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Newcastle United is in desperate need of some fresh blood in the centre-forward department.

Not only are the Toon having to come to terms with Alexander Isak’s anticipated exit from St James’ Park, they are also light on their feet up top owing to Callum Wilson leaving the Premier League club behind this summer for a fresh chance at West Ham United.

With Isak also soon to be potentially out of the picture, that would leave the Magpies with just 21-year-old William Osula as an option to lead the line.

Therefore, it’s make-or-break territory for Eddie Howe’s side this month heading into September’s looming deadline, as they frantically look around now for striker recruits to boost the mood on Tyneside.

Newcastle confident about signing £50m star

Thankfully, the rumour mill has been going into overdrive linking the Premier League outfit with a whole host of exciting striker options.

Indeed, reports have even suggested that hot-and-cold Chelsea attacker Nicolas Jackson is on the Toon agenda, alongside the top-flight side eyeing up in-demand Porto forward Samu Aghehowa, with the likes of Aston Villa also keen.

However, away from this growing list of names, a report by the Daily Mail has stated that Newcastle remain confident about sealing a deal for long-term target Yoane Wissa.

The Toon will look to line up a move for the wantaway Brentford striker when Liverpool return with a new bid for Isak, having had an eye-watering £110m move turned away already. It’s stated that a mammoth £150m bid could get the pricey move up and running instead.

To add more fuel to the fire, it’s also stated that a move for Wissa to finally come to Tyneside would be back on the cards if Brentford can seal their own replacement, with £50m perhaps the magic amount here to see the Bees part ways with their star man.

This is a far more likely move than the waiting game surrounding Benjamin Sesko, with Wissa’s potential arrival on the scene also gifting Howe and Co. a dream Wilson upgrade after the declining 33-year-old veteran departed for East London.

How Wissa is a dream Wilson upgrade

Whilst Wilson’s playing days at the Toon had worryingly begun to fizzle out last season, Wissa was continuing to be a man possessed in front of goal for Brentford.

Last campaign, Wissa – who has been dubbed “incredible” in the past by ex-Bees boss Thomas Frank – would help himself to a devastating 20 goals in all competitions. On the contrary, his ageing counterpart would fail to muster up a single Premier League effort from 18 outings, as he sank more and more into the background as an unwanted member of Howe’s squad.

Wissa’s numbers for Brentford by season

Season

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

24/25

39

20

5

23/24

36

12

4

22/23

40

7

3

21/22

34

10

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Wilson might well be experiencing a depressing decline in performances, but the same can not be said for his Congolese counterpart, with that aforementioned 20-goal haul last season the sturdiest amount of strikes the 28-year-old has powered home across his four-season stint at Brentford.

The more experienced Wilson does have the added stature of 88 Premier League goals next to his name, with Wissa lagging behind on 45 strikes, but it’s unlikely that amount will increase too much for the Hammers, with the 33-year-old a regular in the treatment room when still situated at St James’ Park.

Staggeringly, the ex-AFC Bournemouth forward was missing from 57 games across the last two seasons through injury, meaning his once-notorious impact substitute billing took a beating. On the contrary, Wissa missed just six across the same period.

However, unlike Wilson, who had to frequently rely on scraps on Tyneside, the “remarkable” £50m striker – as he was further lauded by football journalist Zach Lowy – will surely be Howe’s main man in a post-Isak reality.

With Anthony Elanga also by his side, it will be a thrilling new dawn ahead for Newcastle in attack, as Wilson is likely to be quickly forgotten about, too, if Wissa is heroically leading the line.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery Aug 2, 2025

وصلت بعثة فريق بيراميدز إلى مدينة جدة استعدادًا لمواجهة الأهلي السعودي، المقرر لها ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.

ويلتقي بيراميدز مع الأهلي السعودي، مساء الثلاثاء 23 سبتمبر في تمام التاسعة مساءً، على ملعب الإنماء (الجوهرة المشعة) بمدينة جدة.

