell, New Zealand collapsed to 148 for 6. They looked in danger of being bowled out under 200 before the lower order steered them to 231 for 9 at stumps.After winning the toss, West Indies captain Roston Chase had no hesitation in opting to bowl first. Apart from the overcast conditions and a green pitch, Chase also pointed to the venue’s history. Of the 15 Tests played here, including the current one, only once has a team opted to bat after winning the toss, South Africa in 2022.Kemar Roach, playing his first Test since January 2025, took only three balls to prove his captain right. Bowling around the wicket, he pitched one up in the channel. Devon Conway hung his bat out, got a healthy outside edge, and Justin Greaves did the rest at second slip.Related

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But rain arrived after just 3.3 overs and halted play for 90 minutes. Another shower towards the end of the first session meant only 10.3 overs were possible before an early lunch was taken. New Zealand scored only 17 in that period.Williamson upped the scoring rate after lunch, hitting Johann Layne for two fours in three balls. While he was not always in control, he played late and defended with soft hands, like he always does. That helped him survive and also score runs on a difficult pitch.Debutant Ojay Shields had a forgettable start. His first ball in Test cricket was short and wide and a front-foot no-ball. Tom Latham, who was on 2 off 47 until then, cut it away for four. In his next over, Shields bowled Williamson through the gate but had once again overstepped.Kane Williamson celebrates his half-century•Getty Images

That showed there was still help from the pitch but Layne and Shields were not disciplined enough to take advantage of it. But Greaves was. In his back-to-back overs, he removed Williamson and Latham. Williamson was squared up and caught at second slip; Latham nicked an overpitched delivery to the wicketkeeper.Soon after, Jayden Seales castled Rachin Ravindra with a full delivery from around the wicket. Will Young made only 14 before Layne had him caught at second slip, leaving New Zealand 120 for 5. It was Layne’s maiden Test wicket. Shields followed suit when Tom Blundell inside-edged one onto his stumps.Bracewell and Smith then got together and revived the innings. Bracewell was the aggressor in their stand, while Smith defended well. Chase eventually broke the stand when Smith flicked one uppishly to short midwicket.Bracewell realised there was not much batting left and started taking more risks. The strategy didn’t work for long, though. On 47, he miscued a pull to give Shields his second wicket. Matt Henry also fell to the short ball, caught off Roach for 8. Two balls later, Roach hit Jacob Duffy on the helmet with another bouncer. As the physio came out for a concussion test, the umpires realised it had gotten too dark to continue.As a result, only 70 overs were possible in the day’s play. In those 70 overs, West Indies gave away 23 extras, which could prove to be decisive in these conditions.

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O Vasco derrotou o Marcílio Dias por 3 a 1, nesta terça-feira (27), pela Copa do Brasil. Com a vitória, o Cruz-Maltino garantiu classificação à segunda fase da competição e embolsa “bolada” milionária.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Vasco

Apenas com a participação na primeira fase, o time carioca arrecadou R$ 1,47 milhão. O clube faz parte do “Grupo 1”, segmento formado por participantes da Copa do Brasil que disputam a Série A do Brasileirão.

+ Veja os gols do Vasco sobre o Marcílio Dias, pela Copa do Brasil

Após a classificação no torneio, o Vasco arrecada mais R$ 1,785 milhão. Os valores da primeira e segunda fase somados chegam a R$ 3,25 milhões.

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A próxima etapa da competição nacional será disputada em partidas de ida e volta, previstas para acontecerem entre os dias 6 e 13 de março. O Cruz-Maltino aguarda o vencedor do confronto entre Água Santa (SP) e Jacuipense-BA, nesta quarta (28), para conhecer seu próximo adversário.

💰 Premiação da Copa do Brasil 2024:

Primeira fase: R$ 1,47 milhão (Série A) R$ 1,312,5 milhão (Série B) e R$ 787,5 mil (demais clubes)
Segunda fase: R$ 1,785 milhão (Série A), R$ 1,47 milhão (Série B) e R$ 945 mil (demais clubes)
Terceira fase: R$ 2,205 milhões
Oitavas de final: R$ 3,465 milhões
Quartas de final: R$ 4,515 milhões
Semifinais: R$ 9,45 milhões
Vice-campeão: R$ 31,5 milhões
Campeão: R$ 73,5 milhões

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Qarabag's youth team have been fined just over £4,000 by UEFA after a supporter was found to have racially abused a Chelsea player during an academy match in Azerbaijan. Shortly after Blues striker Sol Gordon opening the scoring at Azersun Stadium in Baku earlier this month, the 17-year-old was allegedly subjected to monkey gestures. Now, Qarabag have been punished off the back of what transpired in this UEFA Youth League encounter.

