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The 2025 MLB season is fully into its stretch run, and the playoff picture has solidified. While a number of the usual suspects will likely reach the playoffs, a lot has happened since the All-Star break.

When digging into the numbers of baseball's second half, several surprising, even shocking trends have emerged. The Brewers have emerged as a powerhouse. Kyle Schwarber and Nick Kurtz have been the second-half MVPs. Meanwhile, a number of teams and players are doing things you wouldn't expect.

What follows is a look inside the numbers of the surprising trends across baseball since the All-Star break.

14.3 — fWAR by Blue Jays hitters, best in baseball, to go along with a team-wide 131 wRC+, again, the best in baseball.

8.7 — fWAR produced by the Dodgers pitchers, best in MLB since the All-Star break, a full 1.5 points higher than the Reds and Phillies, who sit in second place. Their team FIP (3.37) is also tops by a wide margin over the Pirates (3.73).

197 — Runs scored by the Astros, which ranks 29th in MLB. Only the Cardinals (185) are worse. Houston's hitters have a collective fWAR of 5.2, worst in baseball among contending teams in the second half.

265 — Runs by the White Sox since the break. That ranks fifth in baseball.

287 — Runs by the Brewers since the break, best in baseball.

3.57 — Team ERA for the Brewers, second-best in baseball behind the Dodgers. So Milwaukee is scoring the most runs and has the second-lowest team ERA since the break.

4.93 — ERA of Mets pitchers since the break, 24th in baseball and worst among contending teams. Their collective WHIP (1.41) ranks 26th and is also the worst among contenders.

14 — Second-half home runs by Trent Grisham, which is second on the Yankees. Aaron Judge's 11 home runs since the break are actually tied for fourth on the team with Jazz Chisholm. (Giancarlo Stanton leads the club with 16.)

20 — Second-half home runs for Kyle Schwarber to lead MLB. The Phillies slugger is slashing .230/.348/.592 with 54 RBIs and a wRC+ of 154 since the All-Star break. The pending free agent seems to have earned himself an obscene amount of money with his performance over the past few months.

21 — Stolen bases by (*) Juan Soto… to lead all of baseball since the All-Star break. Weird. Soto had 25 total stolen bases over the past three years entering 2025 and had never topped 12 in a season before. He only stole 11 bases in 96 games in the first half.

33 — Wins for the Brewers since the All-Star break, best in baseball.

154 — Second half wRC+ for Rafael Devers, who is slashing .269/.367/.538 since the break with 14 home runs. After a slow start in San Francisco, he has found his groove offensively.

220 — Second half wRC+ by Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz, by far the best in baseball. Kurtz is slashing .361/.474/.715, his OPS of 1.189 leads baseball, as does the 3.0 fWAR he has produced.

2.5 — fWAR for Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez, best among MLB starting pitchers since the break. He is 5–3 with a 2.67 ERA and a sparkling 2.13 FIP. With Zack Wheeler out for the season, he's Philadelphia's best starter heading into the playoffs.

0.84 — ERA for Cubs rookie Cade Horton, best among qualified starting pitchers since the break. Horton has a 7–1 record in 10 starts, has produced 1.6 fWAR, and is just what Chicago needed after losing Justin Steele for the season.

1.74 — ERA for Paul Skenes since the All-Star break. His 2.11 FIP is the best among qualified pitchers since the break, and he's averaging 11.37 strikeouts per nine innings. If anything, the Pirates star has gotten better as his second season has gone along.

99.5 — Average fastball velocity for Hunter Greene since the break. The best among MLB starting pitchers. The Reds ace is 2–1 with a 2.35 ERA since the break.

101.6 — Average fastball velocity for Padres reliever Mason Miller since the break, best among all MLB pitchers. He's 0–0 with two saves and a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings in that time and is averaging an eye-popping 15.5 strikeouts per nine innings. This one may not be surprising, but like Skenes, he appears to be getting better as his second full season goes along.

