Ollie Pope’s quickfire 56 not out underlined a dramatic second day turnabout in fortunes with Surrey taking charge of their vital Rothesay County Championship match against Warwickshire at the Kia Oval.Dom Sibley also made an unbeaten 64 as Surrey cruised to 181 for 1 in their second innings, helping Pope add an unbroken 89 after initially featuring in a 92-run opening partnership with Rory Burns, who scored 54 before being bowled through the gate by Ethan Bamber.The efforts of Surrey’s top three, indeed, had wrenched a previously hard-fought contest Surrey’s way on a clearly easing pitch for batting, with Pope’s runs taking him just 78 balls while Sibley’s 160-ball knock anchored the innings perfectly.Both Pope and Burns made their second fifties of the match and by stumps Surrey had moved ominously into an overall lead of 179 after earlier in the day bowling out Warwickshire for 248 to keep themselves in the game.Gus Atkinson led a first session fightback with the ball with 3 for 53 as Warwickshire failed to capitalise fully on an overnight 132 for 4 in reply to Surrey’s first-innings 246, although Tom Lawes’ 4 for 42 earned him the best figures following his stellar three-wicket burst late on day one.New Zealand Test batter Will Young top-scored for Warwickshire with 72, while Ed Barnard also reached a half-century and last man Nathan Gilchrist hit an unbeaten 25 to earn the visitors a slender two-run halfway lead.Will Young frustrated the Surrey attack•Getty Images

Young and Barnard, who had put on 85 in defiant style towards the end of day one, added just four more runs to their overnight partnership before Atkinson had Barnard caught at the wicket for 50 with a magnificent delivery, lifting and leaving the bat from just short of a length on the line of off stump, that the Warwickshire allrounder did well to touch.Atkinson, bowling with pace and control, was a difficult prospect although Young did slightly top-edge a pulled six wide of long leg before pulling more confidently through midwicket for four to reach an excellent half-century.At 174, though, Dan Mousley’s 44-ball 19 ended with an edge to second slip off Jordan Clark and Atkinson, recalled for a second spell before lunch, responded by removing Michael Booth with his first ball back.Booth, on 10, pushed at a sharp, rising delivery and Pope held on to his second catch of the morning at second slip before Atkinson, in his next over, also had Bamber comfortably caught at midwicket for 2 by Lawrence as he flapped an attempted pull.That left Warwickshire 204 for 8 and, in the fifth over after lunch, it became 216 for 9 when Young’s superb innings was finally brought to an end by a quite brilliant catch by Surrey keeper Ben Foakes.Diving low to his right, Foakes somehow managed to get his right glove underneath a dipping edge off Dan Worrall and it was no surprise that Young, having batted for four and a half hours and faced 166 balls, took several disbelieving backward glances at replays on the big screen as he left the field.An assault by Gilchrist on Clark, taking four fours in an over via an outside edge, an inside edge and then two perfectly-struck drives either side of cover, took Warwickshire into the lead but – two runs short of a first batting bonus point – Lawes fired a low full toss through Olly Hannon-Dalby’s effort to flick it away to have him leg-before for 7.

Worcestershire old boys increase threat of relegation as title-chasers take charge