Chelsea strongly condemn unsavoury incident

Despite Chelsea's Under-19 side going on to win the game 5-0, the contest was marred by Gordon being discriminated against by those in the crowd. 

At the time, the Blues said in a statement: "We are aware of an incident during today's UEFA Youth League match in Azerbaijan in which, after scoring, a number of our players were subjected to racist abuse from an individual in the crowd. Racism and all forms of discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable and have no place in football or indeed in society. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible. Our players have the full support of everyone at the club, and we have raised the incident immediately with the UEFA match delegate and home club: We expect this matter to be investigated fully under UEFA's disciplinary procedures. We are proud of the way our players and staff responded to the incident on the pitch, swiftly reporting it to the referee, and commend those for dealing with the matter professionally and appropriately in line with UEFA protocols."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportQarabag apologise before getting fined

Soon after Chelsea's statement, Qarabag responded with their own. They vowed to investigate the matter and said this incident does not reflect the club's values. 

They added: "We are sorry about this incident. It does not reflect the values of our club. We will investigate it thoroughly."

Now, European football's governing body, UEFA, has slapped them with a £4,379 fine, with Qarabag's youth team having to play a match behind closed doors following "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters" – though that punishment is suspended for a year.

A statement from UEFA reads: "The CEDB has decided: To fine Qarabağ FK Youth €5,000 and to order Qarabağ FK Youth to play its next one (1) UEFA competition match as host club behind closed doors, for the racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters. Said match behind closed doors is suspended during a probationary period of one (1) year, starting from the date of the present decision."

Atletico Madrid punished for racism

On a similar note, Atletico Madrid have been fined £26,256 by UEFA after their fans reportedly made monkey gestures and noises, along with Nazi salutes, towards Arsenal's players in their 4-0 home win at Emirates Stadium in October. The club has also been hit with a suspended sanction of a ban on travelling supporters for "racist and discriminatory behaviour". Despite the severity of the charges, the one-match ban on ticket sales for an away game has been suspended for a probationary period of one year.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Chelsea?

Aside from the aforementioned matter, Chelsea return to Premier League action on Sunday when they host London rivals and league leaders Arsenal in a huge clash at the top of the table on Sunday. The Blues sit six points behind the Gunners, and a win at Stamford Bridge could catapult them into the title race. But a loss could put pay to those hopes and give Mikel Arteta's team a huge boost in their bid to win their first league title since 2004.

Following Chelsea's 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona in midweek, head coach Enzo Maresca said: "I’ve told the players, next 48 hours, completely switch off. Have a rest. Recover the energy. Because [on] Sunday we have Arsenal. My message after the game was just: recover the energy. That, in this moment, is the most important thing. Then, on Friday, we start to think about Arsenal. We need to keep the momentum because it’s very nice – and it’s much easier to recover energy when you win games."

Josh Inglis has been ruled out of Australia’s three-match T20I tour of New Zealand due to a calf strain with Alex Carey called up to replace him.It is understood that Inglis pulled up sore in his right calf after a running session in Perth on Tuesday and had a scan on Wednesday, after which he was ruled out of the series to be played on October 1, 3 and 4 at Mount Maunganui.Inglis is the fourth first-choice Australian player to be ruled out of the series after Pat Cummins was withdrawn due to lumbar bone stress, Cameron Green was left at home to play Sheffield Shield cricket as part of his Ashes build-up, and Nathan Ellis was unavailable due to impending birth of his first child.Related

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• Stoinis gets his chance to make T20 World Cup bid

