India coach Gautam Gambhir sees big things ahead in Yashasvi Jaiswal’s career after the opener made his first ODI century on Saturday.Jaiswal is a regular in India’s Test team but has only played four ODIs. He got his chance against South Africa, with regular opener and captain Shubman Gill out injured.”In [the] one-day format, you need to know the template you want to play,” Gambhir said after India beat South Africa by nine wickets. “When you come into white-ball cricket from red-ball cricket, you think you have to bat aggressively. But you don’t need to bat aggressively in one-day cricket, because you can split it into 30 overs and 20 overs.Related

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“If you play 30 overs like one-day cricket – and the quality that Jaiswal has, if he can bat till 30 overs – there is no doubt he will be close to a hundred. Even after that, you have 20 overs left, which you can look at as a T20 match. It is only about finding a template. This was just Jaiswal’s fourth game. The moment he figures out which tempo he needs to bat in one-day cricket, the sky is the limit.”Jaiswal batted through the innings: first in the company of Rohit Sharma, with whom he put on 155 runs, and then with Virat Kohli, with whom his second-wicket, unconquered partnership of 116 ushered India to victory. Earlier in the series, another non-regular member of the ODI squad, Ruturaj Gaikwad, stepped up to score a hundred as well. He scored it from No. 4, even though he is a specialist top-order batter.Ruturaj Gaikwad got to his maiden hundred in the second ODI•BCCI

“Someone like Rutu, who’s batted out of position… He’s a quality player, we all know. We wanted to give him an opportunity in this series because of the kind of form he was in with India A. And he actually grabbed that opportunity with both hands, getting a hundred in the second game. And when we were under pressure actually – we were 40 for 2 – and then getting that kind of a hundred was proper quality.”Both players are likely to slip out of contention though, with Gill already fit to start India’s T20I series against South Africa, and Shreyas Iyer recovering well from his spleen injury.”Look, we try and give [new players] opportunities wherever we can. Because we still want a reasonable group… probably around 20-25 players in that group before the World Cup.”But once your captain and vice-captain [Iyer in ODIs] is back, obviously they are your starters. But yes, what they [Jaiswal and Gaikwad] had to do [with their opportunities], they have done that. And hopefully whenever it is possible, we will try and give them opportunities.”And more importantly, I think they need to keep themselves motivated because they should be ready whenever they get that opportunity. “Harshit Rana has been earmarked as India’s No. 8•BCCI

India have been trying to gain depth in their ODI XI, so that they can score at a high tempo through the innings, and are looking at Harshit Rana as an option to lengthen their batting line-up.”That’s one of the reasons why we are trying to probably develop someone like Harshit, who can actually bat at 8 and contribute with a bat at No. 8. That’s how we need to find the balance, because come South Africa in two years’ time, we would be needing three proper seamers as well.”And if he can continue to develop as a bowling allrounder, it’s going to give us a massive boost. Because obviously with Jasprit Bumrah coming back, and what we saw of Arshdeep [Singh], Prasidh [Krishna] and Harshit in this series, [it] was incredible.”All these three guys do not have a lot of experience under their belts, especially in the 50-over format… They’ve hardly played less than 15 ODIs, all these three bowlers, but they’ve done a fabulous job. So I feel that if we can develop someone like Harshit at No. 8, who can contribute with the bat, I think it is going to give us the right balance as well… Let’s see. I think it’s still a long way.”India have also been using Washington Sundar in various roles in both red- and white-ball cricket. Gambhir touched on that: “I’ve always believed in white-ball cricket, batting orders are very overrated. Except the opening combination, I think it is very, very overrated. Yes, [in] Test cricket obviously you’ve got to have a fixed batting order. But again, you’re talking about someone who’s got a hundred at Manchester, you’ve got someone who’s got a fifty at Oval, who averages what, 40-plus in Test cricket.”And sometimes, you’ve got to look at the balance as well. I know it’s tough on someone like Washi, but then I think he’s done an incredible job – whether he’s batted at No. 3, he’s batted at No. 5, he’s batted at No. 7, 8. And that’s the kind of character he is, and that’s the kind of character we want in that dressing room, who are willing to do everything for the team with a smile on his face, which me as a batter knows how tough it is.”We’ve asked him to bat in Manchester at No. 5, he got a 100. We asked him the next game to bat at No. 8, he got a 50. And at Eden Gardens, he contributed at No. 3. Again, he contributed at No. 8 in Guwahati. So I feel we need characters like that, who are willing to put everything for the team. And I’m sure he’s going to continue doing that and we’ve got to keep developing him, because he’s got a massive future ahead for Indian cricket.”