Netherlands have handed a maiden call-up to 17-year-old batter Cedric de Lange and recalled right-arm quick Sebastiaan Braat and allrounder Sikander Zulfiqar for the upcoming T20I series in Bangladesh starting August 30. The changes had to be made after Ryan Klein and Fred Klaassen were ruled out with injuries, while Saqib Zulfiqar withdrew due to personal reasons.De Lange has been a consistent performer at the Under-19 level as well as for his club and in the recent Pro Series, the domestic T20s in the Netherlands which concluded on August 20.”It’s always exciting to bring a youngster into the squad,” captain Scott Edwards said. “Cedric has been impressive all summer and he’s really earned this call-up. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can offer us on this tour and, hopefully, across a long career ahead of him.”Related

• Vikramjit back in Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Braat returns to the Netherlands side for the first time since 2021, when he played T20Is against Nepal, after solid numbers in domestic cricket as well as club cricket.Sikander Zulfiqar’s absence from international cricket was even longer, having last turned out in T20Is in 2019.”It’s also great to welcome Sebastiaan Braat back into the side,” Edwards said. “It’s been a couple of years since he last played for us, but he’s had a very strong summer at club and domestic level, and we’re looking forward to having his experience back in the group as well.”Sikander has been a valuable member of our national team before and I’m glad to see him back in orange. He’s got phenomenal ability to clear the fence late in the game and I can’t wait to see him back and amongst the group.”Netherlands have only played five T20Is against Bangladesh and this will be their first time touring Bangladesh. The series acts as a preparation ground for Netherlands, ahead of the T20 World Cup early next year, while Bangladesh will use the series as an opportunity to finalise their line-up for the Asia Cup starting September 11.Netherlands train in Sylhet for three days before their first T20I on August 30, the second on September 1, and the third on September 3.

Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Scott Edwards (capt & wk), Noah Croes, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Sikander Zulfiqar, Cedric de Lange, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Shariz Ahmad, Ben Fletcher, Daniel Doram, Sebastiaan Braat, Tim Pringle

The Tasmania left hander made a case over the last 18 months that the selectors couldn’t ignore

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-20253:09

Australia’s Ashes squad: No Konstas, Labuschagne to open?

Jake Weatherald believes maturing as a player and a cricketer has helped put him on the cusp of a Test debut he feared may never come.An aggressive left-hander, Weatherald has been picked in Australia’s 15-man squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth following a stunning career revival in Tasmania.Darwin-raised, Weatherald’s first-class career started brightly in South Australia, before a form slump and mental health challenges ended in him being dropped from the Sheffield Shield team.Related

• 'Greyhound' Doggett in line to become Australia Test Cap No. 472

• Konstas dropped, Weatherald called up for first Ashes Test

• Ashes squad talking points: Kingmaker Green to dictate Australia's plans

• Cummins feeling good for Gabba, but rest may be needed

But having scored 1391 runs at 53.5 from his past 15 first-class games since his move to Tasmania, the 31-year-old is a chance to open the batting for Australia this summer.”Playing for Australia’s the hardest thing to do in Australian sport,” Weatherald said in Hobart on Friday. “It was always a goal that felt maybe a little bit out of reach at times.”But at the same time, I probably got comfortable with myself to know that if I did the right things, at the right time, and I took my opportunities, then I’d be ready to go. It is a pinch-yourself moment.”As a kid in Australia, you grow up wanting to play professional sport; representing Australia in cricket is the highest honour, and something that I’ve aspired to my whole career.”If selectors decide to go with Weatherald, he will partner with Usman Khawaja at the top. Khawaja raised eyebrows last week when he firmly backed in his Queensland team-mate Matt Renshaw to earn an Australian recall.But Weatherald, who was getting coffee with mates when George Bailey rang with the good news, laughed off the comments, with Khawaja fully behind the newest member of the Australian squad. Khawaja joined in the fun with a “Who this?” reply to a clip of Weatherald’s interview with the .”He didn’t have me in four days ago,” Weatherald joked when asked about Khawaja now backing him to play. “You get the backing of someone like that who’s played so much first-class cricket, so much Test cricket.Jake Weatherald had been a stand out in domestic cricket•Getty Images