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Sep-2025Nottinghamshire kept their Rothesay County Championship title challenge on track as they bowled Worcestershire out for 182 on the opening day at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Former Worcestershire seamers Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue reduced their former team-mates to 53 for 6 before Gareth Roderick and Tom Taylor offered some resistance.Nottinghamshire closed the first day on 46 for 1 to lay a strong platform for a victory which would keep their surprise title-bid right on track – and pretty much relegate Worcestershire to Division Two.Nottinghamshire chose to bowl in anticipation of early life in the pitch. They found plenty to reduce the home side to 37 for 5 in the 15th over. Pennington struck the first two blows, unfurling a lifter to take Rehaan Edavalath’s edge through to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and jagging one back in to trap Kashif Ali lbw.Three wickets then fell on 37. Tongue removed Jake Libby, caught behind, and Brett D’Oliviera, off stump flattened, with the last two balls of an over. When Pennington pinned Daniel Lategan (making his debut, the 556th player to play first class cricket for Worcestershire) lbw, three wickets had fallen in five balls.Tongue was mightily close to a hat-trick at the start of the next over when Roderick survived a huge lbw shout, but the next wicket wasn’t long coming as Worcestershire stirred some self-destruction into their difficult morning. Ethan Brookes played Pennington to mid-off, saw a single that wasn’t there and was well-beaten by Haseeb Hameed’s direct hit.When Matthew Waite clipped Lyndon James to midwicket just after lunch, it was were 86 for 7 but Roderick and Taylor rebuilt sensibly against strangely defensive fields. They added 71 in 17 overs and Taylor was deeply frustrated to sky a pull at Tongue and perish minutes before rain arrived to trigger an early tea.After a gloriously atmospheric hour, with forked lightning flickering amid the fusion of dark greys and greens of grass, trees, sky and cathedral at this dazzling venue, Nottinghamshire polished off the innings. Pennington pinned Ben Allison lbw and Roderick, having dug out a fighting 102-ball half-century, was lbw, sweeping, to Liam Patterson-White.Nottinghamshire lost skipper Hameed, bowled by Taylor, to the second ball of their innings. The pitch continued to offer some movement and good carry but Ben Slater and Freddie McCann, not without some playing and missing, added an unbroken 46 in 16 overs to the close to leave the east Midlands county still scenting a big first innings lead, a victory and, later this month, their seventh County Championship title.

All the records Smith and Carey broke during their 259-run stand in the second Test against Sri Lanka

Namooh Shah08-Feb-202536 Test hundreds by Steven Smith. He joins the top five list of players with most Test hundreds, equaling the record of Rahul Dravid and Joe Root.17 Test hundreds as captain by Smith, only behind Graeme Smith (25), Virat Kohli (20) and Ricky Ponting (19).7 Test hundreds by Smith in Asia. He now has the most Test hundreds for an Australia batter in the sub-continent. It is also his fourth hundred in Sri Lanka, and he now has second most Test hundreds in Sri Lanka by a visiting batter just behind Sachin Tendulkar who has five hundreds.2 – Smith took 206 innings to score thirty-six Test hundreds, becoming the second fastest player to do so, only behind Ponting, who achieved the feat in 200 innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1994 Test runs by Smith in Asia. He became the Australian with most Test runs in Asia, going past Ponting’s tally of 1889 runs.ESPNcricinfo Ltd11 – Smith has shared 200 runs partnership with a total of eleven players, the most by any batter, going past Ponting (10).156 – Alex Carey’s score of 156 is the highest score by an Australian wicketkeeper in the subcontinent, bettering the record of Adam Gilchrist’s knocks of 144 vs Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Kandy 2004 and Fatullah 2006 respectively.ESPNcricinfo Ltd259 Partnership runs between Smith and Carey is the highest fourth wicket partnership by a visiting pair in Sri Lanka, going past the 258 partnership by Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh in Pallekele in 2011.4 – Carey became the fourth Australian wicketkeeper to score 150 runs in a Test innings, the others in the list being Ian Healy, Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin.

Republic of Ireland fans are basking in Troy Parrott’s heroics in World Cup qualification, with tickets to that event still up for grabs. A hat-trick from Parrott against Hungary has kept Irish eyes smiling, with a play-off berth being secured. Having become a national hero, at least for now, AZ striker Parrott is being billed as “better than Lionel Messi” after rewriting the history books.

Ireland stunned Portugal & red-carded Ronaldo

Ireland kept their World Cup dreams alive when stunning Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Parrott was also the saviour there, as he bagged a brace, with some headlines being stolen from Cristiano Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner saw red for swinging an elbow into Dara O’Shea.

Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side headed to Hungary knowing that only another win, when collecting a notable scalp, would be enough to keep them in contention for a place at FIFA’s flagship tournament next summer.

AdvertisementFans react to Parrott's hat-trick against Hungary

They fell behind on two occasions, but battled back to secure the most dramatic of victories. There were just 10 minutes left on the clock when Parrott netted his first of the game and restored parity. He then sparked wild scenes of celebration in the away end when poking home in the 96th minute.