The MLB season is at the midway point and the top two teams from preseason remain the betting favorites. There are some new contenders making a move up the oddsboard, however. 

The Dodgers remain the betting favorite at FanDuel Sportsbooks with +210 odds. They were +240 before the season began and currently have the best record in baseball at 52-31. 

The Yankees, who were +900 to start the year, are now +650. They are 47-34 and lead the AL East by 1.5 games over the Tampa Bay Rays, who are one of the big movers up the oddsboard with +2500 odds at FanDuel after starting the year +5000. 

The Tigers, who have the second-best record in baseball, are another big mover. They’re currently +850 at FD after opening the year at +3000. 

The Phillies are tied with the Dodgers for the second-best odds at +850. They were +1000 before the season began. 

The Braves are one of the biggest movers down the oddsboard. They opened at +850 but are now +4000. The Braves are 37-44 and in third place in the NL East behind the Phillies and Mets. 

The Mets are +1200 after opening the year +1100. They’ve been going through a cold streak, having won just three of their last 10 games. 

The Orioles are the biggest movers down the oddsboard. They opened the season at +1600 but now find themselves at +21000 after starting the year 35-46 and being in last place in the AL East. 

The MLB All-Star break is July 15 and the trade deadline is July 31. Much will change in these odds between now and then and we’ll be sure to provide an update around those events. But it felt apt to take a look at the odds with most teams either at or just past the midway point of the 162-game season. 

Here are the World Series odds for every team at FanDuel Sportsbook. 

2025 World Series OddsLos Angeles Dodgers +210New York Yankees +650Philadelphia Phillies +850Detroit Tigers +850Houston Astros +1100New York Mets +1200Chicago Cubs +1400Tampa Bay Rays +2500Seattle Mariners +3200San Diego Padres +3300San Francisco Giants +3400Toronto Blue Jays +3700Atlanta Braves +4000Milwaukee Brewers +4400Texas Rangers +4500Boston Red Sox +6000Minnesota Twins +6000St. Louis Cardinals +6000Arizona Diamondbacks +7500Cleveland Guardians +9000Kansas City Royals +11000Cincinnati Reds +11000Baltimore Orioles +21000Los Angeles Angels +34000Colorado Rockies +50000Washington Nationals +50000Pittsburgh Pirates +50000Chicago White Sox +50000Miami Marlins +50000Athletics +50000

Behind the wicket is this unorthodox India batter’s happy place

Deivarayan Muthu22-Oct-20241:37

Manjrekar: Sarfaraz should walk into India’s XI for the Australia tour

When Will O’Rourke, at 6’4″, the tallest bowler in the current New Zealand attack banged one into the pitch in Bengaluru, it seemed destined to smack Sarfaraz Khan on his head until an impish intervention from the batter. Sarfaraz had originally misjudged the bounce as he tried to avoid the bouncer. To make matters worse, it kept veering into him as well. The fates had decided he was going to end up on his backside. He said, ‘fine but I’m getting something out of it’ and somehow ramped a ball that was pushing him down into the floor for a boundary.Ramps are ostentatious shots for most batters but for Sarfaraz it is staple. It’s his signature. Like how the cover drive is Virat Kohli’s. Like how the pull is Rohit Sharma’s. Like how the one-handed loft is Rishabh Pant’s.Having been bred on the bouncy, red-soil pitches in Mumbai, Sarfaraz has developed various versions of this shot, from the delicate dab ramp over the cordon to the full-blooded scythe over deep third. And he can play these shots to balls ranging from just back-of-a-length to a bouncer by twisting his body like a contortionist to get underneath the ball.He even played the ramp off a full and wide one from Bhuvneshwar Kumar back in IPL 2016 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Having spotted Sarfaraz manufacture swinging room, Bhuvneshwar had shifted his lines wide of off stump, but the batter still caught up with the ball, got underneath it, and ramped it over the deep-third boundary. Sarfaraz was only 18 then. This ability to manipulate the “V” behind the wicket has been with him from day one of a professional cricket career that is now in its 10th year.Sarfaraz showed his full range behind square in the first Test against New Zealand at the same venue where he had bested Bhuvneshwar as a teenager. Look at his wagon wheel from the recent Bengaluru Test. He scored 96 of his 150 runs behind the wicket.Fourteen of Sarfaraz’s 21 boundaries in the first Test came behind the wicket•ESPNcricinfo LtdSarfaraz was dismissed for a duck in the first innings. When there was excessive seam movement for New Zealand’s seamers under overcast skies, he went hard at the ball and ended up playing well in front of the body, shanking a catch to mid-off. In the second innings, when the pitch had lost its early juice, and there wasn’t as much lateral movement, Sarfaraz allowed the ball to come onto him and kept directing it behind the wicket. Believe it or not, he had not scored a single run in the “V” in front of wicket until after his hundred.”I like playing the balls that rise high. I have a bouncy wicket back at home [Mumbai], and I play regularly there, and the bounce easily allows me to cut,” Sarfaraz said. “They [New Zealand] were trying to bowl short at me, and I simply played accordingly. It was fun.”Related