It is the second calf injury Inglis has suffered in the last nine months after he suffered a low-grade strain while fielding for Australia during the Boxing Day Test against India as substitute last December, which saw him miss the remainder of the BBL season ahead of his Test debut against Sri Lanka in late January.Inglis is expected to be fit for the ODI series against India which begins in Perth on October 19.The injury has caused a slight headache for Australia’s selectors who were already gambling on Inglis staying fit during the short tour having not named a spare wicketkeeper in the initial 14-man squad. Carey was set to play the opening Sheffield Shield round for South Australia starting on October 4 as part of his Ashes preparation before the ODI series against India. He now may be limited to only one or two Shield games in between the ODI series and the first Test in Perth depending on his workload.Alex Carey completed an unusual stumping on his T20I return•AFP/Getty Images

Carey’s re-emergence as a T20I keeper has been intriguing given his modest T20 record both domestically and internationally. He played the last T20I Inglis missed in Cairns against South Africa in August. It was Carey’s first T20I appearance since August 2021 and his first as the wicketkeeper since September 2020. He was not formally part of the initial squad and Inglis was forced to play through illness in game one of the series in Darwin. Carey replaced him in Cairns after joining the squad early ahead of the ODI series.The selectors also did not pick a spare wicketkeeper for the five-match T20I series against West Indies in the Caribbean in July but with Inglis carrying an ongoing back issue out of the Test series, Jake Fraser-McGurk was added as the reserve wicketkeeping option after an injury to fast bowler Spencer Johnson, despite Fraser-McGurk having never kept in any game in his professional career to-date.Fraser-McGurk played the opening match of the series as a batter but did not feature again with Glenn Maxwell promoted to open instead. He is expected to keep for the first time during Australia A’s tour of India when he joins the squad for the three 50-over matches in Kanpur.Finding a like-for-like replacement for Inglis is challenging given he has become one of Australia’s most important T20 batters. He has scored two centuries at No. 3 and become a pivotal bridge between the new opening combination of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head and the powerful middle-order given his 360-degree skill against both pace and spin.Australia’s new ultra-aggressive style of batting means the replacement keeper for Inglis is likely to bat at No. 7 behind the power of Tim David, Mitchell Owen and Maxwell. Matt Short will also return from injury in New Zealand and could slot in at No. 3 while Marcus Stoinis has been recalled after being left out of the West Indies and South Africa series to play franchise cricket and will also bat somewhere in the middle-order if needed as an allrounder.Carey’s return to form at No. 6 in Australia’s ODI team was part of the reason for his recall in Cairns, having performed brilliantly as a finisher in the longer white-ball format over the past 12 months.The likes of Ben McDermott and Josh Philippe remain in consideration and have been tried in Australia’s T20I side previously but both are seen as top order players predominantly and neither can match Inglis’ explosiveness.McDermott has played 25 T20Is for Australia and has batted in every position in the top seven. He made 54 off 36 in his last T20I innings against India at No.3 but strikes at just 99.70 overall. He is a full-time T20 freelancer at present having given up his state contract with Queensland to move back to Tasmania, although he could play for Tasmania in red and white-ball cricket this summer. However, he has very little experience as a finisher and opened in all nine innings he played for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the recently completed CPL, making just one half-century at a strike-rate of 141.04Philippe, who scored a first-class century off 80 balls for Australia A against India A in Lucknow on Wednesday, has played 12 T20Is on the back of his success at the top of the order in BBL cricket but none since 2023. He has only two scores above 13 striking at just 109.48, having opened in half his innings and never batted lower than No.4. He has only batted lower than No. 4 10 times in his domestic T20 career but has not done so since 2020.Josh Inglis has two T20I hundreds at No. 3•PA Images via Getty Images