The Puskas Arena was left stunned, with Ireland achieving what had looked impossible. Parrott, with five goals through his last two appearances, has now reached double figures for his country. He has Irish supporters in dreamland.

@SpreeCOD posted on social media: “Troy Parrott is better than Messi.” @antooconnell added: “Give Troy Parrott the freedom of Dublin tonight. What a player. Unreal. Ireland we’re still alive and we are so back.” @PhilAndrewPhoto went on to say: “Troy Parrott, 5 goals in two games, take down the Spire and put a 100 foot bronze statue of that man outside the GPO.”

Parrott has joined Messi in the record books by becoming the first Ireland player to score a hat-trick away from home in a senior international. That means the match ball that he will be taking home holds added significance.

Parrott enjoying international fairytale with Ireland

Former Tottenham striker Parrott, who moved to the Netherlands with AZ in 2024, told reporters after his stunning hat-trick in Budapest: “I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but I think tonight, I will never have a better night in my whole life. It is a fairytale. You can't even dream about something like that. I have no words to describe the emotions right now.”

Ireland boss Hallgrimsson, speaking to RTE, said: “We seemed to be nervous at the beginning, struggling with movements and defending too late and not aggressive enough. We put in everything and threw in three strikers in the end. The guys deserved what happened and congratulations to the Irish nation for having the guys.”

While making history with his hat-trick, Parrott has become the first player to bag a treble for the Republic of Ireland since all-time leading scorer Robbie Keane in October 2014 – who managed that feat against Gibraltar.

He is just the fourth Irish player to score two or more goals in back-to-back appearances. Keane is also on that list (from 2013), alongside Jimmy Dunne (1936) and Callum Robinson (2021).

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Getty2026 World Cup play-offs: Dates for draw & qualification fixtures

Ireland ended up finishing second in Group F behind Portugal – who booked their tickets to the 2026 World Cup when crushing Armenia 9-1 without suspended captain Ronaldo. The Irish pulled two points clear of Hungary with their last-gasp victory over qualification rivals. They only scored nine goals through six matches, with Parrott contributing significantly to the collective cause.

The play-offs will feature 12 runners-up from the UEFA section of qualification, along with the four best-placed UEFA Nations League group winners who failed to finish in the top two of their respective groups. The draw to determine play-off paths will take place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on November 20 – with the matches being held in late March, 2026.

Manchester United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn, with it being revealed the midfielder has an affordable release clause, but there could be rival interest from some of Europe’s top clubs.

Gary Neville has suggested that Ruben Amorim may need to upgrade the spine of his team, given that his current options are arguably in the latter stages of their career, saying: “You’ve got the midfield, Casemiro and Bruno have got massive experience.

“Up front, they haven’t got the experience. But to me, that spine of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Maguire and De Ligt is ageing, but should be doing a lot better at holding it all together than they do.”

Casemiro has been proving age is just a number with some of his recent performances, which has led to United contacting his agent about a new contract, but with the Brazilian set to turn 34 in just over three months time, Amorim may need to start thinking about a long-term replacement.

Carlos Baleba was named as the Red Devils’ dream target earlier this week, with Elliot Anderson also of interest, despite Nottingham Forest’s huge asking price, but they have now joined the hectic race for another up-and-coming prospect…

Man Utd eyeing Hertha Berlin's Kennet Eichhorn

According to an update from Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg on X, Man United are now eyeing Hertha Berlin maestro Eichhorn, who recently broke the record to become the youngest player in the history of the 2. Bundesliga.

Lauded as an “exceptional talent” by Plettenberg, the 16-year-old is already a regular starter for the German second tier side, which has led to interest from some of Europe’s top clubs, including RB Leipzig, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

The teenager has an affordable release clause of just €10m – €12m (£9m – £11m) included in his contract with the German club, and there are plenty of indications he could be a fantastic long-term addition to Amorim’s squad.

Becoming a first-team regular at just 16 is an achievement in and of itself, with the youngster making ten appearances all competitions this season, and he has put in some impressive performances, given his age, in order to keep his place in the side.