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It’s not always fun though. The same shot that left jaws on the floor in Bengaluru – the duck ramp – led to his downfall in Lucknow. It was IPL 2023. Mark Wood was the bowler and he was giving Sarfaraz a serious working over to the extent that he was caught off a bouncer that he had initially tried to avoid. That couldn’t have felt good. It certainly didn’t look good. That dismissal epitomised the risk that comes with unorthodox strokeplay; not so much that it could result in your downfall but more that it makes you look silly. Sarfaraz is happy to live with this risk. He trains to try and minimise this risk. When he met Wood again in the Dharamsala Test earlier this year, he ramped the fast bowler, nonchalantly, to the deep-third boundary.The pitch in Pune might not offer as much bounce for Sarfaraz to play his ramps, with a bald, back-soil surface set to negate the seamers and bring the spinners into play. Sarfaraz, though, can also disrupt spin, thanks to a number of sweeps, including the reverse. He crouches low for these sweeps and often crunches them flat and hard – both in front of and behind the wicket.Sarfaraz Khan countered the short balls with the ramp•BCCIWhen Ajaz Patel dangled a full ball up outside off in India’s second innings in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz stretched out, met the pitch of the ball, and swept so hard that it sounded like a thunderclap. Earlier, in the Irani Cup, when Saransh Jain, the emerging offspinner from Madhya Pradesh, blocked the sweep with a packed leg-side field, Sarfaraz unfurled the reverse-sweep and countered him.With Shubman Gill likely to be fit for the second Test, India will have to make a choice between Sarfaraz and KL Rahul. It will incredibly hard for the team management to ignore Sarfaraz, especially after he had scored his maiden Test hundred, which had them dreaming about a remarkable comeback win at one point, though Rahul has a case for himself: he was a bit unlucky in Bengaluru and has a strong body of work overseas.”Sarfaraz was obviously brilliant in the last Test,” Ryan ten Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, said on Tuesday. “I went to KL after the last Test and said: ‘how many balls did you play and miss at?’ He didn’t play and miss one ball and that’s what tends to happen when you’re not getting runs. He got the two balls in the game – one caught down the leg side and one that he managed to nick.”So there’s certainly no concerns about KL. He’s batting nicely, he’s in a good mental space, but yeah, we’re certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch now and decide what’s going to be best for the team.”For so long, Sarfaraz has been on the outside looking in on this Indian team. But bit by bit, day by day, shot by shot, his chances of making it to the first-choice XI are ramping up.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lavished praise on a Gunners who’s done something he never expected.

Arsenal look to extend unbeaten run against Brentford

Arsenal return to the Emirates tonight seeking to rebuild momentum against Brentford following Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea, where Arteta’s side failed to capitalize on their one-man advantage despite playing almost an hour against ten men.

The north Londoners have also seen their five-point lead atop the Premier League table reduced to two after Man City’s thrilling 5-4 win away to Fulham on Tuesday, so nothing but a win will do against one of the worst away teams in the division this evening.

Arteta faces selection dilemmas ahead of Brentford’s visit, with defensive concerns persisting following the unexpected absence of both first-choice centre-backs at Stamford Bridge.

