Leicestershire close in as Rehan caps contest with ten-for

England allrounder continues remarkable personal match with Derbyshire on ropes

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Jul-2025

Ian Holland held Leicestershire’s second innings together•Getty Images

Derbyshire 189 and 98 for 4 need another 347 runs to beat Leicestershire 398 and 236 for 9 (Holland 90, Reece 5-64, Thomson 4-81)Leicestershire closed in on another victory with England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed again playing a starring role on day three of the Rothesay County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.Ahmed claimed 4 for 41 and 10 wickets in the Division Two match at the Central Co-op County Ground to leave the hosts on 98 for 4 at the close, still 347 runs away from a notional target of 446.Luis Reece celebrated career-best match figures of 11 for 120, taking 5 for 64, before Leicestershire declared on 236 for 9 with Ian Holland scoring 90 from 98 balls and Ben Green 45.Derbyshire chances were always slim at best on a used pitch and despite 41 from opener Caleb Jewell, they were sliding towards defeat when bad light halted play with seven overs still to bowl.Once Leicestershire decided not to enforce the follow-on, it was a question of how quickly they could get to the sort of lead that would put the game beyond Derbyshire.Reece had run through them on the second morning and he threatened to do the same again, removing both openers in his first three overs.Rishi Patel prodded a simple chance to short cover which gave Wayne Madsen his 100th first-class catch at Derby.Madsen held another one to remove Sol Budinger and after some typically flamboyant strokes, Ahmed pulled Reece to deep mid on.When Reece trapped Peter Handscomb lbw, there was still a chance Derbyshire could restrict Leicestershire to a target they had a realistic chance of chasing down but Holland dashed those slim hopes.Although Alex Thomson removed Lewis Hill, Liam Trevaskis and Louis Kimber before lunch, Holland was four short of 50 at the interval with the lead a daunting 345.Holland and Green took that past 400, adding 89 from 85 balls before Green was bowled by Reece who had now taken five wickets in both innings of a match for the first time.The declaration came when Holland drove a return catch to Thomson which left Derbyshire a highly improbable target on a challenging pitch.They made a decent start until Ahmed made his latest mark on the match, taking three wickets either side of tea.David Lloyd pulled a short ball to mid on and Harry Came edged a cut into the gloves of Handscomb in the last over of the afternoon.When Madsen went cheaply for the second time in the match, seeing a defensive shot spin back onto the stumps, his side was in trouble on 52 for 3.Jewell resisted for 110 balls before he was lbw playing back to Ahmed and Leicestershire will be confident of completing a sixth victory on the final day to take another step closer to promotion.

Phillie Phanatic’s Parody of Viral Coldplay Kiss Cam Moment Was Too Good

The Philadelphia Phillies know how to have a good time.

During Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Angels, the Phillies gave their home fans at Citizens Bank Park a show with a hilarious parody of the viral kiss cam moment that happened at a Coldplay concert earlier this week.

During the standard kiss cam segment of the game, and with Coldplay's "Clocks" playing in the background, the jumbotron showed none other than Phillie Phanatic cozying up to a female mascot in the stands. Phillie Phanatic looked startled as ever to be caught on camera and dove to the ground in the same panicked manner as the Astronomer CEO, eliciting lots of laughter from the crowd.

The stadium played an audio clip of Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin during the parody: "Uh-oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy."

Just too good.

On top of that, the stadium's cameras panned to another couple right after and showed the man holding a sign that read, "This IS My Wife"—a very necessary clarification during these chaotic times.

Spurs may have Simons upgrade in the "most underrated talent" in England

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be delighted with where the team is currently at, after moving up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The former Brentford boss inherited a team that finished 17th in the division under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite winning the Europa League, which makes their current form all the more impressive.

Spurs travelled to Merseyside to take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday in the Premier League, and came away from that match with a 3-0 win.

Central midfielder Micky van de Ven took his tally for the season to five goals with two strikes in the first half, before Pape Matar Sarr added a third late on by heading in from close-range after Richarlison nodded the ball back across goal.

You would often be hard-pressed to find many negatives from a 3-0 win away from home in the Premier League, but there were some for the Lilywhites on Sunday.

For example, there was another fairly underwhelming performance from summer signing Xavi Simons in the middle of the park, and he needs to step up for Spurs in the coming weeks and months.