“He’s made so many hundreds for Australia and is such a respected cricketer within our community. I’d be really excited to partner up with him at some point.”Speaking to Fox Cricket on Thursday, Khawaja said: “He’s been knocking the door down. I’ve played a lot of cricket against him…he’s a terrific player. Conditions last year were pretty hard at Shield cricket, and he was a standout.”Weatherald’s hopes of getting into the XI could hinge on allrounder Cameron Green being able to bowl enough overs in the next Shield game for Western Australia. Labuschagne will almost certainly be back after finding form following his axing for the three Tests in the West Indies.Green batted at No.3 in the Caribbean, but could shuffle down to No.6 to accommodate Labuschagne, as well as Weatherald as an opener, if he is able to justify his position as a genuine allrounder.But Labuschagne opening, as he did unsuccessfully in the World Test Championship final, also remains an option for selectors.Green is the only member of Australia’s squad aged under 30, leading to ‘Dad’s Army’ jibes from the English. But Weatherald is confident he is only in contention for Australia because of how he has matured as a cricketer.”People laugh about it, talking about the old team that we have,” Weatherald said. “But the same time, I think that’s the biggest blessing is we’ve all matured as cricketers.Jake Weatherald’s career was transformed last season with over 900 Shield runs•Getty Images

“We’ve got to a point in our careers where we understand our games and how to handle the media, how to handle the pressures of playing first-class cricket. Hopefully that keeps me in good stead.”When the squad was announced, Bailey spoke about Weatherald’s positive approach with the bat, something the selectors have been looking for since David Warner’s retirement, but while Weatherald will bring his natural game to Test cricket he is also willing to adapt.”I think the way I operate is probably around that [being positive],” he said. “But at the same time, I’m not too preconceived about what I want to do. I feel adaptable. I don’t feel like a one-gear player. I feel like I can do different things.”If that means I have to lock in and bat a day and score 50 runs, that’s the best thing for the team and the conditions, that’s what I’ll do. But at the same time, if the opportunity is there, I’ll definitely take it.”Weatherald, who reflected on the 2005 Ashes as “his first fond memory of cricket”, is also confident of being able to deal with everything Ashes cricket will throw at him.”I think so, in terms of my mindset,” he said. “I think I’m pretty understanding of what I need to do to get ready as a cricketer but also how to deal with the pressure that comes out. I’ve never been a part of it. I’ve only been from the outside looking in. I’m sure the pressures and things that will come will be intense. But at the same time, I just see it as a great opportunity to be a part of it. And whatever happens, happens. It’s just going to be a cool thing to be a part of.”You know, the media, the Barmy Army, all that sort of stuff is going to be a pretty incredible experience.”

The Apertura 2025 Liguilla is officially set, and once again the Play-In delivered more noise than impact. For the third straight year, the top eight teams from the regular-season table advanced, reaffirming criticism of a format that never allowed ninth or 10th place to break through. With Liga MX preparing to scrap the Play-In in 2026, attention now shifts fully to the quarterfinals and Toluca’s bid for back-to-back titles.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What is at stake?

  Tijuana, Juárez, Pachuca, and Pumas battled for the final two postseason spots, but the decisive matchup only reinforced the existing hierarchy. Juárez earned its first-ever Liguilla berth by beating Pachuca – though the Bravos were already eighth in the table – adding to the belief that the Play-In has created more fatigue than competitive balance. This will be the final tournament using the format before the league returns to a traditional top-eight qualification system in Clausura 2026.

  With the bracket set, the quarterfinals begin Wednesday, Nov. 26: FC Juárez vs. Toluca, Rayados vs. América, Tijuana vs. Tigres. On Thursday, Nov. 27, Chivas vs. Cruz Azul closes the first legs.

  The second legs follow on Saturday, Nov. 29, before Cruz Azul vs. Chivas wraps the round on Sunday, Nov. 30.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  No 1. Toluca vs. No. 8 FC Juárez – The most uneven quarterfinal duel

  Juárez’s qualification came with a dramatic 2-1 win over Pachuca, but the Bravos now face the tournament’s most dominant side. Toluca enter the Liguilla as the reigning champions, top of the table, and overwhelming favorites.

  The clubs have no Liguilla history between them; their only knockout meeting was a Repechaje won by Toluca. Their most recent league match ended 2-0 for the Diablos at Estadio Olímpico Benito Juárez, with goals from Paulinho and Juan Domínguez.

  Toluca – Key to Success

  Long rest may be their only concern. With 18 days since their last official match, rhythm could be an issue. Otherwise, Antonio Mohamed’s team has been a powerhouse all season. Over two legs, they remain heavy favorites.

  Player to Watch: Paulinho

  The Portuguese striker claimed his third consecutive Liga MX Golden Boot and formed a dangerous partnership with Alexis Vega.

  FC Juárez – Key to Success

  Juárez enter as a pure underdog. To shock the champions, they must contain Paulinho and Vega at the Nemesio Díez – something few clubs have managed.