Last month, the Hertha starlet showcased his all-round attributes in a 2-1 win against Munster, creating one big chance, while also making a combined four interceptions and tackles to keep the opposition at bay.

Eichhorn is certainly one for the future, but it is also paramount Man United bring in a midfielder capable of immediately slotting into the starting XI in January, given that Casemiro’s contract is set to expire in the summer, and Kobbie Mainoo’s future is still in major doubt…

Kobbie Mainoo in January exit talks with deal "likely" Amorim wants to keep him: Man Utd star in January exit talks with deal "likely"

Amidst discussions over his future, will Kobbie Mainoo move away from Old Trafford?

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 7, 2025

With 31 needed off 10 balls, calm Aussie sets up Somerset’s thrilling win over Surrey

Andrew Miller24-Apr-2025Was this proof of concept in a single thrilling tussle? To be at Beckenham on a historic day for women’s county cricket was to be privy to a host of competing, often conflicting, narratives … more of which shortly. However, the day’s events ended up being governed by one over-arching, all-conquering truth.As Gary Lineker didn’t quite say: Women’s cricket is played by 22 players over the course of an afternoon, and in the end, the Australian wins it.Though she’s still only 27, Amanda-Jade Wellington has not played a match for Australia for three years and counting. And yet, when she strode to the middle with two overs of Somerset’s spirited but stiff run-chase remaining, she did so with precisely the conviction that English women’s cricket is deemed to have been lacking throughout a winter of deep and lasting discontent.Which is not to say that it’s her nationality wot won it, but when you face your first ball with 31 runs still needed from 10 deliveries, and duly help yourself to six fours in seven balls to set up a last-ball burglary, it’s hard not to assume that correlation and causation are one and the same.Related