Why Xavi Simons needs to step up for Spurs

The Europa League champions splashed out £52m to sign the Netherlands international from RB Leipzig, possibly with the intention of him replacing James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

It is easy to see why they were willing to splash the cash on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona youngster, as he produced consistent quality in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

Xavi Simons (Bundesliga)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

32

25

xG

8.26

5.11

Goals

8

10

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes per game

2.5

2.0

Assists

11

7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Simons racked up 18 goals and 26 ‘big chances’ created as an attacking midfielder or winger, proving that he can make a big impact in the final third.

However, the Dutchman has no goals and one assist, which came from a corner, in ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham since his move to the club in the summer window.

Simons, as of yet, has been unable to translate his influence in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League. Whether that will come with more time and experience in England, it remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 62 minutes against Everton on Sunday, per Sofascore, and came off the pitch without any shots on goal or any chances created to show for his efforts for the Lilywhites, which shows that it was an ineffective performances in the final third.

Along with his struggles in the Premier League, Simons also has no goals, one key pass, and no ‘big chances’ created in three appearances in the Championship for Tottenham this term.

This shows that he has been struggling domestically and on the continent stage, which will be a concern for supporters and Frank at this stage, as the Dutch star is clearly capable of much better than he is showing, given his output for Leipzig in his two full seasons in Germany.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With the £52m signing’s struggles at the top end of the pitch, though, it could be the right time for the Danish head coach to provide a young player with an opportunity to step up.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club in the League Cup in a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers, and he could emerge as a surprise upgrade on Simons.

Spurs travel to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United in the League Cup on Wednesday night, which could be the perfect opportunity to offer the teenage starlet a chance to shine.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be a Xavi Simons upgrade

The 17-year-old star’s form for the club at academy level this season suggests that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the first-team if he can make the step up.

As aforementioned, Simons has not stepped up to deliver goals and assists since his big-money move from Leipzig, with a goal contribution every ten matches on average so far.

Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, including a three-minute cameo for the first-team, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his exceptional form in front of goal in the current campaign for Tottenham’s youth teams, the England U18 international also scored 20 goals in all competitions last season.

Luca Williams-Barnett

24/25

25/26

Appearances

23

12

Minutes

1857

894

Goals

20

8

Minutes per goal

93

112

Assists

12

7

Minutes per assist

155

128

Minutes per goal contribution

58

60

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett has provided goals and assists on a consistent basis since the start of last season, averaging a goal or an assist every hour or so over the past 18 months.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to call him the “most underrated talent in English Academies”, which speaks to how impressed he has been with the Spurs youngster’s performances.

His talent has been recognised this season, though, as he won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for his displays at U21 level in September.

With all of this in mind, and the fact that his main position is as an attacking midfielder, it could be the right time for Frank to provide him with another chance to impress at first-team level after his debut against Doncaster last month.

Spurs have unearthed their new Vertonghen & it's not Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur may have found their next Jan Vertonghen, and it is not Micky van de Ven.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 27, 2025

He has shown unbelievable form and consistency for the academy team for more than a year, and his numbers at youth level suggest that he does have the potential to be an upgrade on the currently underperforming Xavi Simons, if he can make the step up.

Manuel Neuer 'very likely' to make Germany return if Marc-Andre ter Stegen doesn't find new club amid Barcelona struggles, says Didi Hamann

Former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes that Manuel Neuer could come out of retirement and return to the national team if he continues his current form for Bayern Munich. With current first choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen struggling at Barcelona, the national team hero suggested Neuer is the natural choice to fill in should his compatriot fail to find a new club in January.

Neuer still shining under Kompany

Germany are facing a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the 2026 World Cup. With Ter Stegen sidelined due to an injury suffered before the 2025-26 season and his replacement, Oliver Baumann, lacking international experience, questions have emerged about who will guard the posts for Die Mannschaft. In this context, speculation has grown around the possible return of Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024. The veteran goalkeeper has experienced a remarkable resurgence under Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich, playing a key role in their 2024-25 Bundesliga triumph. Kompany’s tactical system and strong man-management have revitalised Neuer, helping him maintain top form even at the age of 40. His leadership, composure, and consistency have impressed Bayern’s hierarchy, who are reportedly in talks to extend his contract. If his form continues, Neuer’s return to the national team could become a real possibility for Germany’s 2026 World Cup campaign.

AdvertisementAFPWill he come out of retirement?