  Player to Watch: Óscar Estupiñán

  Eight goals in 13 matches made him Juárez’s primary threat. He’ll need a near-perfect series.

  GOAL's Pick: Toluca advance comfortably.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  No. 2 Tigres vs. No. 7 Tijuana – Ángel Correa vs. Gilberto Mora

  Tigres and Tijuana have met only once in Liguilla history, a matchup won by Tigres. Their regular-season meeting also went to Tigres, 2-0, with goals from Gignac and Correa.

  Tigres – Key to Success

  Guido Pizarro’s side had the league’s best away record (four wins, four draws, no losses) and the best defense (16 goals conceded). They were also the second-best attack. Maintaining those standards should be enough.

  Player to Watch: Ángel Correa

  The World Cup winner has adapted seamlessly and is central to Tigres’ attack alongside Brunetta, Lainez, and Gorriarán.

  Xolos – Key to Success

  Sebastián Abreu’s side looked sharp in the Play-In but now face one of Liga MX’s toughest teams. Xolos must take advantage of the first leg at home to have any chance.

  Player to Watch: Gilberto Mora

  The 17-year-old showed confidence with a Panenka against Juárez, but Xolos need more than just him to pull an upset.

  GOAL's Pick: Tigres move on.

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• AFP
  

  No. 3 Cruz Azul vs. No. 6 Chivas – A matchup that promises plenty

  Cruz Azul and Chivas have met three times in Liguilla play, with Guadalajara winning two series. Their most recent match came on Matchday 7, a 2-1 Cruz Azul win at Estadio Akron.

  Cruz Azul – Key to Success

  Nicolás Larcamón’s team secured third place and turned Estadio Olímpico Universitario into a fortress. If they maintain their defensive consistency, they enter as favorites.

  Player to Watch: Gabriel Fernández

  Unexpectedly retained, Fernández delivered with seven goals in the tournament.

  Chivas – Key to Success

  Gabriel Milito’s side closed the season strongly with a three-match winning streak. However, they ranked low among qualifiers in goals scored and need Armando González to continue his breakout form.

  Player to Watch: Armando González

  The 13-goal scorer shared the Golden Boot and is essential to Chivas’ chances.

  GOAL's Pick: Cruz Azul in a tight series.

The Tigers finally did it.

For the first time since Sept. 14 and for just the second time in the last two weeks, Detroit won a baseball game Thursday night, defeating the rival Guardians 4-2 at Progressive Field. The victory halted an eight-game losing streak for the Tigers and finally cooled off Cleveland, which has soared back into the postseason picture by winning 17 of its last 20 games.

The Tigers, who had a 10.5-game lead in the AL Central on Sept. 1, entered the night one game behind the Guardians after dropping the first two games of the series. With the win, Detroit climbs back into a tie for first place with Cleveland with an 86-73 record.

The Guardians, however, clinched the tiebreaker over the Tigers by winning their head-to-head series this season. If the two teams end the 162-game schedule with the same record, Cleveland will be crowned AL Central champs.

Before Thursday night's game, Fangraphs gave the Tigers a 70.6% chance to make the playoffs and an 18.6% chance to win the AL Central. But after the win, Fangraphs estimates the Tigers now have an 84.1% chance to make the playoffs and a 33.5% chance to win the division.

A huge, huge win.

Elsewhere in the American League, the Mariners officially clinched the AL West on Wednesday night—their first division title since 2001. The Blue Jays and Yankees have both secured playoff berths, but the AL East is still up for grabs, with Toronto holding the tiebreaker.

Toronto took care of business Thursday night, defeating the Red Sox 6-1, while the Yankees beat the White Sox 5-3. The Red Sox remain in the second of three AL wild-card spots, sandwiched between the Tigers and rival Yankees. The Astros, who beat the Athletics 11-5 earlier Thursday afternoon, sit one game back of the Tigers for the final wild-card spot.