Inglis’ injury has also highlighted a problem Australia’s selectors face ahead of the World Cup next year. ICC rules dictate that only 15 players can be selected in a World Cup squad and replacements can only be used if a player is ruled out of the entire tournament. It has long been a frustration for some countries, including Australia, given the compressed nature of the tournaments and need to manage players through them.Australia had to work around it during the 2023 ODI World Cup when Head was injured prior to the tournament but was expected to be fit halfway through. They risked carrying 14 fit players through the first four games before Head was able to play, but the move paid huge dividends.For Australia’s selectors, carrying a spare wicketkeeper who might not be in their best 15 players on the off-chance Inglis suffered a short-term injury would come at the cost of another conditions-based role player who might be needed during the tournament.Inglis’ back and calf issues are a serious consideration. He suffered a back spasm during the second Test in Sri Lanka in February that kept him off the field for large portions of the game and it requires ongoing management.”It’s an ongoing thing,” Inglis told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s sort of been around for a couple years now. For me, it’s been really frustrating. It’s not been something that’s really kept me out of the game. It’s just something I’ve got to manage. So at the minute, I’m not really able to bat as much as I’d like, so I’m not able to spend the time in the nets to be able to work on new things.”It’s really just been about preparing for the next game and getting enough in to feel good going into the game, but not overdoing it. I’ve been doing a lot of rehab stuff with the physios just on different areas, my hips, that sort of thing, just to try strengthen up there and take some load off my lower back.”I don’t really get it keeping. I think it’s just in that batting position and then light rotation. And once it’s flared up, doing everything is pretty uncomfortable.”

Australia T20I squad vs New Zealand

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Detroit Tigers ace starting pitcher Tarik Skubal had no trouble handling the Cleveland Guardians lineup during Game 2 of the American League Division Series, as he pitched seven shutout innings and struck out eight batters to help his club earn the victory.

But Skubal did get himself into trouble with his mother.

After inducing a grounder that resulted in an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the fifth inning, Skubal yelled, "Shut the f**k up" at the Progressive Field crowd as he walked off the mound.

Skubal's mother was not a fan of the language, and she let him know it in a post on X (formerly Twitter), even resorting to using his middle name—the universal sign that a line has been crossed.

Making an appearance on on 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday ahead of Game 3, Skubal shared that he also received an admonishing text message from his mother in addition to the scolding tweet.

"She texted me after the game, 'Love you,' whatever, but she was saying the same thing, she's like, 'You can't do that on the road,' " Skubal said. "And I'm like, 'I know, Mom, I know. I don't what got into me.'"

"That was really funny."

Skubal, the presumptive AL CY Young award winner, has been lights-out for the Tigers this season, and in the postseason, where he has yet to allow an earned run in two starts. But apparently, one is never too old—or too successful—to avoid being reprimanded by their middle name.

"Tarik Daniel is when I was in trouble growing up, so I haven't got that in a while, probably since high school is the last time I was really in trouble with my mom."

While Skubal acknowledged that the moment gave him an adrenaline boost, he also admitted that getting so fired up towards fans was probably not wise.

"I guess I wish I would have just kept it within our team and our guys and not really interact with the fans, just because it becomes a slippery slope and some bad things can happen, especially if fans are drunk, whatever, (stuff) happens," Skubal said. "I should probably just keep that within our team going forward, but it was fun. Obviously, I fed off of it."

Skubal's Tigers won Game 3 on Wednesday by a score of 3–0. Unless Cleveland forces a Game 5, Tigers fans are unlikely to see Skubal on the mound again until the American League Championship Series.

Heading into the final day in Galle, players from both teams can see paths to victory.The most likely outcome feels like a draw, but as the World Test Championship points system discourages draws, home teams are especially motivated to pursue victories.With Bangladesh currently 187 runs ahead, though needing to get ten Sri Lanka wickets to seal the result after setting a target, a Bangladesh win also seems a possibility in this match, particularly as there is dust exploding out of the surface most times a ball pitches, and the spin is beginning to become pronounced and fast.Related

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• Sri Lanka left waiting for their next great spinner

In any case, both teams think they have a shot.”We have every opportunity to go for the win once we have a good total on board,” Nayeem Hasan, who took his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, said on day four in Galle. “A lot of things can happen on the fifth-day wicket. We have a positive mindset going into the last day.”Kamindu Mendis, who scored 87 in Sri Lanka’s first innings, thinks pretty much any result is possible. “The match is open to both sides,” he said. “They’ve only lost three wickets for now, but in the morning session if we get two or three wickets early, we will be ascendant. What we wanted in the first innings was a lead of about 150, but we didn’t get there.”But tomorrow, if we can get them out inside a session, or even in the second session, that is enough. We’ve been able to have a higher run rate than them, so a session-and-a-half is enough for us. As a team we have confidence that we can win this. The run rate will change as the pitch changes.”Bangladesh, meanwhile, will focus on setting a tough target first, before setting their spinners loose.”If we can give them a good target, they will be under pressure,” Nayeem said. “There’s a difference between playing normal cricket and playing under pressure. They will also be worried about losing the game. We want to give a good total.”