ويؤدي بيراميدز تدريبين في جدة، حيث سيكون الأول مساء الأحد بالملعب الفرعي لاستاد الإنماء، على أن يخوض مرانه الأخير مساء الإثنين بملعب المباراة.

طالع أيضاً.. قائمة بيراميدز لمباراة الأهلي السعودي في كأس إنتركونتيننتال

وكان بيراميدز قد استطاع أن يحقق الفوز على أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بنتجة 3-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالقاهرة ضمن مواجهات الدور التمهيدي الأول للبطولة العالمية.

بيراميدز شارك في بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال، للمرة الأولى في تاريخه بعد التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا الموسم الماضي.

The left-arm spinner’s second ODI five-for bowled New Zealand out for another low score before the England opener scored her maiden international ton

Valkerie Baynes30-Jun-2024England sealed their domination of New Zealand via Maia Bouchier’s maiden international century and Sophie Ecclestone’s five-wicket haul to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three match ODI series.Ecclestone’s 5 for 25 from nine overs was instrumental in bowling New Zealand out for a sub-par total for the second game in a row – this time they were bundled out for 141 in 41.5 overs – and Bouchier saw England home with 25.3 overs to spare.Only four New Zealand batters, led by Amelia Kerr’s 43, reached double figures, but, as in the opening match of the series in Durham when they were all out for 156, it didn’t look like nearly enough. England’s bowlers kept New Zealand hemmed in, sending down 10 maidens between them, and Amelia faced 10 deliveries in seven overs for her last three runs.Early incisions by Kate Cross and Lauren Filer had New Zealand floundering at 10 for 2 in the sixth over.Ecclestone was introduced to the attack in the 12th over but it wasn’t until the 18th that she broke a sedate partnership of 46 in 72 balls between Sophie Devine and Amelia, her beautifully flighted delivery luring Devine well down the pitch, then dipping and turning to beat the bat as Amy Jones whipped off the bails.Maddy Green had faced 28 balls for her four runs before doubling her score by lofting the penultimate ball of Cross’ allocation to long-on. Green had reached 30 off 48 when Charlie Dean pinned her on the pad with one that turned sharply from outside off stump to end a 58-run stand with Kerr.Her dismissal brought Brooke Halliday to the crease, the standout performer with her half-century in an otherwise poor display by New Zealand’s batters in their nine-wicket defeat last Wednesday. But Halliday couldn’t repeat her innings after she was undone on 6 attempting to sweep an Ecclestone delivery, which clattered into off stump.Ecclestone made it two wickets in four balls and three for the match when, next over, she bowled Lauren Down for a duck with an excellent ball that turned past the bat and crashed into the top of middle stump. That ended Down’s first international appearance since giving birth to daughter Ruby in January before it had begun.Amelia faced 86 balls for her score, passing 2000 career ODI runs in the process, but her innings was otherwise uneventful, her dismissal via a return catch to Dean coming amid a collapse of seven wickets for 27 runs in 10.4 overs. During that time, Ecclestone also removed Izzy Gaze and Molly Penfold.It was Alice Capsey who took the last wicket when she had Jess Kerr caught slog-sweeping to deep midwicket by Nat Sciver-Brunt for 14 with only her fifth delivery of the day.Maia Bouchier celebrates after reaching her maiden international hundred•Getty ImagesTammy Beaumont survived New Zealand’s review when she was adjudged not out lbw on the first ball of the run-chase, Jess striking the pad with one that moved in but was shown to be tracking down the leg side.As in Durham, Beaumont and Bouchier broke the back of the target, this time via a 73-run partnership in 80 balls. Bouchier took charge here, even more so once Beaumont was run-out by the finest of margins for 28. Bouchier struck Amelia to cover, where Suzie Bates gathered and threw the ball back to the bowler to catch Beaumont short despite the dive.Bouchier was on 42 at the time but unfurled five boundaries in eight balls in the aftermath of Beaumont’s dismissal, four of them off one Devine over. She smashed another off Amelia through the leg side moments before Heather Knight despatched Halliday for the only six of the match, over deep square leg. Knight perished on 9, spooning Halliday straight to Amelia at midwicket.Bouchier was on 92 when she was given not out attempting to pull a Jess delivery, which rapped the back pad low down and New Zealand’s review was turned down on umpire’s call, keeping the century on the table.Bouchier skied the next ball and it dropped short of long-off as she and Sciver-Brunt scampered two and two singles took her past her previous best, 95, scored in the third ODI against Sri Lanka last September.With four more runs needed to win, Sciver-Brunt blocked the remaining four balls of Penfold’s over – one of them a full toss – to give Bouchier the strike. Bouchier tucked Jess’ first delivery to backward square leg and ran two more. Then, after a dot ball prodded towards point, Bouchier struck the next into the space through midwicket and took off for the two runs she needed to reach her ton and complete England’s victory.