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

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

William Saliba suffered a training ground injury in the build up to Chelsea, compounding Gabriel Magalhaes’ absence and marking only the second occasion in 162 matches both defenders have missed simultaneously.

It could well be the third time in 163 matches against Brentford, with Saliba a doubt for tonight’s clash and Gabriel still weeks away from returning to the field.

Arsenal’s incredible unbeaten streak has now reached 17 matches across all competitions, yet Arteta demands improvements following the Chelsea stalemate. The Gunners managed just eight shots at Stamford Bridge – their lowest total in any Premier League fixture this season.

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The Gunners are ‘captivated’ by him.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

Leandro Trossard, who’s been in excellent form with 10 goal contributions already this term, looks set to miss the Brentford game with Havertz also suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee injury.

Mikel Arteta says Merino has took him by surprise at Arsenal

Bearing this in mind, if Arteta doesn’t start Viktor Gyokeres, then makeshift number nine Mikel Merino could well be handed another chance to impress.

The Spain international has been nothing short of extraordinary in a very unfamiliar role, scoring 20 goals this calendar year for club and country, and Arteta has now had his say on the matter.

When asked by reporters whether he thought Merino could become a striker like this, Arteta admitted the 29-year-old has taken him completely by surprise.

Merino’s equaliser ensured that Arsenal’s unbeaten streak didn’t end in west London on Sunday, and the former Newcastle star has fast become a fan favourite.

2025 has been a real year to remember for the midfielder, who was one of Edu’s final signings before his departure as sporting director late last year.

Arteta can take a lot of the credit for transforming Merino into an attacking powerhouse and having the initiative to experiment with him up front, but the versatile star has seized that opportunity with both hands.

Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle has tipped a ‘world-class’ member of Thomas Frank’s squad to snub new contract talks amid interest from world football’s elite sides.

Tottenham enjoy mini Thomas Frank revival after two consecutive wins

Frank’s Tottenham tenure was heading towards crisis territory just days ago, but consecutive victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague have injected fresh optimism into a campaign that threatened to derail completely.

Saturday’s 2-0 triumph against Brentford represented far more than three precious points — it also went a long way to vindicating Frank’s approach after mounting pressure following a dismal five-match winless streak.

The victory, sealed through first-half strikes from Richarlison and Xavi Simons, ended Tottenham’s agonizing wait for a home Premier League win since their opening-day demolition of Burnley.

Frank described the performance as “very complete,” highlighting his side’s dynamism, unpredictability and defensive discipline that restricted Brentford to just four attempts throughout the match.

Owen Hargreaves says "exceptional" Tottenham star outshone Simons against Prague

It was a great night for Spurs in Europe.

ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago

Simons, who has attracted criticism since his £52 million arrival from RB Leipzig, put in a Player of the Match display.

The Netherlands international orchestrated both goals, curving his run brilliantly to deliver Richarlison’s tap-in before producing a sensational solo effort, driving from halfway into Brentford’s penalty area to slide past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague continued the momentum, extending Tottenham’s remarkable home European record to 23 consecutive matches without defeat.

An own goal from David Zima, and penalties from Mohammed Kudus and Simons, elevated Spurs into the top eight of the Champions League standings with 11 points from six games.

Kudus was Tottenham’s ‘best player by far’ on the night as he continues to justify his £55 million transfer from West Ham in the summer, but Micky van de Ven once again proved himself indispensable too.

According to recent reports, Spurs are ready to offer van de Ven a ‘double your money’ contract in an attempt to ward off the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea, who’ve shown interest in the Dutchman.

Van de Ven is an indispensable member of the Lilywhites backline and scored what was perhaps their goal of the season against FC Copenhagen recently, mimicking Son Heung-min’s famous Puskas winner with a mazy run from deep inside his own half.

Interest in the 24-year-old is inevitable, with Hoddle now commenting on the defender’s long-term future.

Glenn Hoddle tips van de Ven to snub Tottenham contract offer

Amid claims that Spurs are eager to tie down their superstar centre-back, Hoddle has now told Capital Football that he expects van de Ven to snub Tottenham’s advances over a new deal.

Hoddle adds that he is the club’s ‘only’ world-class player, and could ply his trade at basically any team in the world.