Seventeen-year-old Lennart Karl made history for Bayern Munich in the Champions League, scoring a sensational solo goal on his first start and earning comparisons to Franck Ribery from German legend Didi Hamann. The former Bayern midfielder praised Karl’s “carefree” flair and fearless one-on-one style as the teenager’s breakout performance lit up Europe.

Lennart Karl’s record-breaking night in Europe

Bayern's prodigy Karl announced himself on the European stage in stunning fashion as Bayern cruised to a 4-0 victory over Club Brugge in the Champions League. Making his first start in the competition, Karl became Bayern’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the tournament’s history, surpassing Jamal Musiala’s record.

The moment came inside the opening five minutes when Jonathan Tah slipped a pass to the teenager in midfield. Karl evaded two defenders with his solid footwork before unleashing a curling left-foot shot from outside the box that soared beyond goalkeeper Nordin Jackers. His composure and technique belied his age, sparking wild celebrations with Harry Kane and Aleksandar Pavlovic.

At just 17 years and 242 days, Karl etched his name in the record books and set the tone for Bayern’s dominant night. The Bavarians, unbeaten in all competitions under Vincent Kompany, made it three wins from three in their group with goals from Kane, Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson completing the rout.

AdvertisementGetty Images'reminds me of Ribery’ – Hamann’s verdict

Former Bayern star Hamann was among the first to heap praise on the youngster’s dazzling display. Writing in his latest column on , Hamann described Karl as a “carefree” player whose confidence and flair evoke memories of Franck Ribery during his peak years at the Allianz Arena.

“For someone not even 18 to play at this level in the Champions League isn’t something to be taken for granted, and it shows that Karl is highly talented. He also has a healthy sense of self-confidence. I like his boldness in trying new things," Hamann said. “He plays carefree, as if he were on the football pitch. One-on-one, he’s incredibly difficult to stop. He keeps trying, even if he gets stuck. That kind of attitude helps every team. He’s an incredibly interesting player, and his style reminds me of Franck Ribery.” 

Ribery, the former Bayern magician, retired as one of the most adored figures in the club’s modern history. Between 2007 and 2019, he dazzled fans with 86 goals and 120 assists in 273 Bundesliga appearances, combining flair and determination in equal measure.

The Frenchman not only became his country’s all-time record holder for both appearances and goals in the German top flight but also amassed more than 21 trophies with Bayern during a glittering 12-year spell that defined an era alongside Arjen Robben, who was present at Allianz Arena to witness Karl make history.

Kompany urges caution amid growing hype

While Karl’s explosive rise has delighted Bayern fans, boss Kompany was quick to call for calm after the match. The Belgian coach, who has managed the teenager carefully this season, admitted he fears the attention could distract from Karl’s development. “I’m not a fan of hype, and now he will be getting some of that. I’m a fan of training and calm,” Kompany said after the game. “His performance today was good. Everyone knows he can score goals, and if he keeps going like this, he’ll get a chance, but maybe at the right time he’ll need a bit of calm.”

However, Hamann who also highlighted Karl’s growing importance to Kompany’s plans: “Vincent Kompany kept Karl hidden for a while, but after his performance and his goal against Brugge, he can no longer hide him. If Bayern need a goal with half an hour to go, the coach will have to bring him on.”

Karl himself remained grounded despite the buzz surrounding his goal. “I had a good feeling about the situation and then I just had a go. I was just in the zone.” he said, as he held the Man of the Match trophy. 

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AFPBayern’s youth evolution under Kompany

Karl’s emergence comes at a crucial time for Germany's record champions, who have sought to rejuvenate their squad under Kompany’s leadership. Alongside Pavlovic and Tom Bischof, the teenager represents the new generation of talent blending into a team still led by experienced stars like Kane, Diaz, Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich.

The Bavarians’ attack has been in record-breaking form this season, with 27 goals after seven Bundesliga games, equalling a club record, and their unbeaten run stretching to 16 matches. Karl’s fearless approach and creativity have added another dimension to their play, offering Kompany tactical flexibility in the wide and central attacking roles.