Rashid, Archer, Wood lead line with the ball as England chase 48 in 19 balls

Andrew Miller13-Jun-20245:54

Finch: ‘Wood and Archer were too quick for Oman’

England 50 for 2 (Buttler 24*) beat Oman 47 (Rashid 4-11, Archer 3-12, Wood 3-12) by eight wickets with 101 balls to spareAfter all the angst and indecision, England are back in the game, with a ruthless dispatching of an outclassed Oman. After routing their opponents for 47 in the space of 80 balls at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, they needed just 19 to hunt that total down, to hoist their troublesome net run-rate firmly into the black. Adil Rashid was the pick of an outstanding four-prong attack with figures of 4 for 11, before a turbo-charged chase capped by Jos Buttler’s 24 not out from eight balls.Assuming England can achieve a further two points against Namibia on Saturday, Scotland will be left with the daunting task of beating the Group B leaders Australia if they hope to progress to the Super Eight – and even Josh Hazlewood at his most tongue-in-cheek might baulk at permitting that prospect.England quicks flex in powerplayEngland entered this contest needing not only to win, but to win quickly, given Scotland’s near four-point edge in the net run-rate stakes, not to mention the prospect of shenanigans in the Scots’ own final contest against Australia on Sunday. To that end, Buttler decided he wanted “to know how many runs we’re chasing” after choosing to bowl first at the toss. The answer, it would soon transpire, was “not many”.The tone was set in a ferocious powerplay, as England unleashed their heaviest artillery of the tournament to date. Two wickets apiece for Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, allied to a probing three-over spell of left-arm seam from the returning Reece Topley reduced Oman to a flaky 25 for 4 … which immediately became 25 for 5 as Rashid announced his own arrival with another breakthrough first-ball.Topley surely counts as England’s most luckless campaigner of recent times. He could have been a key component of the 2022 title triumph had he not rolled his ankle on a boundary marker during a warm-up match in Brisbane, and he then broke his finger while tracking well during the doomed 50-over World Cup in India before Christmas.But here he set the tone with an exemplary one-run opening over – remarkably, his first at a T20 World Cup since the 2016 event in India – whereupon Archer struck with his second legal delivery, as Pratik Athavale followed up an opportunistic slap through the covers with a low chance to Phil Salt at short cover.Archer made it two in as many overs when Aqib Ilyas chopped another low catch to Will Jacks at backward point, who clung on with a juggle – unlike Moeen Ali at slip two balls later, who let a routine snick from Zeeshan Maqsood flop out of his grasp. It scarcely mattered though. Maqsood had no desire to stay in line to a sharp loosener from Wood, as he lobbed a return catch off the quick’s first ball, and though Kashyap Prajapati put a dent in Topley’s figures with a slashed six over the short cover boundary, he too had no response to an injection of raw pace, as Wood cleaned him up with a clothed pull to midwicket.Rashid rips through the restWith a game broken wide open, Rashid was the perfect weapon to exploit Oman’s soft underbelly, and he did so with a display of unrelenting superiority. Four overs on the trot, a wicket in each, and just a solitary boundary cuffed through point by Shoaib Khan, amid a remarkable 20 dot-balls.His first wicket came from his biggest ripper of the lot – an agenda-setting legbreak that almost turned sideways past Khalid Kail’s unbalanced sweep, and left Jos Buttler with so far to reach with his gloves that he missed his first attempt at the stumping, and only succeeded with the second due to Kail’s galling lack of game-awareness.Moeen made amends for his drop in Rashid’s second over, with a comfortable take off a loose drive from Mehran Khan, by which stage Wood had bagged his 50th T20I wicket with another full-length rocket to induce an inside-edge from Ayaan Khan. Rashid’s third was a pinpoint googly, ripping through Fayyaz Butt’s gate after a previous attempt had thumped his pads, and when he repeated the trick with his penultimate ball to bowl Kaleemullah for 5, Oman were 47 for 9 and sunk.Two balls later, Archer was back for his final over before Buttler had even considered turning to a fifth bowler, and he duly closed it out by inducing Shoaib Khan into a hoist behind square, for Buttler to mop up the resistance, tracking back towards fine leg.ESPNcricinfo LtdSalt and batteryThe crunchy numbers said that England could go past Scotland’s NRR if they won the contest in 5.2 overs or less. For as long as his three-ball 12 lasted, Phil Salt gave the impression that a 1.2-over finish was more realistic. Bilal Khan’s first two balls were full and inviting, and got the treatment with mighty smacks over wide long-off for six. His third, however, was dragged back half a yard, to knock back his off stump via a thin inside-edge.Thereafter, it wasn’t quite so full-throttle, but not exactly a complicated scenario. After allowing himself a sighter, Will Jacks cracked a firm drive down the ground off a Kaleemullah no-ball, only to top-edge a similarly ferocious stroke in the same over. Jonny Bairstow, however, belted his first delivery over the covers for four, whereupon Buttler bludgeoned Bilal for four fours and a six in his second over. Bairstow then bashed his second four in as many balls, and that was the end of that.