In an interview with , Hamann expressed his belief that Neuer is likely to feature for Germany at the 2026 World Cup, saying: “I think it's very likely that Manuel Neuer will play in the World Cup.”

Wishing the veteran goalkeeper good health, Hamann added that if Neuer continues performing at his current level, a national team return would be inevitable. He said: “I hope Manuel Neuer stays healthy. If he continues to perform as he is doing now in April, then it will happen – it has to happen – that he will be asked.”

However, Hamann acknowledged that recalling Neuer could be tough on Baumann, noting: “If he wants to, that would be tough for Oliver Baumann.”

Ter Stegen's poor season at barcelona

Ter Stegen’s situation at Barcelona has taken a dramatic downturn under Hansi Flick, who has demoted the German to third-choice goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny this season. Tensions between Ter Stegen and the club began in the summer when Barcelona pursued Garcia without informing him, a move the long-serving keeper viewed as deeply disrespectful after years of loyalty and leadership. Matters worsened when Barcelona needed Ter Stegen to sign off on a medical report declaring a long-term injury so they could register Garcia for the domestic campaign. Initially, the German refused, prompting the club to impose disciplinary measures and strip him of the captaincy. He eventually relented, signing the report to facilitate Garcia’s registration. However, Germany coach Nagelsmann has already made it clear that Ter Stegen will only feature at the 2026 World Cup if he plays regularly, while former Barcelona and Germany star Bernd Schuster has warned that a move away is now essential. With less than a year to go for the 2026 World Cup, time is running out for the Barcelona veteran. Unless he secures regular playing time soon, he risks losing the Germany No. 1 spot he has long pursued but never fully claimed with Neuer around. And now, with the Bayern veteran being urged to return, the pressure on him is only increasing.

Hamann echoed Schuster’s views, saying that Ter Stegen needs to find a new club, preferably one competing in Europe, if he hopes to regain his place as Germany’s No. 1 goalkeeper. Saying: “Marc-Andre ter Stegen first has to find a new club, ideally one that plays in Europe. As harsh as it may sound, for me the train has left the station.”

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Getty ImagesNagelsmann's hope

Nagelsmann will hope that Ter Stegen can secure a move in the winter transfer window to regain his place and stay match-fit ahead of the 2026 World Cup. However, if Ter Stegen is not ready in time, Nagelsmann will count on Neuer to come out of retirement and answer his country’s call once again.

Sunderland boss confesses to cunning plan to try and prevent Arsenal's long throws after holding Gunners to draw

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris admitted to making a sly tactical tweak to try and prevent Arsenal's long throws. It was one of those epic Premier League encounters that saw Arsenal’s title charge momentarily halted by the fearless Black Cats, who matched the intensity of their more illustrious rivals in every department and also employed some unusual help.

  • A thrilling night at the Stadium of Light

    Dan Ballard gave Sunderland a surprise lead midway through the first half. He headed home from close range after Arsenal failed to clear a corner. It was absolutely deserving for the hosts to have their noses in front after a spell of intense pressure that rattled Mikel Arteta’s men. 

    Arsenal regrouped after the interval and eventually found their rhythm as they pinned Sunderland back. Bukayo Saka drew the visitors level with a poacher’s finish in the 54th minute, and 20 minutes later, Leandro Trossard produced a moment of brilliance by curling a stunning strike into the top corner to give Arsenal a 2-1 lead. At that point, it looked like the league leaders would grind out yet another comeback win. However, Sunderland had other ideas. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ballard flicked on a hopeful long throw into the Arsenal area. Fortunately, it fell for Brian Brobbey, who contorted his body mid-air to steer a bicycle kick past the onrushing David Raya. The excitement hit the roof as the Dutch striker had secured a point for Sunderland out of nowhere, as Arteta looked on in despair. 

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    Le Bris spills the beans

    After the game, Le Bris revealed that the Black Cats had moved the advertising boards closer to the touchline before kick-off. This drastically cut down the run-up space that Arsenal’s players use to hurl the ball deep into the penalty area from a throw-in. Hence, the Gunners were robbed of one of their growing set-piece weapons. And, as it turned out, the tactic actually worked. Arsenal had limited potency in their aerial assaults and failed to take advantage of their usual dominance from throw-ins. After the game, Le Bris could barely hide his satisfaction when asked about the subtle act of gamesmanship.