The former Wolfsburg star was also a vital member of Ange Postecoglou’s team and key to the Australian’s high line. Whenever van de Ven was absent through injury, you noticed, and he’d be an equally hard player to replace for Frank.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is the only Spurs star to play more Premier League minutes this season than van de Ven, highlighting just how pivotal he is for Tottenham’s new boss.

Replacing him would be a near-impossible task, but luckily for the club, he’s already contracted until 2029.

أعلن الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم ”يويفا” عن حكم مباراة نادي برشلونة أمام آينتراخت فرانكفورت، والتي سوف تلعب ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسوف يستضيف برشلونة نظيره فرانكفورت يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، وذلك ضمن الجولة السادسة من مرحلة الدوري في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث ستلعب المواجهة على ملعب “كامب نو”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فليك بعد الفوز على ريال بيتيس: لن أفكر في الجانب السلبي.. ولامين يامال وافق على طلبي

ويسعى برشلونة إلى تحقيق الفوز على فرانكفورت، من أجل تحسين وضعه في مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا، ومن أجل المحاولة للصعود من أول 8 فرق إلى دور الـ16.

وأشار يويفا، إلى أن مباراة برشلونة وفرانكفورت سوف يكون مسؤولًا عنها طاقم تحكيم إيطالي بقيادة دافيد ماسا، والذي سوف يعاونه كل من فيليبو ميلي، وستيفانو أليسيو.

وأفاد يويفا، أن الحكم الرابع في لقاء برشلونة وفرانكفورت سيكون سيموني سوزا، بينما يتواجد في تقنية الفار ماركو دي بيلو ويعاونه ألياندرو دي باولو.

برشلونة يحتل المركز الـ18 في مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال أوروبا برصيد 7 نقاط، ويدخل مباراة فرانكفورت بشأن تعويض الخسارة أمام تشيلسي في الجولة الماضية بثلاثة أهداف دون رد.

The Saudi PIF takeover at Newcastle United in recent years has allowed a new generation of supporters to witness unthinkable levels of success on the pitch.

Eddie Howe has led the Magpies to multiple seasons competing in the Champions League, something which was a far-fetched dream under the ownership of Mike Ashley.

The hierarchy has invested serious money into the first-team squad over the last couple of years, which has allowed for numerous high/profile international names to move to St James’ Park.

Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes are just two players who are Brazilian internationals but also operating at the heart of the Magpies squad – something which was once an unthinkable sentence.

However, one other player could be set for a spell in the national team in the months ahead, especially if he keeps up his tremendous form in the Premier League.

Why Barnes could start at the World Cup

Over the last couple of weeks, winger Harvey Barnes has hit a tremendous run of form that has seen him nail down the left-wing role in Newcastle’s starting eleven.

The 27-year-old has started seven matches in the Premier League this campaign, already netting on three occasions, with his showing against Manchester City his best to date.

He scored a double against Pep Guardiola’s men at St James’ Park at the end of last month, subsequently securing a vital win for the Magpies on Tyneside.

Barnes has also thrived on the European stage, as seen by his tally of four Champions League goals in just five appearances – with two of which coming in just 27 minutes against Benfica.

As a result, rumours have been circulating over a potential call-up to the Scotland national team, with the winger potentially able to represent the nation through his grandparents.

He could feature at the World Cup in 2026, but he may even do so for England, with Barnes currently keeping international star Anthony Gordon out of the Magpies’ starting eleven at present.

It will certainly be a key few months for the winger, but it’s an exciting one for sure, which could see him reap the rewards of his recent success for Howe’s men.

The Newcastle star who has to start at the World Cup

As previously mentioned, the current Newcastle squad is littered with international stars, many of whom have taken their careers to the next level since their moves to the North East.

Dan Burn arrived in a fairytale return to St James’ after growing up in the area as a boy, but his move to the Magpies from Brighton in 2022 has seen the 33-year-old reach unimaginable heights.

The centre-back has been a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s England international setup, as seen by his tally of five appearances to date – with his debut coming back in March of this year.

It remains to be seen if he will have done enough to go to the World Cup in around six months’ time, but the defender has certainly done his chances no harm in recent times.

There is also a huge argument that Lewis Hall should be England’s starting left-back in the USA next summer and rightfully so given his recent form in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old has struggled with injuries at times in 2025/26, but it’s not stopped him from starring when handed the chance to start within Howe’s first-team squad.