Liverpool celebrated on Sunday, finally lifting their 20th top-flight title after winning the Premier League five weeks ago, thrashing Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield.

Though Arne Slot’s side have understandably taken their foot off the gas since sealing the deal, claiming just two points from a possible 12, sporting director Richard Hughes has been working overtime, driving any number of transfer deals toward completion before the window has even opened, before the 2024/25 campaign has even wrapped up.

With Andy Robertson on the decline and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the move, Liverpool have moved quickly to advance deals for Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who could dominate the wide flanks on Merseyside for years to come.

Florian Wirtz is surely the pick of the bunch, though, with Bayer Leverkusen confirmed to have received Liverpool’s first official proposal on Monday morning, worth in excess of €100m (£85m).

Barring something dramatic and unanticipated, FSG will get this one done. Let’s have a look at how he might fit in.

How Florian Wirtz will fit in at Liverpool

Wirtz is only 22, but he’s already forged quite the career for himself in his German homeland, posting 57 goals and 65 assists across just 197 senior appearances with the Werkself.

Last year, he won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, invincible and indomitable, claiming the division’s Player of the Season award for his troubles.

Rarely does a player elicit such a captivating response from fans while maintaining an energetic and industrious approach to his craft, so intelligent and aware of his surroundings, both friendly and hostile.

As per FBref, Wirtz ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90. As a result, he could fit into a whole manner of different positions down at Anfield.

Moreover, his productivity has been dished out with the consistency of a world-class player, the 2022/23 season standing as a lonely outlier due to his ACL injury, and injury he has bounced back from miraculously.

24/25

31 (25)

10

13

23/24

32 (26)

11

12

22/23

17 (11)

1

6

21/22

24 (22)

7

10

20/21

29 (25)

5

6

Of course, every great playmaker needs a focal point from which they can direct their creativity, and Wirtz is no different. Darwin Nunez is “planning to leave” Liverpool this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano, and FSG have already identified their dream replacement.

Liverpool make the new Mbappe their top target

Newcastle United sealed a place in next year’s Champions League after finishing fifth in the league on the final day. That means Alexander Isak’s going nowhere, so says esteemed reporter David Ornstein.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Well, Liverpool appear to have found the perfect alternative in Hugo Ekitike, with with reports confirming confirming FSG have turned their full attention to the Eintracht Frankfurt forward, who is now their top target.