    He told BBC Sport when quizzed about the hoardings: "Yeah, we tried to find the details to win the game. They are really strong on set-pieces, and we were good as well. It was absolutely obvious this threat was really important for this game, and in the end, it was balanced."

    For Le Bris, the result was a validation of his team’s belief: "The lads worked hard to the end. They believed it was possible to change the dynamic. It was a tough game, as we expected. They are probably one of the best teams in Europe. We struggled, but we still believed it was possible to score one more goal. Our fans helped a lot. We showed before that it was possible [to score late goals], so now we have this faith, this belief that until the final whistle, anything is possible. We were on the edge sometimes, but we’re a new squad, we’re young. We felt their pressure, their intensity. We felt the quality. We were on the edge during the second half."

  • Arteta was frustrated but proud

    Arteta was visibly frustrated after the final whistle. Arsenal had dominated large stretches of the match and appeared poised to claim another victory before Brobbey’s late strike.

    "Really tough test, we knew that. The way they set up, credit to them because they made it difficult for you," he said.

    "They take the game constantly to the areas that they want. You have to deal with that and very unfortunately, at the end, we conceded a goal. The time that was added tells you the story of the game. It's normal, each team tries to do their best and we do the same. Yeah, it is two direct balls and we lose the flicks – it is the same action. Credit to the opposition, it is not the first time they've done it. They committed a lot of players forward at the end with Ballard and created chaos – in any moment they can score a goal. That is the reason they are where they are."

    Yet, Arteta lavished praise on his players for their efforts and said, "So overall, we’re disappointed with the result, but so proud of the players because putting into perspective what they’ve done in the last 10 games, winning all of them with the amount of clean sheets that they had, with seven players injured."

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  • Getty Images Sport

    A history of smart tactics

    Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time Sunderland have used this advertising-board trick, as they reportedly employed the same tactic during last season’s Championship play-off clash against Coventry City. It worked then, too. Sunderland went on to beat Coventry and later Sheffield United, sealing promotion to the Premier League. Next up, Sunderland face a tricky trip to Fulham, while Arsenal prepare for the north London showdown with Tottenham after the international break.

Pakistan to 'move on and bring new faces' in batting unit after group-stage exit

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also want to “work on batting” after below-par performances at the T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda15-Oct-2024Pakistan will seek new batting talent in the aftermath of the T20 World Cup, where they once again failed to make it out of the group stage. Their exit was confirmed after they were dismissed for 56 by New Zealand to add to a string of poor performances at the event.”Our problem area is batting, our line-up, and I think it’s about time we move forward,” Mohammad Wasim, their coach, said after the last group-stage match. “We need to change the mindset of this team, especially in batting.”We have seen glimpses of that but we haven’t seen it consistently. If we talk about the next World Cup, we will have to go for fresh blood, and we will have to do some new inductions in the team. The seniors in the team have to step up. Unfortunately, the seniors have not stepped up in the crunch batting moments. So that’s why I said that we need to move on and bring some new faces.”Related