Bayern now turn their attention back to domestic action, where they face Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. For Karl, the focus will be on managing expectations as Bayern’s fixture list intensifies. As Bayern push for silverware on multiple fronts, Karl’s breakthrough could prove one of the defining stories of their season. Whether he becomes the next Musiala or the modern-day Ribery, one thing is clear, Bayern’s latest wonderkid has arrived on the biggest stage.

Reece James has dismissed talk of a disciplinary crisis at Chelsea despite the Blues receiving their fifth red card in six matches. The captain scored and assisted in a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest before Malo Gusto’s late dismissal took the shine off an otherwise commanding display, leaving Enzo Maresca’s men once again finishing a game with 10 men.

• Chelsea’s Forest win marred by Gusto red card

  Chelsea eventually cruised to a 3-0 win away the City Ground after a poor first-half display, with James at the heart of the performance. The 25-year-old Blues captain opened the scoring with a superb volley and later set up another goal as his side controlled the contest from start to finish. However, their afternoon was tainted in the closing stages when Gusto received a second yellow card for a clumsy late challenge on Neco Williams, reducing Chelsea to 10 men once more.

  The red card marked Chelsea’s fifth in their last six games, adding to the growing frustration surrounding the club’s recent disciplinary record. Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, Joao Pedro, and even manager Enzo Maresca, who was sent off for touchline misconduct against Liverpool, have all received early trips back to the dressing room and it has fuelled criticism of the team’s on-field temperament. However, when questioned about the frequency of red cards this season, Chelsea captain James claimed that there isn’t an issue within the squad

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  James insists there is no discipline issue at Chelsea

  Speaking after the match, James defended his team-mates and dismissed claims that Chelsea have a discipline issue under Maresca. “It’s difficult, if you look at all of them, they’re all very different. They’re not all straight reds,” James explained. “I was next to him (Gusto) when I saw him going for the tackle, and it was a split second in it. He was there to win the ball, and just mistimed it.”

  The England international stressed that the situation has been blown out of proportion and that the team remains united in their approach. “I wouldn’t say it is a problem for us. We have to accept it,” James added. “This is what’s happened in the past few games, but it’s not something that will continue.”

  Maresca also claimed that there wasn’t a discipline issue within the Chelsea camp as he said: "Again, it's something that we can do better, but I'm not concerned. I know that there are some of you that say, 'why is he not concerned?' I'm not concerned, because I like to analyse. It's a moment that we consider a red card, yes. We can avoid that, yes, for sure we can avoid that. But also for me, the desire of the players is important.

  “Today, with 3-0, 90 minutes the game is finished. Malo [Gusto] can avoid that, because it's useless to make a second foul on a yellow card, for sure. But also the good part is, Malo is showing that he doesn't want to concede nothing. They don't want to concede a goal, they are playing for a clean sheet. It's the balance, we can avoid that for sure."

• Are Chelsea’s red cards an anomaly?

  Statistically, Chelsea’s recent red card record contrasts sharply with last season’s figures. In the 2024-25 Premier League campaign, the Blues received just four red cards across the entire regular season and the Club World Cup, suggesting that the current spike in dismissals under Maresca is an outlier rather than an ongoing concern. Internally, there is reportedly confidence that the Blues’ recent disciplinary troubles do not reflect a deeper behavioural issue.

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• AFP
  

  Maresca faces more defensive troubles

  Chelsea’s immediate focus will be on maintaining their upward trajectory while cutting out the needless errors that have repeatedly left them a man short. Gusto’s suspension will force Maresca into another defensive reshuffle, with James likely to shoulder even more responsibility against Sunderland, especially due to the sheer number of injuries in the Blues' defensive line.

An Arsenal target now has his heart set on joining Manchester United, due to his deep respect for former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and the club’s traditions.

Man Utd's standards have slipped since Ferguson's retirement

Man United are well-known for their rich history and traditions, which included wearing suits when arriving ahead of matches, but Wayne Rooney has revealed that standards started to slip after Ferguson’s retirement back in 2013.

Rooney said: “I remember we went to the League Cup final and players were wearing the suits with big, bright yellow trainers and stuff like that.