Anfield sporting director Richard Hughes is going to need to roll his sleeves up to get this one over the line.

Why Slot wants Hugo Ekitike

Ekitike isn’t just on Liverpool’s radar; The Independent believe Chelsea are ready to make the focal frontman their top target of the summer transfer window.

It’s understandable. Described as the “next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, Ekitike is an extraordinary profile, physical and rangy and with a killer’s instinct, but also gifted and stylish, creative in his approach and clever in his movements.

The one-time Paris Saint-Germain prospect has already demonstrated a head for thought-out career moves, jumping to the Bundesliga and flourishing. Still only 22, he’s excelled through his first full season with Frankfurt, scoring 22 goals and laying on 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has mused that he can “definitely reach world-class striker levels,” and it’s an exciting thing to think about for those of a Liverpool persuasion. It might even be a signing on the level of Wirtz, providing Liverpool with a first-rate number nine for many years to come.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has even declared Ekitike to be “one of the best strikers out there” right now, and that he’s “ready to explode” when given the chance to perform for a high-level Premier League club.

FBref record Ekitike ranks among the top 9% of forwards for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90, illustrating his elite capacity.

Indeed, this dynamic repertoire has led the data-driven site to list Isak as one of his most statistically similar stars. If this young Frenchman can be willed into the robust completeness of the Magpies’ main man, there’s no telling how devastating Slot’s team could become.

To be sure, Wirtz is an audacious capture for the Reds this summer, but Ekitike has the potential to reach the pinnacle of the game, and he’s every bit as exciting.

Ekitike isn’t there yet, but he has the trappings of a world-class centre-forward, now needs to take the right step toward reaching superstardom.

Where could this be? Chelsea could do with a striker, sure, but Liverpool have proven themselves the cream of the crop under Slot’s wing, with rising stars like Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo evidence that the French attacker could skyrocket to the top if joining the fold.

Given the level he’s already at, and indeed the troubles that have beset Liverpool at number nine in recent years, this could be a move as exciting as any at Anfield this summer – and that includes Wirtz.

Liverpool ready to launch £58m bid to sign a "magical" Nunez upgrade

Premier League champions Liverpool are looking to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 26, 2025

David Moyes’ return to the Everton dugout provided the most swooshing of lifts back in January, and there’s still plenty to love, but recent results have surely shown the manager that he needs more quality in attacking areas.

The lack of true prolificness across his frontal areas has been among the cruxes of Everton’s issues in recent years, but Beto’s resurgence and Iliman Ndiaye’s brilliant efforts since joining from Marseille in a £15m deal last year have provided a new framework.

Everton need a striker, and Liam Delap appears to be the top target. Ipswich Town’s number nine has been in fine fettle throughout the term and has an active £30m release clause following the Tractor Boys’ relegation from the Premier League.

However, he’s not the only Ipswich up-and-comer who’s on Moyes’ radar.

Everton chasing rising star

According to Caught Offside, Everton are showing ‘strong interest’ in Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson, though they are expected to face stiff competition from newly-promoted Burnley and Leeds United.

Hutchinson, 21, has been a shining light for Kieran McKenna’s side, bringing pace and potency to the attacking ranks.

Valued at €35m (about £30m), he wouldn’t come cheap but would definitely be the kind of signing Moyes wants to make real headway.

What Omari Hutchinson would bring to Everton

Hutchinson left Chelsea and joined Ipswich Town in a £20m deal last summer after exceptional performances in the Championship on loan.

Five goal involvements across 28 matches in the Premier League have made the prospect aware of the top-flight’s harsh realities, but he’s still managed to showcase his skills.

In fact, his crisp ball-playing skills and willingness to drive attacking play forward have even led data-driven site FBref to list Ndiaye as one of his most comparable players, bearing the raw quality to become a major player at a team like Everton.

But given that The Football Terrace’s Dean Jones has made the bold claim that he’s “similar to Cole Palmer,” The Friedkin Group have surely got to be sold on making their move in the coming months.