The £28m man been selected to play in seven league games to date, with Hall making his comeback from an injury layoff during the Champions League victory over Athletic Bilbao back in November.

Hall has since started all four league games for the Magpies and has subsequently produced some incredible numbers, which could solve England’s long-standing left-back issue.

The £45k-per-week full-back, who’s been dubbed an “absolute baller” by scout Antonio Mango, has completed 2.1 dribbles per 90 whilst achieving a success rate of 69% to date – showcasing the incredible ability he possesses in possession.

He’s also completed 85% of his passes to date, even registering his first assist of the season against Everton, which magnifies his ability to cause chaos to the opposition.

Lewis Hall – PL stats (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

7

Assists

1

Pass accuracy

85%

Successful dribbles

2.1

Dribble success

69%

Tackles made

3.4

Duels won

7.8

Recoveries made

4.7

Stats via FotMob

However, without the ball, Hall has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 3.4 tackles made and 7.8 duels won per 90 – subsequently offering a huge threat at both ends of the pitch.

Such a skillset would be perfect for Tuchel’s current squad, with the youngster needing to continue on the same trajectory over the next few months if he is to go to the World Cup.

If he manages to continue his recent success, there’s no reason why Hall and Barnes could be starting alongside one another down the left-flank for their country, with the younger man already regarded as “one of the best” in the Premier League in his position.

There is certainly a long way to go until the tournament commences, but the duo’s recent success at St James’ could certainly hand the German a huge decision to make.

Related Eddie Howe has already found a bigger talent than Anderson at Newcastle

Howe’s Newcastle side are showing green shoots after a difficult start to the season.

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Arsenal have held initial talks with the representatives of a budding midfield talent after his rapid rise, according to a new report.

Arsenal look to bounce back against bottom-side Wolves

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday evening against bottom-side Wolves at the Emirates Stadium in a classic David vs Goliath encounter.

The Gunners saw their advantage at the summit trimmed to just two points following last weekend’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, where Emi Buendia’s last-gasp strike ended their 18-match unbeaten run.

Man City’s victory over Sunderland has intensified the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side, though Saturday’s late kick-off offers an opportunity to extend the gap to five points before City face Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Arsenal responded impressively to that Villa disappointment with a commanding 3-0 Champions League triumph at Club Brugge on Wednesday evening.

Noni Madueke put in a sensational performance, scoring twice, including a stunning 25-yard strike, while Gabriel Martinelli added another beauty to maintain their perfect European record.

Arteta says "really special" Arsenal star has been so good in training lately

The Spaniard is thrilled with him.

ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

The victory all but secured automatic qualification for the knockout stages as one of the seeded teams, but Wolves present an entirely different challenge.

Arriving in north London still searching for their first victory of the campaign, Rob Edwards’ side remain rooted to the foot of the table with just two points from 15 games, sitting an alarming 13 points from safety.

Their Monday night 4-1 home humiliation against Man United extended Wolves’ losing streak to eight consecutive defeats, matching their worst run in Premier League history.

Only QPR in 2012/13 and Sheffield United in 2020/21 have endured longer winless starts to a Premier League season than Wolves’ current nightmare.

Their two points also represent a joint-low after 15 games in top-flight history, highlighting the severity of their catastrophic start.

Arsenal boast an intimidating record against Wolves, winning eight consecutive meetings with an aggregate scoreline of 17-3. The north Londoners remarkably haven’t failed to score against them since February 1979, a remarkable 35-match run, so Edwards’ men are certainly the underdogs heading into this one.

Away from the pitch, sporting director Andrea Berta is continuing his mission to identify top talent for Arteta.

Reports this week suggest that Arsenal have held talks with Yan Diomande’s entourage ahead of a potential move for the teenage RB Leipzig winger, and now the same can be said of Polish sensation Oskar Pietuszewski.

Arsenal hold talks with Oskar Pietuszewski's camp

That is according to TEAMtalk, who report that Arsenal have held discussions with the representatives of Pietuszewski, even if City threaten to hijack their pursuit of the 17-year-old starlet.

Berta dispatched senior Arsenal scouts to Poland on multiple occasions to watch the Jagiellonia Białystok talent in action this season, alongside Chelsea and City, with all three Premier League giants ‘hugely impressed’ by the teenager’s performances.