“I remember we went to the League Cup final and players were wearing the suits with big, bright yellow trainers and stuff like that. I went to Mourinho and said, ‘Listen, I’ve spoken to the players and you need to have a word here and to keep the standards. We can’t have that going to Wembley into a cup final.’

“He’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll speak to them’. And then as we came down to leave, I’ve seen Jose there and he’s got a zip-up top with no tie on. I was thinking, “What’s the point?”

With Rooney going on to reveal that players are allowed to wear whatever they want nowadays, one of United’s traditions has arguably been eroded, but that hasn’t stopped an up-and-coming star setting his sights on a move to Old Trafford.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal target Kirill Glebov, who currently plays for CSKA Moscow, has his heart set on joining Man Utd and dreams of a transfer, citing the Old Trafford atmosphere, the club’s traditions, and his deep respect for Ferguson as the key reasons.

Glebov is currently valued at just €1.5m (£1.3m), but the winger’s price tag could rise considerably if he continues his current form, having started the season very well, which has attracted the attention of the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Brighton.

Glebov could be future star for Man Utd

At this stage, United don’t appear to have a great deal of interest in the Russian, but there are indications he has plenty of potential, having made a flying start to the 2025-26 campaign for CSKA Moscow.

The 19-year-old already has four goals and two assists to his name in all competitions, which recently earned the teenager a first call-up to the Russian national side, making his debut in the 0-0 draw against Jordan last week.

Man Utd now eyeing January move for "unbelievable" £47m Baleba alternative

The Red Devils are looking to sign a central midfielder, who could be perfect for Ruben Amorim.

1 ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025

That said, Glebov is still at a very early stage of his career, and having strengthened their attack considerably in the summer, signing Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, Man United should now focus on bringing in a new central midfielder instead.

There is certainly no shortage of options on the shortlist, with Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson all believed to be of interest.

Rangers have had a torrid start to life under Russell Martin as they are winless in the Scottish Premiership, and their dreams of Champions League qualification were ruthlessly put to the sword by Club Brugge in a 9-1 defeat on aggregate.

Rangers have only recorded wins in the League Cup and in their failed Champions League qualification campaign during Martin’s tenure, ramping up the pressure on a managerial selection many fans disdained from day one.

It’s not just early days for Martin, it’s also early days for Rangers’ new owners, Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises. And with the frustration mounting around Ibrox, The I Paper’s chief football correspondent, Daniel Storey, has highlighted how the new men in charge face something of a time bomb as tensions continue to bubble:

Three out of work managers Rangers could sign

There are options available should Rangers decide to make a change after witnessing the fan sentiment first hand on Sunday. They wouldn’t be the first club to take drastic measures, as the likes of José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Erik ten Hag have all been sacked in the opening month of the season

Mourinho could actually be a contender to replace Martin if the owners did decide to act. He has previously expressed that he doesn’t want his next club to be in the Champions League, which Martin has seen too, and has also spoken positively about the Gers in the past: “Why not in the future? People can say the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything.”

Another candidate is the former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić. The German manager had previously been linked with the club when they sacked Philippe Clement, and is still available as a free agent.

Possibly the most exciting manager available however is legendary Spanish World Cup winning midfielder Xavi, who has been out of work since leaving Barcelona last year.

Back in 2022, when he was still in charge in Catalonia, he saw Rangers as one of their biggest threats in the Europa League, heaping praise on the atmosphere at Ibrox: “People will say Barcelona are favourites because of history, and they are used to seeing us play in the Champions League – but this is not the Champions League… As somebody who has played in Glasgow, nobody is going to get an easy time against Rangers.”

Rangers face stick or twist decision

While there’s currently no shortage of available managers and talented tacticians like Xavi and Mourinho are tempting, it would be an awfully big gamble to get rid of Martin at such an early stage.

Martin’s tenure at Southampton was often criticised because his playing style didn’t suit the Premier League. He favoured high possession football, which worked well in the Championship, but not so much when the Saints were promoted and his squad struggled against the tougher opposition.

Given the gap in quality between the squads of the big two and the rest in Scotland, the 39 year-old should be able instil that Championship dominance once again, but the difficulty for Rangers’ new owners will be balancing their patience with the fans’ justified desire for change.