Here's how everything looks after Thursday's slate of games:

American League Playoff PictureAL DIVISION LEADERS

TEAM

RECORD

Toronto Blue Jays (AL East)

91-68

Seattle Mariners (AL West; clinched)

89-69

Cleveland Guardians (AL Central)

86-63

AL WILD CARD

TEAM

RECORD

GB

New York Yankees

91-68

+5

Boston Red Sox

87-72

+1

Detroit Tigers

86-73

—

—

—

—

Houston Astros

85-74

1

Bangladesh have also dropped Mohammad Naim after a string of low scores

Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2025The Bangladesh selectors have recalled wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan and allrounder Saif Hassan in the senior men’s squad for the Asia Cup next month. There was however no place for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mohammad Naim, who were both part of the Bangladesh side that beat Pakistan 2-1 last month.The same 16-member squad will play in the three-match T20I series against the Netherlands starting on August 30. Mehidy would have missed the Netherlands matches due to personal reasons, but he also lost his place for the Asia Cup. Mehidy, the new ODI captain, returned to the T20I side after Bangladesh’s 2-1 defeat against UAE, but didn’t make a big impact. He has been named among the four standby players.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup•ESPNcricinfo LtdNaim couldn’t convert his domestic T20 form into international runs. He had scores of 32*, 3 and 10 in the three T20Is against Pakistan. Naim also didn’t perform well enough for Bangladesh A side in the Top End T20s in Darwin, Australia.Nurul’s last T20I was in the World Cup in 2022, when he made just 41 runs in five innings. He gained better form during the 2024-25 season in which he scored 513 runs at a strike rate of 132.90 across the Bangladesh Premier League, National Cricket League and the Global Super League. The 31-year-old Nurul had also led Rangpur Riders to the inaugural GSL title in 2024.Both Nurul and Saif are playing the Top End T20s. Saif struck a half-century against the Pakistan Shaheens, and 45 against the Melbourne Stars Academy. Nurul got couple of thirties in the five matches.Related

No Babar, Rizwan in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup

Vikramjit back in Netherlands squad for Bangladesh T20Is

Asia Cup: India-Pakistan set to go ahead after Indian government clarifies stance

Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam and Hasan Mahmud are the others on the standby list.Bangladesh will play the three T20Is against Netherlands on August 30, and September 1 and 3. Their Asia Cup campaign starts against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on September 11.Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup and Netherlands T20Is:Litton Das (capt, wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad SaifuddinIN: Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan
OUT: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Naim

Liverpool fans have been impressed after hearing club legend Steven Gerrard share his thoughts on the current Mohamed Salah saga. The Egyptian star has been critical of the club and manager Arne Slot after being benched in recent games for the Reds. Former defender Jamie Carragher has hit out at Salah for his comments, but Liverpool fans think Gerrard's analysis of the situation is far more accurate.

• Salah in the spotlight amid Liverpool struggles

  Salah's future at Liverpool is in the spotlight after he gave an explosive interview in the wake of being left out of the Liverpool starting XI for the third successive game against Leeds United. The Egyptian star accused the club of 'throwing him under the bus' and claimed his relationship with Slot had broken down. Salah was subsequently left out of Liverpool's next game against Inter in the Champions League, and it's not clear yet if he will feature against Brighton next time out before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. Television pundit Carragher has since made headlines by sharing his thoughts on the saga and has been very critical of Salah, calling the Liverpool star's comments a "disgrace." Another Liverpool legend, Gerrard, has now shared his thoughts on the row and has had some sympathy for Salah.

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• AFP
  

  Gerrard gives his verdict on Salah

  Gerrard told : "He's obviously really upset he's not playing, which I respect. He won’t sit out of the team, which I respect. The couple of lines about throwing people under the bus [is] wrong. He needs to reverse a little bit away from that. He needs to deal with that with the manager. This needs Virgil van Dijk to go, 'How are we sorting this out for the benefit of not the club, or the team, but the fans?' I've seen this and I've lived it. I lived it with [Luis] Suarez when he fell out with Brendan [Rodgers]. I've seen it all.  I've been there myself from a personal point of view. I did the Salah statement in 30 seconds against [Manchester] United when I got sent off. So no-one's perfect. We've all had head losses as players. We’ve all done emotional things. And I know in time when this all calms Mo will go, 'I shouldn't have said that, I maybe shouldn't have said that, I was a bit emotional, I was a bit hasty.' But at the end of the day, Liverpool football club needs Mo Salah, back playing well, back scoring goals, because he is the best player, the best scorer and he will help them get out of this. If this goes on this is bigger than what we all know and what we see."

• Liverpool fans blast 'imposter' Carragher

  Some Liverpool fans have reacted on social media to Gerrard's comments and feel he has a far better grasp on the situation than Carragher.

  Liverpool and Salah supporter @Corballyred posted on X: "That's how a real legend talks about the Salah situation and not someone with a clear agenda against Salah like Carragher."