Omari Hutchinson in the Premier League (24/25)

Stats (* per game)

#

Matches (starts)

28 (27)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Shots (on target)*

1.3 (0.6)

Big chances missed

1

Pass completion

84%

Big chances created

5

Key passes*

0.9

Dribbles*

1.6

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

Duels won*

4.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see above, Hutchinson hasn’t enjoyed the most productive of seasons in Suffolk, but there’s still something to like from his efforts, active, energetic and impressive with the manner of his strikes.

He’s missed just the one big chance in the Premier League this season. Sure, three goals is a rather modest return, but Ipswich have struggled to apply their attacking system effectively and Hutchinson could rise to the next level in a more structured and fluent Everton team.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Palmer, obviously, is operating at a much higher level, but the similarities are there. The Three Lions superstar, who Gary Neville called “a different level” after his performance against Liverpool at the weekend, has scored 39 goals and laid on 25 assists for Chelsea since joining from Manchester City in a £42.5m package in August 2023.

Potency aside, Palmer’s underlying metrics bespeak an energy and combativeness that helps him make the flashier contributions with consistency, averaging 1.6 dribbles and winning four duels per Premier League game this term (Sofascore).

The 22-year-old’s gifted ability on the ball is certainly something that Hutchinson has demonstrated too in England’s top flight, albeit to a lesser degree.

The fleet-footed talent, once of a Chelsea persuasion after graduating from Cobham, has been noted for his “seriously entertaining” style by analyst Ben Mattinson and could provide the excitement that Everton crave to go from one level to another under Moyes’ wing.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2025

Liverpool meet Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend, two teams clinging to the old way of things.

The age of corners and long throws is upon us, and here are two sides championing the slick and stylish passing play that was shaped and defined by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp across so many exciting years at the top of the English game.

This is just a bit of humour, but the truth remains that the Premier League’s tactical culture has shifted in recent months, with table-topping Arsenal masterfully secure in defence and with an incredible knack at scoring from set-pieces.

Arne Slot has tried to adapt by changing things this season, but there the Dutchman’s progress has unravelled after a summer of sweeping change.

Recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid have sparked a red revival, but this could be the toughest test of the lot, with the Etihad anything but a happy hunting ground for Liverpool in recent years.

Having reverted to type, Slot may fancy dropping Florian Wirtz for this one, even after the German’s show-stopping performance in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Why Slot could bench Florian Wirtz

There’s no denying that it’s been a tough ride for Wirtz since he completed a record-breaking £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting creative talents in the world, and having achieved staggering things in his German homeland, had been expected to hit the ground running.

Instead, Wirtz has struggled to settle into Slot’s Liverpool squad, and after ten matches and 610 minutes of action in the Premier League, he still searches for his first goal contribution.

However, there have been undeniable improvements in recent weeks, and against Real Madrid, he came alive.

The attacking midfielder’s time will come, but Slot may opt against recalling him to the starting line-up in the top flight here, instead entrusting a proven formula to get the job done against Guardiola’s title-challenging outfit.

Of course, Wirtz could always make his presence known from the bench, boasting an array of technical qualities simply out of reach for the lion’s share of positional peers across Europe.

Should Wirtz be dropped, there is another Redman who could take his place.

Slot must unleash the new Mo Salah

While it might seem like Cody Gakpo would be the perfect candidate to return to the left wing, Slot has intimated on several occasions that Hugo Ekitike has the athleticism and awareness to play off the wing.

Ultimately, that decision lies with Slot. But, without question, Liverpool must unleash Alexander Isak at number nine if the 26-year-old is given the green light.

The precondition to this indeed being an assessment of the Sweden international’s fitness, of course. Isak has missed Liverpool’s past four matches in all competitions as he recovers from a groin injury picked up against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League last month.

There’s nothing quite like Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Some of the greatest games in the division’s history have been contested between these two heavyweights over the past decade.

Isak has struggled since completing his British-record £125m move to Anfield from Newcastle on transfer deadline day, only playing eight times and scoring just once.