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The places of former captain Nida Dar, who was replaced by Fatima Sana six weeks before the tournament, and others such as Sidra Amin and Iram Javed may be at risk. Dar batted at No. 5 in the first two matches, No. 4 in the third and No. 7 in the last game, and did not cross 30 in any of her innings. She last managed a 30-plus score 24 innings ago, against South Africa in September 2023, and has not scored a half-century since November 2022. Amin had a high score of 12 at the tournament and has one score over 30 in her last 12 T20Is, while Javed has recorded five ducks in her last ten T20I innings.While Wasim values the experience these players bring to a team, he also wants them to contribute more. “Consistency is the key for everything, to be honest,” he said. “But when you talk about consistency, then there’s a limit also. There’s a limit for the players also. We have changed many coaches. We have changed most of the staff. But it’s about time we need to look at the player side also.”He suggested Pakistan would look at their age-group structures as a starting point for new talent, especially as they have recently had an Under-19 tournament and another is ongoing.”If you look at this year’s domestic cricket schedule, you will see that women’s cricket is getting more importance than before,” he said. “There are U-19 matches starting, then there will be matches for seniors and different formats. So I hope we will get talent in the future. This is not an excuse that you have no talent, so carry on with the same thing.”When results are not coming, then you see what other options you have. It’s not that we don’t have talent. We are doing domestic; we will closely watch what replacements we have. Because we have time before the next event.”That next event is the ODI World Cup in India, which is exactly a year away. Pakistan have not automatically qualified, and currently sit seventh on the Women’s Championship table. India, as hosts, and the top five teams, are guaranteed a spot. Since Pakistan have played all of their matches, they have no chance to advance without finishing in the top two of a six-team qualifying tournament to ensure they make a fifth successive 50-over World Cup appearance.Bangladesh’s batting was their undoing at the T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty ImagesBangladesh, Sri Lanka also look for batting liftThat tournament will also be on the minds of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who too depart the T20 World Cup but remain in the running for one of the six automatic ODI spots. Bangladesh are in ninth place, with six matches left to play – three each against West Indies and Ireland – and must win at least five of those matches. The importance of that was not lost on their captain Nigar Sultana, who turned her attention to it as soon as their T20 World Cup campaign was over.”We want to play the ODI World Cup without qualifying, that’s why we need some points. So our eyes are on that right now,” she said after their defeat to South Africa on Saturday.Like Pakistan, Bangladesh’s batting was their undoing at this tournament, where they won their opener against Scotland, but could not get more than 106 against any of England, West Indies or South Africa. While Sultana celebrated the lone victory, she was critical of their lack of intent in run-scoring.”We’ve been waiting for a win for the last ten years, and we got that. But as a batting unit, we learnt a lot of things,” she said. “We should be more positive, and what happened is that we were behind sometimes in the middle overs. Our thought process was not working. Sometimes we went away from our thought processes, so this is what we need to work on.”Sri Lanka seemed over-reliant on their captain Chamari Athapaththu•Getty ImagesSimilarly, Sri Lanka also identified their batting as a weak spot after they were held to under 100 in their first three matches, and then made only 115 against New Zealand in their last match. Sri Lanka lost all four games, which made it the first time they have not got a win in a T20 World Cup, and their defeats stung all the more because of the expectation with which they entered the tournament: over the last 18 months, Sri Lanka have beaten England and South Africa in series away from home, won the Asia Cup, and cruised through the World Cup qualifiers.”Everybody expected us to be not the top dog but [rather] the top underdog, so to speak, as the team which would beat the best teams. I think the expectations got to the team,” Rumesh Ratnayake, their coach said after their loss to New Zealand.He blamed “poor cricket in all three departments” for their underperformance, but was also repeatedly asked about their batting over-reliance on captain Chamari Athapaththu. Ratnayake acknowledged that she is key to Sri Lanka but also pointed to other important performances, such as Harshita Samarawickrama’s 69* in the Asia Cup final, and believes there will be more players to come.”The pathways are sort of sorted out back home and those things are happening,” he said.Sri Lanka’s increased focus on development through their school and age-groups structures is welcome news after they were graded “amateur” by the global player association FICA’s (now known as WCA) 2022 Women’s Global Employment Report, released ahead of last year’s T20 World Cup. Their domestic programmes were described as “underfunded”, and that “developing a depth of talent and progression up the rankings remains a significant challenge”. But in a short space of time, that has changed.Pakistan and Bangladesh were categorised as “fledgling professional”, with the hope that a women’s PSL and more investment into the game in Bangladesh, respectively, would aid growth in these nations. The former has not yet happened, and Bangladesh has since been through civil unrest which resulted in the ongoing T20 World Cup being moved out of their country while the economy took a hit. Ultimately, the lack of structural and financial support may only explain why these countries have performed poorly at the tournament.The three teams, and subcontinental giants India, have all not progressed to the semi-finals, despite suggestions that conditions would suit them. Their bowlers, especially their slow bowlers, made batting particularly difficult for opposition line-ups but their batters were unable to respond. All four will need to go back to the drawing board and rethink their approach to tournament cricket while the ongoing World Cup concludes without them.