  Another fan @PauluzRFRM added: "Situations like this tell you who's truly wise and who's not but Carragher can't relate."

  And @DivvyBet agreed, posting: "Listen to a real legend talk, not that imposter on Sky."

  @AFC_Beeb added: "This is another sensible comment from Steven G unlike @Carra23 whose comment came out like hatred for Mo. Carragher you should learn a thing or two from Gerrard and Henry with their comments."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next for Salah and Liverpool?

  Salah's future at Liverpool remains uncertain following his outburst and with Saudi Pro League clubs reportedly willing to try and tempt him away from Anfield in the January transfer window. Slot is yet to confirm if the winger will play any part in Liverpool's next game against Brighton at Anfield on Saturday, and his team sheet for the game will make for interesting reading. Salah is then due to join up with the Egypt squad for AFCON and will miss a host of games for the Reds. If Egypt do manage to make it all the way to the final, then he will not be able to return until January 19 at the earliest

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a fairly concerning injury update on the condition of Kai Havertz, who was rumoured to be in contention for this weekend’s looming North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium.

After losing star defender Gabriel Magalhaes to a thigh injury earlier this week, which cut short his international tour of duty with Brazil, the last thing Arteta needs is another injury setback.

Arsenal, who top the Premier League table after a sensational run of form and haven’t lost a single game since their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in August, have done extraordinarily well to cope without a plethora of key attackers lately — including Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus and Havertz.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Odegaard, Madueke, Havertz and Jesus have been on the treatment table for extended periods, with the latter last in line to return to action after he ruptured his ACL against Man United at the start of 2025.

Madueke is racing to be fit for this weekend’s clash with Tottenham after impressing Arsenal rehab staff in his recovery from a knee problem, with Odegaard in the same boat according to reliable media sources like Standard Sport.

Havertz was believed to be in contention as well, but an update from Nagelsmann threatens to cast some doubt over his involvement against Spurs on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was sidelined in the opening week of the Premier League campaign and required surgery on a knee issue, having only just returned from a hamstring injury which kept him out for months.

It’s been a frustrating time for Havertz, and while reports suggest he’s been excelling in his Arsenal rehab similar to Madueke, Nagelsmann has actually made a suggestion to the contrary.

Julian Nagelsmann makes Kai Havertz injury claim in worry for Arsenal

Speaking to reporters this week, the Germany boss made an interesting prediction, stating that he expects Havertz to return “towards the end of the year”.

This comes after the £280,000-per-week star also suffered a “minor relapse” of his knee injury, though Nagelsmann has moved to say that Havertz is “doing well” all things considered.

While this doesn’t mean that Havertz is definitively out for this weekend’s all-important derby clash, it doesn’t exactly paint a certain picture of his involvement either, so Arsenal could have another injury worry on their hands here after a few scares over the international break.

Luckily for Arteta, while Gabriel is a major doubt to face Tottenham, Riccardo Calafiori has been given the all-clear to play this weekend, according to Fabrizio Romano.

If Havertz does turn out to be ready for Sunday, with uncertainty surrounding him right now, it would come as an almighty boost.

Gyokeres is another Arsenal player who could miss the derby, so a return for Havertz would undoubtedly do wonders to alleviate the Swede’s absence, otherwise Mikel Merino is in line to start his third successive game as Arteta’s makeshift striker.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank needs to find a way for his team to create more chances on a consistent basis after some struggles in the Premier League of late.

The Lilywhites created a staggering eight ‘big chances’ against Copenhagen in the Champions League last week, per Sofascore, but they have been unable to showcase that level of creativity on the domestic stage.

Spurs created 0.92 xG in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, per Sofascore, after creating 0.10 xG in their defeat to Chelsea at home in their previous top-flight clash.

Per FBref, Tottenham rank 14th in the Premier League for xG, with 11.0 in 11 matches, which shows that they are far away from being one of the most creative teams in the division.

The former Brentford head coach, therefore, needs to adjust his system or work harder with the players on the training pitch to ensure that they start creating more chances.

One team selection move that Frank could make to add more creativity to the team in the short-term could be to unleash Wilson Odobert from the start after his excellent cameo on Saturday.

Why Wilson Odobert should start for Spurs

The former Burnley forward came off the bench to make a significant impact against Manchester United, as he provided the assist for Richarlison’s goal with a shot that turned into a cross.