GK

Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB

Conor Bradley

CB

Ibrahima Konate

CB

Virgil van Dijk

LB

Andy Robertson

DM

Ryan Gravenberch

CM

Dominik Szoboszlai

CM

Alexis Mac Allister

RW

Mohamed Salah

LW

Hugo Ekitike

CF

Alexander Isak

However, injuries and Liverpool’s wider imbalances have inhibited him, and this could be the perfect opponent for him to announce himself as the club’s new talisman, taking the baton from the great Mohamed Salah as he begins to wind down.

Isak hasn’t hit his stride on Merseyside yet, but we all know what he is capable of. Last season, he scored 27 goals for the Magpies, including a strike against Liverpool at Wembley to clinch the Carabao Cup. Jamie Carragher was in awe, hailing him as “the best striker in the Premier League” back in January.

Isak typically operates higher than his counterpart, Ekitike. He is fast and intelligent, and his skill at playing off a defender and peeling away down the lane and into the danger area is almost matchless across Europe.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such data signifies not only his ball-carrying ability but his ability to drop deep and funnel play forward before blistering ahead himself and join the attack that he sparked off in the first place.

Wirtz and Isak have a partnership in the making, but fielding both here might not be the best course of action. City will look to dominate on the ball and overwhelm a Liverpool backline that has shown itself to be shaky across multiple matches this season.

It had been nine years since Liverpool last beat Man City away from home in the Premier League. That was before Slot came along.

Things are different for both clubs since that springtime showdown last year, but with Isak up front for the Reds, they will have their answer to the wrecking ball that is Erling Haaland, and maybe it will be enough to steer the champions over the line.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

Glasgow Rangers are currently enjoying the last international break of the year before their season runs through until March 2026, which means that Danny Rohl has two weeks to assess his start to life at Ibrox.

The German head coach came in to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, after the Scottish boss endured a dismal tenure in Glasgow, and was thrust straight into action with a Europa League clash against Brann within a couple of days.

Rohl has already managed six matches as the Gers head coach, winning three of them, and this international break is his first chance to settle down and take time to plan for the future.

The January transfer window is less than two months away and it will be interesting to see what moves the former Sheffield Wednesday boss wants to make with the squad.

It has already been reported that Genk central defender Mujaid Sadick is a target for the Scottish giants, with an enquiry having been made, which suggests that Rohl wants a new centre-back to bolster his backline.

Whilst incoming signings will be on the agenda, it will also be interesting to see who the head coach decides to part ways with when the January transfer window opens for business.

Rangers players whose futures may be in doubt

There are several players in the first-team squad whose futures at Ibrox are in doubt because of their lack of minutes on the pitch in the 2025/26 campaign.

Per Transfermarkt, Clinton Nsiala has not played a single minute of football under Martin, Stevie Smith, or Rohl, and that may put his future into doubt unless that changes in the next few weeks.

Football FanCast recently published an article suggesting that the 21-year-old centre-back should be given an opportunity to shine, after the Gers won seven of the 11 matches that he played in the Scottish Premiership last season.

So, whilst his future may be in doubt, Rohl should look to provide the French talent with an opportunity to impress before making a final decision on his situation.

Attacking midfielder Nedim Bajrami is another player who may be considering his future at Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window, due to his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.

The Albania international, who was signed from Sassuolo in the summer of 2024, has only played 170 minutes across ten appearances in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

As you can see in the table above, the former Serie A playmaker has rarely been used in the Premiership this season, with zero minutes under his belt under Rohl in the division.

It was reported that there were offers on the table for Bajrami in the summer transfer window, which suggests that there may be enough interest in January to finally cash in on him.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Whilst rarely-seen players like Nsiala and Bajrami may be moved on in January, rightly or wrongly, Rohl and Thelwell should also look to cash in on a player who is currently considered a first-team star, Mohamed Diomande.

The central midfielder was compared to Zidane by Turkish legend and TV pundit Nihat after the 3-1 win against Fenerbahce in the Europa League in March of last season.

After an assist in the win for the Gers, Nihat said: “Mohamed Diomande was brilliant – like the best of Zinedine Zidane – thank God they substituted him.”