Arsenal have engaged in preliminary talks with Pietuszewski’s camp as they assess whether to launch a formal bid for one of Poland’s ‘most complete teenage talents in years’.

However, City have intensified their interest by sending their head of emerging talent to Poland, holding their own discussions with Pietuszewski.

Their aggressive approach appears to have positioned them ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea in the three-way battle, but that doesn’t mean Berta should give up.

Pietuszewski has dazzled in the Polish first tier this season, bagging three goals and two assists across 16 appearances, and according to Transfermarkt, he’s now the Ekstraklasa’s ‘most valuable player’ by transfer value.

Primarily deployed as a left-winger, the versatile youngster can operate as a holding midfielder or anywhere across the forward line.

Arsenal have been informed they must pay a minimum of £13m to secure Pietuszewski’s signature, a figure that could rise with performance bonuses and shatter Jagiellonia’s outgoing transfer record.

Born in Białystok, Pietuszewski rose through Jagiellonia’s academy before breaking into the senior squad last season.

His international breakthrough came with four goals in six caps for Poland’s Under-21 side, underlining his rapid ascent.

While open to a Premier League move, Pietuszewski wants first-team minutes. European rivals including Ajax, PSV, Lille, Bologna and Barcelona have also scouted him, so the player could have a long list of suitors knocking at the door very soon.

Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 7, 2025

Castro could be "excellent" addition to Villa's attack

Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

MatériaMais Notícias

A crise nos bastidores do Corinthians cresce a cada dia. Com dificuldades financeiras, o clube voltou a atrasar o pagamento dos atletas do elenco, que estão com dois meses de direitos de imagem atrasados. A diretoria, em conjunto com o departamento financeiro, trabalha para quitar o montante devido, que é debitado todo fim de mês.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Ao mesmo tempo, o Corinthians enfrenta problemas no acordo com a VaideBet, patrocinadora máster da equipe. No dia 27 de maio, a casa de apostas esportivas notificou o Timão para que a instituição explicasse a suposta participação de um “laranja” na intermediação do contrato assinado entre as partes.

A empresa deu um prazo de no máximo dez dias para o Corinthians. Portanto, o clube paulista tem até a sexta-feira (7) para se defender das acusações. Vale lembrar que o presidente do clube, Augusto Melo, está em viagem pela Europa desde o fim da última semana, e deve retornar ao Brasil nesta quinta-feira (6), um dia antes do término do prazo.

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Para pedir esclarecimentos, a VaideBet utilizou uma cláusula prevista em contrato que determina que a empresa do ramo de apostas não pode ser envolvida em escandâlos.

A vinculação do nome da VaideBet com o presente escândalo envolvendo a diretoria do Corinthians e a intermediadora tornam a presente relação contratual excessivamente onerosa para o patrocinador, na medida que vincula a marca a uma situação negativa, causando desprestígio, potencial prejuízo e risco de baixo retorno do investimento realizado na entidade desportiva –

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diz documento enviado pela VaideBet

Caso opte por encerrar o vínculo com o Corinthians, a VaideBet precisará arcar com 10% do montante restante do contrato, que hoje é R$ 310 milhões. Ou seja, R$ 31 milhões. No entanto, existe a possibilidade do acordo ser desfeito por justa causa, caso uma das partes não cumpra alguma das cláusulas preestabelecidas em contrato.

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NOVA PENDÊNCIA ENVOLVENDO PAGAMENTOS

O Corinthians atrasou o pagamento de uma das parcelas referente à compra do zagueiro Féliz Torres junto ao Santos Laguna, do México, negociado por R$ 31 milhões. O valor em atraso é de aproximadamente R$ 6 milhões.

Em janeiro deste ano, o clube paulista adquiriu 80% dos direitos econômicos do jogador da seleção equatoriana em seis parcelas. A primeira, paga como entrada, já foi realizada no ato da contratação. As demais parcelas serão dividas entre os seguintes anos: 2024 (duas), 2025 (duas) e 2026 (uma).

No entanto, essa situação não é novidade para a instituição. Em fevereiro, o Corinthians foi condenado na Fifa a pagar 3,45 milhões de dólares (R$ 17 milhões, na cotação da época) ao Argentinos Juniors, acrescido de juros, por dívidas no pagamento da compra de Fausto Vera.

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