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“Naah, never!” Wellington declared afterwards, when asked if she feared that Somerset’s hopes were already dead and buried, by the time she took strike for that first delivery from Ryana MacDonald-Gay.Wellington’s finesse was remarkable to behold. There was a stillness to her decision-making from first ball to last – an early movement around the crease, but invariably a late decision to engage, as she waited for the ball to arrive then dinked it across a lush and rapid outfield. Four times she stroked MacDonald-Gay through the arc between cover and deep third, with not even a switch to round the wicket disturbing her thought process.Then, after repeating the dose against Alice Davidson-Richards, Wellington changed her tack at the sixth time of asking, walking across to the off-side to flick her sixth consecutive four through fine leg and bring the requirement down to two off two.”I just played my game,” she said. “I know it really well. I saw an opportunity where there was a massive gap. I know I’m not the strongest player, so I’m not going to hit sixes everywhere. I have to find a way to try and manipulate the field, and use the pace on the ball. That’s something I’m known for, and it worked today.”A scrambled leg-bye drew the scores level, but even with her direct role in the contest over, Wellington’s positivity shone through for Fran Wilson’s winning moment.”Naaah, there was no doubt when the field went up,” Wellington said. “I just said to Fran, if it’s a slower ball, go for it, because there’s no-one out there, and if you miss it, we’re running anyway. I back Fran Wilson every day of the week and she got us over the line.”It clearly wasn’t a one-woman show – even if Wellington was also the star turn with the ball, claiming 3 for 42 with her legspin, including two of the three England regulars in a star-studded Surrey top-order, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey.Amanda-Jade Wellington’s composed innings took Somerset to the brink of victory•Andrew MillerThere was also the small matter of Heather Knight’s return to competition, three months on from another Australia-dominated tussle in the Ashes. “We call her spring chicken … golden arm!” Wellington joked, after Knight picked off Sophia Dunkley with her second ball of the match, then embarked on a tangibly determined knock of 64 from 54 balls to give Somerset’s run-chase the ideal tempo.A comeback hundred wasn’t to be, but as she stamped her mark on an opening partnership of 122 with Emma Corney, Knight’s performance – in only her third domestic List A match since 2021 – underlined the value of England’s senior players being placed front and centre of this rebooted county competition.”It’s very important for the England players to be playing domestic cricket,” Johann Myburgh, Surrey’s head coach, said. “It’s great to see on both sides. Having them around is great for us as a group, but it’s also great for them as cricket players, in terms of having consistency and understanding how they want to play their cricket.”If you came down and watched the game today, you’d have seen a very high standard of cricket,” he added. “The game in the last five years has been evolving and getting better. The professionalisation of the game means players can spend more hours on their craft, they can enhance themselves physically and mentally, and this is just another step in that process.”It is, however, a process that will need some fine-tuning as the season unfolds. For all the fine words about the unification of the men’s and women’s games, there was something jarring about Surrey choosing Kent’s second home, Beckenham, as their venue for this historic relaunch.The logic was sound, so far as it went. For four years, this was the regular base for the now defunct South-East Stars, the regional set-up whose logo remains painted on the wall of the indoor school, so there was at least a degree of continuity for the many players who have transferred their allegiance to the Three Feathers.And yet, amid the bold talk of new men’s and women’s changing-rooms in a soon-to-be-refitted Kia Oval, it was a bit odd, at the very least, not to launch the new era on the same stage that has welcomed the men since 1845. And while the morning rain did little to lure the good folk of Bromley along to witness history, at no stage in the day did the main stand number more than 15 people.The logic for the snub was fair enough, if you’re being generous. Despite its vast proportions, the pressure on The Oval’s playing surfaces is already intense, not least due to the need to use its outer strips for net practice. Plus, there was no expense spared on Surrey’s live stream, a market-leading production in itself, with close to 3000 people tuning into its six-camera production for the finale.Things will be different when the T20 Blast takes centre stage in May, including four double-headers slated for The Oval in June and July. Then again, such exclusionary scheduling is part of the reason why the women’s game is currently playing such urgent catch-up. It’s not a distinction that the other Tier 1 clubs have felt the need to make.Instead, looming over the contest was the livery of Kent – grumpily consigned to Tier 2 of the new competition, from where their remit may well be to keep pumping their best players across the Medway, at least until they are permitted to bid for professional status from 2029 onwards.Surrey made a token effort to counter this anomaly, with two temporary signs and a further drape on the main gate, strategically positioned to blot out some of their rivals’ branding. They couldn’t do much about the vast prancing horse logo on the roof of the indoor school, however, which tends to give the complex the curious vibe of a disused Ferrari factory.Still, Myburgh wasn’t fazed by the circumstances of this launch event – “it’s been an absolute pleasure to be a part of the Surrey family,” he said – while Wellington was also happy enough with her first taste of the county grind.”It’s cold, but it’s a lovely ground,” she said. “It’s very picturesque and very English, and I think it’s very homely. It was great to see a good little crowd coming out and supporting not only Surrey but also Somerset as well, and I was very honoured to be a part of it. To put on a game like that for all the fans and everyone watching on the live stream, I couldn’t be prouder.”

If Rangers are going to reestablish themselves as both Scottish football’s dominant side but also a force in Europe once again, their recruitment simply must improve.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell gave an interview to the club’s official TV channel this week, his position very much under the microscope from supporters following a very underwhelming transfer window.

Summer signings such as Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Jayden Meghoma, Thelo Aasgaard and others have either made little impact or not impressed so far.

Rangers supporters won’t like this, but they’re going to have to replicate Celtic’s largely successful player trading model, with the side from across the city regularly selling players on for a sizable profit, something the Gers rarely do.

In fairness to them, the Light Blues did manage this with Hamza Igamane who departed this summer, so could an “exciting” new recruit be the next one to follow?

Hamza Igamane's impact at Rangers

When Igamane arrived at Rangers, he was a complete unknown quantity, signing from Botola club AS FAR in his native Morocco for £1.7m.

Well, the young striker certainly impressed during his one season in Govan, scoring 16 goals across all competitions, of which four came in the Europa League, while also bagging a hat-trick against Hibernian at Easter Road back in January.

He will though be most fondly remembered for this thunderous strike at Parkhead in March, snatching a 3-2 Old Firm victory over Celtic during Barry Ferguson’s interim tenure, awarded the club’s goal of the season.

Igamane though did not plan on sticking around in Glasgow, sold to Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille for a reported fee of £10.4m in August, which may prove to be an absolute bargain as far as les Dogues are concerned.