However, eight months on from that incredible comparison to the Real Madrid and France legend, Rangers should ruthlessly cash in on the midfielder in January.

Why Rangers should cash in on Mohamed Diomande

Turkish side Besiktas reportedly made an offer of £10m to sign the Ivorian midfielder from the Light Blues during the summer transfer window, but that was not enough to tempt them into selling. He was also linked with a possible move to Premier League side Everton.

This suggests that there are teams who are interested in signing the left-footed star from the Gers, which means that there could be an opportunity to cash in on him when the January transfer window opens for business.

If a team are willing to pay £10m or more for the central midfielder in January, it would represent a great deal for the Light Blues because they only paid £4.3m to sign him from FC Nordsjaelland in the summer of 2024.

The 24-year-old star did impress in the 2024/25 campaign, with six goals and nine assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt), including a goal against Celtic at Parkhead in March.

However, the central midfielder’s form has taken a nosedive in the current season, unfortunately, and it may be the right time to cash in on him at the start of next year.

As you can see in the table above, Diomande’s performances in and out of possession in the Premiership have declined significantly, as he has struggled in all phases of play in the league this term.

On top of his struggles domestically, the central midfielder has started one match in the league phase of the Europa League this season and was sent off for a challenge on Genk’s El Ouahdi.

Because of his inconsistency, from last season to the current one, and his dismal performances in the Premiership, it could be the right move for Thelwell and Rohl to part ways with the midfielder in January.

Selling Diomande in January could avoid a situation where his performances continue to decline and he is worth even less in the future, and it would provide the new manager with funds to bring in his own players.

Not Gassama: Future "superstar" is Rangers' biggest talent since Tillman

This future superstar is Glasgow Rangers’ biggest talent since Malik Tillman was at Ibrox.

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By
Dan Emery

Nov 10, 2025

Of course, the risk is that the Ivorian could recapture his best form elsewhere, but this could be the best course of action given what has happened so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that he had been bowling with an illegal action “a little bit intentionally” when he was reported for a suspect action and subsequently suspended after his county stint with Surrey in 2024.Shakib had been suspended from bowling in all competitions organised by the ECB after his action was found illegal at an independent testing at Loughborough University in December last year. As per the ICC’s regulations, his suspension was automatically enforced in international cricket.”I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs [in one match],” Shakib told the podcast. “I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match. I was playing that four-day match for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton. I was so tired.Related

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“I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn’t complain.”I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, ‘okay, so these things are happening’. Then I had to train for a couple of weeks so I went back to Surrey again and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘it’s so easy’.”Shakib played just one game for Surrey last season and bowled 63.2 overs, split into 33.5 and 29.3 overs across the two innings. He was later cleared to bowl earlier this year after he gave his third bowling assessment test at Loughborough University in the UK. In the meantime he had failed a second bowling test in Chennai, after which the BCB selectors didn’t pick him for the Champions Trophy, even the board had clarified he was available to play as a batter in all forms of domestic and international cricket.

Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Adil Rashid made gains in white-ball rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2025Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali has rocketed up four places to No. 2 in the ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings after his ten-wicket haul in the first Test against South Africa in Lahore, which included a first-innings six-for. His 853 rating points are also a career-best for the spinner.South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada, who earlier occupied that second position, slipped down three positions to fifth after picking up just two wickets in Lahore.Allrounder Marco Jansen also saw a drop in his ranking, as he slid out of the top ten after he was left out of the South Africa XI in Lahore.

Full rankings tables

• Click here for the full team rankings

• Click here for the full player rankings

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up three places to 19th after his second-innings 4 for 33 helped Pakistan seal a 93-run win.Ryan Rickelton, who made 71 in the first innings against Pakistan, moved into the top 50 for the first time in the batting rankings.Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood moved up six spots to 10th in the ODI bowling charts after Australia’s win over India in a rain-affected game in Perth. Mitchell Starc moved up four spots as well, to 21st.Adil Rashid, meanwhile, claimed figures of 4 for 32 in England’s win over New Zealand in Christchurch and shot up three spots to third among T20I bowlers.