Bartlett, Broad lead Northamptonshire fightback

Sixth-wicket stand of 111 leads response to Derbyshire’s 377

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025 Northamptonshire 265 for 5 (Broad 64*, Bartlett 60*) trail Derbyshire 377 (Andersson 105, Procter 71*, Chahal 6-118) by 112 runsGeorge Bartlett and Justin Broad shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 111 to lead the Northamptonshire recovery in response to Derbyshire’s total of 377 at Wantage Road.Bartlett equalled his season’s best of 60 not out, made in the opening round of the Rothesay County Championship, while Broad struck an unbeaten 64 as the pair batted through the evening session, having joined forces at 154 for five.Northamptonshire captain Luke Procter anchored his side’s innings with a gritty 71 at the top of the order before becoming one of a trio of departures in quick succession prior to tea.Earlier, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal picked up the final two Derbyshire wickets to register figures of six for 118, his best in the County Championship.Derbyshire resumed on 348 for eight and Ben Aitchison wasted no time in securing their third batting bonus point, clubbing Liam Guthrie’s first delivery of the morning to the cover fence.Aitchison looked on course to reach a first-class half-century for only the second time in his career, but he departed five short of that landmark, chopping Chahal back onto leg stump.The spinner soon wrapped up Derbyshire’s innings as Blair Tickner – having blazed a couple of boundaries off George Scrimshaw – took an ambitious swing and was caught at slip off a thick edge.With ball in hand, Tickner then sent down a fiery opening spell, generating plenty of pace and bounce and earning his reward by removing Ricardo Vasconcelos with a delivery that swung in to hit the left-hander on the pads.Procter and Lewis McManus – who was awarded his county cap prior to the start of play – saw their side through to lunch, not without the odd scare as debutant Joe Hawkins’ first ball found the edge of the skipper’s bat but fell just short of slip.The visitors struck in the first over after the interval, when McManus misjudged the line from Zak Chappell and was caught behind, but James Sales started perkily as he dispatched Hawkins for two cover boundaries.Meanwhile, Procter withstood a barrage of short-pitched bowling from Tickner, emerging unscathed after he ducked into a bouncer and continued to accumulate, guiding Aitchison to the rope at third man to bring up his half-century.Northamptonshire’s third-wicket partnership yielded 74 before Luis Reece achieved the breakthrough, tempting Sales to drive outside off stump and Harry Came clasped the catch at cover.Reece prised out Procter, foxing the batter with a slower ball that trapped him in front and Derbyshire also removed the in-form Saif Zaib on the stroke of tea, caught behind to provide Hawkins with his first senior wicket.Bartlett made a scratchy start but began to open up in the wake of Procter’s exit, lifting Hawkins over the top for four and responding to another pounding by Tickner with a classy straight drive back over the bowler’s head.He was soon overtaken by Broad, whose tendency towards the pull shot almost proved his downfall when he miscued Tickner to leg slip, only for the ball to drop just in front of the stretching Caleb Jewell.However, it was Bartlett who won the race to 50, pummelling Reece for six and four in quick succession and Broad soon followed suit, capitalising on the left-armer’s full toss to find the boundary.

Update revealed on future of Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa with Liverpool keen

Ezri Konsa has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa, with Liverpool keen on him, and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

The 28-year-old has matured into such an important player for the Villans, becoming a key starter and coming right into the prime years of his career.

In fact, Konsa will even be hoping of starting for England at the 2026 World Cup, with he and John Stones likely to battle to play alongside Marc Guehi in the right-sided centre-back spot for the Three Lions.

Worryingly, the Englishman has been linked with various clubs in recent weeks and months, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City mentioned as potential options for him.

Konsa isn’t out of contract at Villa until the summer of 2028, and now a new update has dropped regarding his future at the Premier League club.

Key latest on Konsa's Aston Villa future

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Aston Villa won’t even entertain the idea of allowing Konsa to leave in the near future, with the player himself happy at the club.

“Aston Villa have been an example in recent years of how to build a team. It’s a testament to Villa’s recruitment that so many of their best players are attracting interest. The players they’ve brought in, like Konsa and Rogers for example, have reached new levels since they arrived and proved to be very important players for them.

Ezri Konsa

“So Konsa, for example, has impressed at Villa and got himself into the England team. That only invites more interest, because he’s playing on a bigger stage, attracting more eyes on his performances, and that leads to more speculation. So Villa then have a hell of a job behind the scenes trying to keep him at the club.

“From what I’m told, they’re not massively concerned about his future, because by all accounts he’s happy at Villa and he’s been a crucial part of their success. Emery has no plans to let him go because of how important he is to Villa, and I think Villa will be confident that they can keep him. Even with teams like Liverpool or Chelsea looking at him, that won’t chance Villa’s position.”

Ezri Konsa’s 2025/26 Premier League stats

Total

Appearances

8

Starts

8

Minutes played

696

Clearances per game

3.4

Aerial duel wins per game

1.1

Pass completion rate

95.7%

Goals

0

Assists

0

This will come as a relief to Villa supporters, with Konsa arguably now one of the first names on Unai Emery’s team sheet, recently being hailed as “excellent” by Troy Deeney.