He scored twice on his Ligue 1 debut against Lorient at Stade du Moustoir, netting seven times for Lille to date overall, including three in the Europa League, featuring a brace against PAOK last month.

Meantime, Igamane scored his first two senior goals for Morocco in September, on target during World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Zambia, set to be a key figure in Walid Regragui’s squad for both the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil next month and then the World Cup in the summer.

Consequently, Rangers supporters may actually feel as though they let the striker go on the cheap, albeit there was nothing the club could do once his release clause was met.

So, who could be the Light Blues’ next bargain signing to depart for a huge profit, after exponentially improving his value and reputation at Ibrox?

Rangers' next Hamza Igamane

As already noted, many of Rangers’ summer signings have not impressed, hence why Russell Martin was sacked after just 17 games in charge, while, despite improvements under Danny Röhl, they remain fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the Europa League standings, still yet to pick up a point.

However, almost inarguably, the best-performing of all their summer recruits has been Djeidi Gassama.

The Mauritania-born French youth international arrived from Sheffield Wednesday for just £2.2m, available at a cut-price given that now-ousted owner Dejphon Chansiri was running the EFL Championship club into the ground at the time, which looks like being a complete bargain, with the table below documenting the winger’s importance.

Indeed, only Jack Butland, John Souttar and captain James Tavernier have played more minutes than Gassama so far this season and rightly so.

The Frenchman ranks first when it comes to goals, shots per 90 and successful dribbles per 90, with five of his six goals to date coming in European competition, on target home and away against Panathinaikos, at the double when Viktoria Plzeň visited Glasgow, while also on target in defeat at Sturm Graz.

Upon his arrival, then-manager Martin labelled Gassama an “exciting player who will get supporters on the edge of their seats”, while the winger expressed his delight in being reunited with manager Röhl, who’d also been his boss at Hillsborough, describing the German as “like a father to me”.

Earlier in the campaign, when Rangers’ form was diabolical, former right-back Alan Hutton asserted that Gassama had been their “shining light”, now only likely to get better under Röhl, the coach who kick-started his rise at Sheffield Wednesday.

Well, according to Football Transfers, Gassama’s estimated market value has already increased to around £4.5m, more than double what Rangers paid to sign him.

Scoring goals in Europe will certainly attract interest, proving that the attacker can perform at a higher level than just the Scottish Premiership.

Thus, still only 22 years old, Gassama appears destined to become Rangers’ next Igamane-like sale, while, for now, Röhl has to build a cohesive team to get the best out of his star forward.

Not Chermiti or Miovski: £4.5m flop is one of Rangers' worst ever signings

Rangers recruitment has been poor for many years, so which “insane talent” not Youssef Chermiti nor Bojan Miovski is one of the club’s worst signings.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 13, 2025

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has revealed how close Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk came to leaving Anfield as free agents in the summer of 2025. Two talismanic figures on Merseyside entered the final year of their respective contracts before eventually agreeing fresh terms. The Reds were prepared to walk away from discussions there if the numbers did not make sense.

• Exit fear: Van Dijk & Salah entered final year of deals

  Van Dijk has been an on-field leader throughout his time with Liverpool and now fills the captain’s armband. He hoisted the Premier League title aloft last season and has passed 330 appearances for the Reds having joined them from Southampton for £75 million ($98m) in January 2018. He is now tied to a deal through to 2027.

  Salah’s contract has been extended to the same point, with the Egyptian superstar being talked into a prolonged stay with the Reds. After being heavily linked with teams in the Saudi Pro League, the prolific forward is looking to complete a decade of service at Anfield. He has plundered 250 goals through 417 appearances.

  There was the threat at one stage of both Van Dijk and Salah moving on, leaving Liverpool with sizeable holes to fill in their squad. Protracted discussions ultimately delivered agreements that everybody is happy with.

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• Getty
  

  Contract talks: How Liverpool get Salah & Van Dijk to stay

  Discussing that process, Werner has told of how sporting director Richard Hughes helped to avoid any drama on the exit front for John W Henry and Fenway Sports Group: "My impatience is balanced by his patience. I'd call him frequently and say, ‘Richard, how are things going with Mo Salah and his contract?’, and he would say, ‘Tom, it will all be good in the end’. I think all the agents who deal with him would say that he conducts business in a very respectful way. He has a plan and he executes it.