Irrespective of whether it was intended as a shot or a cross, Odobert set himself brilliantly with a perfect first touch and struck the ball superbly, with an effort that may have gone in even if Richarlison had not made contact with the ball.

The France U21 international came on at half-time for Randal Kolo Muani and added directness and excitement to the Tottenham attack with his willingness to take players on with the ball at his feet.

Vs Man Utd

Wilson Odobert

Minutes played

45

Shots

1

Key passes

3

Big chances created

2

Dribbles completed

2/2

Pass accuracy

100%

Duels won

4/4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Odobert created two ‘big chances’ in 45 minutes of action, whilst being incredibly efficient as a dribbler, as a passer, and in his duels.

That impressive cameo against the Red Devils came after he started and scored in the 4-0 win over Copenhagen, which means that the forward has registered goal contributions in successive matches for the first time in his Tottenham career.

This shows that the French youngster is finally finding his feet in North London and is building positive momentum with his performances, which is why Frank should reward him with a start against Arsenal on the other side of the international break.

His direct play and invention with the ball at his feet could improve Tottenham’s creativity and go some way to solving some of the issues that they have had, creatively, in the Premier League this season.

Chalkboard

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

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Of course, a player will have to be dropped from the starting line-up in order to facilitate Odobert’s return to the XI, and that unfortunate man could be summer signing Xavi Simons.

Why Spurs should drop Xavi Simons

The Netherlands international created three ‘big chances’ and registered an assist in the 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League last week, delivering a brilliant through ball for Brennan Johnson to score.

Football FanCast published an article after that match suggesting that it was the kind of performance that could kickstart his season, as it was a reminder of the kind of quality that he can provide at his best.

Unfortunately, the Dutchman, who was signed from RB Leipzig for £52m in the summer transfer window, played 79 minutes against Manchester United on Saturday without creating a single chance for his teammates, per Sofascore.

Unlike Odobert, Xavi was unable to build on his Champions League performance by following it up with productivity in the Premier League, which has been an issue for him throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

After the 2-2 draw with United, content creator Ronaldo Brown claimed “Xavi Simons is the master of taking “one touch too many” which has gotten him swallowed in the Prem”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has no goals and one assist, which was a corner for Pape Matar Sarr to score, in eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season, since his move from the Bundesliga.

25/26 Premier League

Xavi Simons

Percentile rank vs AMs

xG

0.31

Bottom 22%

Shots on target

1

Bottom 11%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

Chances created

6

Bottom 46%

xA

0.64

Top 47%

Assists

1

Top 49%

Touches in opposition’s box

9

Bottom 18%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table, Xavi ranks among the worst attacking midfielders in the Premier League in a host of key metrics, aside from his one assist, which was from a set-piece.

The Dutch playmaker is yet to show the kind of quality that saw him deliver 21 goals and 21 assists in two seasons with RB Leipzig in Germany, per Sofascore, which is why Frank should ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for now.

Unfortunately, Xavi is not delivering enough quality at the top end of the pitch when given chances by Frank, whilst Odobert showed on Saturday that he can impact games in the Premier League at this stage in his development.

Related Frank must never start £130k-per-week Spurs duo together ever again

Tottenham ended up drawing a frenetic Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 9, 2025

Therefore, the Spurs head coach should ditch the Netherlands international from the XI to play Odobert in a central position, where he can drive forwards and make things happen for the Lilywhites.

When San Francisco Giants pitcher Justin Verlander was coming up, the pitching win was still an object of romance.

Verlander won 17 games in 2006, and those wins bought him an American League Rookie of the Year award. He lost 17 in 2008 to lead MLB in a lost season, and then won 24 in 2011—one of the great individual campaigns of this century.

In the present day, the pitching win is a rustic statistic mostly useful for trivia—science having long since provided more effective means of player evaluation. The fact that Verlander started his first 16 games in '25 without winning, however, vexed the baseball world anyway.

On Wednesday, he finally entered the win column, with the Giants besting the Atlanta Braves 9–3 to capture the 263rd win of his career.

Verlander was shaky, but the three-time Cy Young winner was still in there somewhere. He ended his outing with a hit, five walks and three strikeouts in five shutout innings to move to 1-8 on the season.

The surefire future Hall of Famer is MLB's active wins leader, and is two victories shy of cracking the top 40 in history.