Aston Villa now join race to sign "insane" £35m former Bayern Munich striker

The Villans are looking to sign a centre-forward, with Unai Emery keen on greater strength in depth in attack.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025

As mentioned, he now feels like he is at his peak, which should remain the same for another three or four years or so, and if Villa are to continue heading in the right direction, they cannot afford to sell their best players to teams who are higher than they are in the table.

Liverpool learn true price for Ezri Konsa as PSR forces Aston Villa's hand

Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton flop must be axed if Richarlison joins

David Moyes’ blistering start back to life in the Everton dug-out feels like a very long time ago now.

Indeed, the Scotsman was just the antidote the Toffees needed after the wheels came off Sean Dyche’s miserable reign, with just two defeats picked up from his opening ten games back in charge of the Premier League titans last season, steering them comfortably away from relegation.

The Merseyside outfit is still six points clear of that dreaded relegation zone in the here and now, but there are concerns in the air at the Toffees all the same, with Everton only coming out on top with a win in the league once across their last five matches.

A 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday would have only added to those worries, as former Everton hero Richarlison stood out for Thomas Frank’s away side.

Richarlison's potential Everton return

Richarlison has often found his time at Tottenham Hotspur to be fraught with bumps, but he would put the game beyond all doubt on Sunday evening when heading into the path of Pape Matar Sarr to make it 3-0.

The passionate Brazilian only has 23 goals next to his name for Spurs from 104 total appearances, but recent reports – as perTEAMTalk – suggest that the North Londoners are willing to cash in on their one-time £60m buy in January, and that Everton are circling.

It would well be a masterstroke of a return as the Toffees attempt to feel comfortable about their striker options again.

CF

77

23 + 6

LW

51

24 + 8

RW

22

6 + 1

While Richarlison might be remembered most fondly by those on Merseyside for his gung-ho performances down either wing, it feels unlikely that the South American – despite his previous heroics at the club – would be able to displace the likes of Jack Grealish on his favoured left channel at the moment.

Consequently, he stands his best chance at making waves on his return as an out-and-out centre-forward, when assessing Richarlison’s previous goal tally as a striker at Everton, with 23 goals picked up from 77 outings, leading to one of his ex-managers at Goodison Park in Carlo Ancelotti, hailing him as a “fantastic” finisher of chances.

Despite murmurs that Spurs want to offload their hot-and-cold number nine in the coming months, he is also able to boast a healthy haul of three goals and two assists next to his name from nine clashes this season.

Bringing back such a former beloved figure could signal the end for Beto in Everton blue, with the Lisbon-born striker struggling once again to get going yesterday evening, to the dismay of his impatient fanbase.

Why Beto is on borrowed time at Everton

You would think a striker in Moyes’ current set-up would be licking their lips at the prospect of how many goals they could put away, with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and the aforementioned Grealish tricky customers intent on putting chances on a plate for the chosen marksman leading the line.

Unfortunately for Moyes and Co. though, Beto often fluffs his lines when a golden opportunity comes his way, with the former Udinese striker desperately unlucky not to find the back of the net on Sunday evening, when an acrobatic effort in the second half – with the scoreline still standing at 2-0 – was somehow clawed away by an alert Guglielmo Vicario.

That’s about as good as it gets for the under-fire 27-year-old, however, with his minimal 14 touches of the ball meaning he often cut an isolated figure at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, so much so that Jordan Pickford even managed to accumulate more touches himself, having tallied up 36 in total.

With just one goal next to his name in the Premier League this season, it isn’t a great shock to read all the widespread backlash he is receiving for his recent dismal displays, with Everton-based podcaster Paul Brown stating at full-time that the goal-shy number nine is “hopeless”.

Moreover, another Toffees podcaster in the form of Steven Kelly also stated that the ongoing striker situation is “killing” Moyes’ side at the moment.

It really does look like Beto is on borrowed time on Merseyside, therefore, with his precarious position in the starting XI becoming ever more shaky if the passionate South American potentially returns to the blue half of Liverpool shortly.

Alongside Beto: Moyes must drop 4/10 Everton star who lost possession 19x

Everton were humbled on their own patch as Tottenham Hotspur ran out convincing 3-0 winners.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

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