  "We were delighted that the new contracts for Mo and Virgil were sorted. But you know what? If Richard had called and said, ‘The chasm is too big’, I would have respected that too. John, Mike and I try to find people who are excellent at their jobs and let them do their jobs. We don't meddle, we just provide support and advice from our point of view. There's a lot of trust. I can't say enough wonderful things about Richard."

• Could Salah leave? Transfer admission

  While Liverpool fans were delighted to see Van Dijk and Salah stay, both have seen their performances in 2025-26 called into question. Wayne Rooney is among those to have demanded more from the Reds’ skipper when it comes to maintaining high standards.

  It has been suggested that Salah may yet be moved on, while Liverpool can demand a fee, with ex-Reds goalkeeper David James telling GOAL recently: "You could envisage a situation where Mo's numbers aren't what Liverpool need. And if there were a potential suitor somewhere else, then I'm sure with conversation, because Mo does have a say in it, that Liverpool would be willing to let him go.

  "Under contract, I don't think I could see a situation where Mo's going to hang around just to get paid. I think there would be a situation where, through conversation because I know the dialogue with Liverpool is always really good, that the two parties would sit down and discuss the future.

  "However, if Mo starts doing what Liverpool would like him to do and Mo I'm sure would like to do and starts scoring loads of goals, then their hand could be forced by a potential suitor, because whatever club is interested, Saudi logically as they're the ones with the money, they may make an offer that Liverpool can't refuse."

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  Liverpool fixtures: Next up for the Reds

  Defending Premier League champions Liverpool, who have slipped to eighth in the table through 11 games this season – suffering five defeats and conceding 17 goals – will be back in action after the November international break on Saturday when playing host to Nottingham Forest, who sit inside the relegation zone.

Big names are missing due to the Asia Cup and India A’s multi-day series against Australia A

Ashish Pant10-Sep-2025

Big picture: Big names missing in finalWith a host of big names either playing the Asia Cup or getting ready for India A’s red-ball series against Australia A, the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru is expected to be a low-key affair. Both South Zone and Central Zone have brought in reinforcements after their respective semi-finals.Central Zone have made four changes, with Vidarbha seamer Nachiket Bhute, Madhya Pradesh’s Kumar Kartikeya and Kuldeep Sen, and Rajasthan’s left-arm spinner Kukna Ajay Singh getting into the mix. They come in for Yash Thakur, Harsh Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed and Manav Suthar, who have departed for the four-day series against Australia A in Lucknow.South Zone, meanwhile, have brought in Karnataka’s R Smaran and Tamil Nadu’s C Andre Siddarth in place of Devdutt Padikkal and N Jagadeesan.Related

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Shubham Sharma – a low-profile red-ball warrior in the T20 era

Danish Malewar's bright start and big ambitions

Central Zone’s batting looks formidable. Three of the four highest run-scorers in the tournament belong to them: Danish Malewar (294), Rajat Patidar (268) and Shubham Sharma (252). The bowling, however, is severely depleted, with four of their frontliners out of the final.The onus will be on offspinner Saransh Jain, who got a match haul of 8 for 205, and, with that, the Player-of-the-Match award in the semi-final against West Zone, to continue his form. Central Zone will also hope for Deepak Chahar to get back among the wickets. The seamer has had a lukewarm Duleep Trophy so far – two wickets in three innings at 58 – and hasn’t found much movement with the new ball.South Zone have an inexperienced batting unit, and will bank on Tanmay Agarwal, Ricky Bhui and captain Mohammed Azharuddeen to get some runs. The bowlers, led by quick Gurjapneet Singh, were impressive in the semi-final against North Zone, and will hope to continue their wicket-taking form.Central Zone have only played at Ground B, which has a black-soil pitch, while South Zone have previous experience of playing at Ground A, which will host the final, and has a red-soil pitch. Both teams dominated their respective semi-finals, qualifying by virtue of a first-innings lead.The Duleep Trophy final will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app.Rajat Patidar has a strike rate of 106.34 in the Duleep Trophy this season•PTI

In the spotlight: Rajat Patidar and Mohammed AzharuddeenWith scores of 125, 66 and 77, Rajat Patidar has been in impressive form in the Duleep Trophy. He is third on the run charts, while his strike rate of 106.34 is the highest for any batter to have played more than six balls in the tournament. Patidar’s captaincy has also stood out in both games, but with many of his frontline bowlers missing, it will be tested in the final.South Zone captain Mohammed Azharuddeen missed out on an excellent batting pitch in the semi-final. He will want to make amends. Azharuddeen, who will also keep wicket with Jagadeesan away, had a terrific Ranji Trophy 2024-25, scoring 635 runs at 70.55 in Kerala’s run to the final. He also entered the Duleep Trophy on the back of a decent Kerala Cricket League, where he recorded 253 runs in eight innings.Team news: Central’s new bowlersSouth Zone could send Shaik Rasheed to open alongside Tanmay, while Smaran could come into the middle order. Salman Nizar was struck on the knee during the semi-final, and had to be carried to the dugout. If he fails to recover in time, they could bring Siddarth into the XI.South Zone (probable): 1 Shaik Rasheed, 2 Tanmay Agarwal, 3 Mohit Kale, 4 R Smaran, 5 Ricky Bhui (vice-capt), 6 C Andre Siddarth/Salman Nizar, 7 Mohammed Azharuddeen (capt, wk), 8 Tanay Thyagarajan, 9 Gurjapneet Singh, 10 Vasuki Koushik, 11 MD NidheeshDeepak Chahar has two wickets at an average of 58 in this season’s Duleep Trophy•PTI

Central Zone are unlikely to tinker with their batting order, but will have to field almost a fresh bowling unit. While Chahar is likely to hold on to his place, Kartikeya, Kuldeep and Aditya Thakare could all come into the side.Central Zone (probable): 1 Aayush Pandey, 2 Danish Malewar, 3 Shubham Sharma, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Yash Rathod, 6 Upendra Yadav (wk), 7 Aditya Thakare, 8 Saransh Jain, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Kumar Kartikeya, 11 Kuldeep SenPitch and conditions: Runs galoreThe surface at Ground A has been excellent for batting. Neither of the two Duleep Trophy games played there had a fourth innings, with only 45 wickets falling across the quarter-final and the semi-final. According to the weather forecast, there could be a mix of cloudy skies and rain showers throughout the five days of the final.Quotes”There was something for the fast bowlers, especially when they were hitting the seam – it was moving in and out. But we need to be really patient for that one ball. We know that it is a flat wicket, but we also know that there will be something in between.

After the Cubs' first game of a doubleheader on Monday vs. the Brewers, Chicago manager Craig Counsell announced that right fielder Kyle Tucker would be benched for the next couple games, including Monday night's contest.

The decision was made after the Wrigley Field fans showed Tucker their frustration on Monday by booing him after his final three at-bats. Tucker's notably been in a slump the past month or so.

"The fans are frustrated, and Kyle is frustrated," Counsell said. "When you make outs, it doesn't look good. He's trying. It's just not clicking. We're going to have to take a step back here, just give him some days off to reset him, hopefully."

So far in August, Tucker is slashing .160/.250/.160, which is all significantly lower than the averages he posted in every other month this season. In June, for example, he posted .311/.404/.578. He's only had eight hits and one RBI in August.

Tucker hasn't hit a home run since July 19 (his only homer of July) after starting the year off with 17 homers through June. He seemed to be comfortable crushing the ball this season, and started out the season hitting four home runs in four consecutive games, a personal record for Tucker. Those highlights feel like a long time ago.

Something definitely needs to change for Tucker's game if he wants to help lead the Cubs to the postseason. The Cubs themselves are in a bit of a slump, as Chicago's only won seven of their 16 games in August so far. It doesn't help that the Brewers, their opponent this week and NL Central rival, continue to dominate with a league-best 79-45 record. The Cubs hold the first wild-card spot in the NL with a 70-54 record.