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Left-arm quick’s T20 World Cup hopes all but dashed after being ruled out of the entire BBL with an ongoing back injury

Alex Malcolm03-Dec-2025Spencer Johnson’s hopes of playing for Australia in the T20 World Cup early next year have been dealt a hammer blow after he was ruled out of the upcoming BBL season because of a back injury.Johnson has not played since the IPL, where he suffered back pain that he initially thought was a recurrence of a disc issue he had dealt with previously. The 29-year-old left-arm quick then suffered more pain while training ahead of the July T20I tour of the West Indies and scans showed a stress fracture.He underwent months of rehab which included pilates and swimming while waiting for the bone to heal. He had another scan in October and was hopeful he would be cleared to play in the BBL in the new year.Related

• All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season

• Power-packed, but not bulletproof: where Australia stand ahead of T20 World Cup

But Brisbane Heat confirmed on Wednesday that their title-winning quick would be unavailable for the entire season.”Spencer continues to recover from a back injury and pleasingly, this is improving. However, the latest time-frame for his return to play does not enable him to participate in the BBL this season,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said. “We’re all disappointed for Spencer but will provide him with ongoing support as he continues to recover.”Australia’s first game of the T20 World Cup is on February 11, which means it is almost certain he will not be fit in time to push his case for selection in the final 15-man squad. Johnson was seen as a potential long-term replacement for Mitchell Starc, who has retired from T20I cricket. But while Johnson has been injured, Australia have won three of their four T20I series with a pace attack of Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett gelling nicely. Pat Cummins could also return for the World Cup if fit.Johnson will continue to do his rehab in Adelaide where he lives and is domestically contracted with South Australia. Johnson has nominated for the IPL auction at the second-highest base price of 150 lakh (AUD$252957) and is hopeful of being fit and available for the tournament if bought after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders at the end of last season.”I’ve had plenty of expert support from everyone involved in the process and I am very confident that I will be back and doing what I love as soon as possible,” Johnson said.Meanwhile, England left-arm quick Reece Topley has signed with Sydney Thunder as an overseas replacement for Lockie Ferguson. Topley will play with Thunder for the first half of the season while Ferguson is at the ILT20. Topley will head to the SA20 when Ferguson returns to the BBL for the second half of the season.

Barcelona have reiterated that they will not “fuel controversies or speculation” when it comes to a possible playing return to Camp Nou for Lionel Messi. The Liga giants are still planning the most “beautiful tribute” to their all-time leading goalscorer, but the Argentine GOAT is under contract in MLS with Inter Miami and appears unlikely to grace European football again.

• American dream: Messi has signed new contract with Inter Miami

  Messi severed career-long ties with Barca in 2021 when joining Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent. An emotional farewell was bid to Catalunya once it became apparent that the funds were not there to hand him a new contract.

  Two years were spent in France before chasing the American dream. Messi, his wife Antonela and their three sons are now settled in South Florida. An extension to lucrative terms has been agreed through 2028.

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  Loan move? Messi sees Camp Nou return mooted

  There remains the possibility that Messi could return to Barca during the MLS offseason, before their calendar is changed, with the 2026 World Cup fast approaching. Messi is eager to ensure that he is fit and firing for Argentina’s global title defence.

  Barca have, however, played down loan talk and club president Joan Laporta continues to distance the Blaugrana from speculation regarding a potential ‘Last Dance’ for Messi in familiar surroundings.

  Quizzed on that topic again at the Foros de Vanguardia forum, Laporta told reporters: “I'm not going to fuel controversies or speculation about things that aren't realistic. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Leo will always be in the collective memory of Barcelona fans. Leo has a contract with a football club.”

  Laporta added on Barca’s plans for Messi, with an exhibition or friendly match having been mooted for some time: “The tribute should take place at a time when we can thank him for everything he's done for Barca. A tribute with a full Camp Nou, with 105,000 Barca fans thanking Messi for everything he's done for the club, could be a beautiful thing.”

  He went on to say of immortalising Messi in statue form, potentially alongside other Barca icons: “People can understand each other by talking. I don't see any problem. We've thought about giving him the most beautiful tribute ever given, and a statue alongside players who have made history. Kubala, [Johan] Cruyff, Messi and Ronaldinho also come to mind. Leo has defined an era and is the best player in history and in Barca's history.”

• Will Messi grace the field at Camp Nou again?

  Messi recently took in a surprise visit to Camp Nou, after seeing that iconic venue enjoy a serious facelift. He posted on social media: “Last night I returned to a place I have missed with all my soul. A place where I was extraordinarily happy, where a thousand times you made me feel like the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to.”

  Messi has since revealed that he and Antonela are planning a return to Barcelona at some stage. That is not, however, expected to see him grace a legendary No.10 jersey again.

  Sporting director Deco has said of the Messi transfer rumours: “I don't think it's possible because Leo is under contract and it was never even considered. Leo is always Leo, and he could still contribute something; he's a great player, but it's not something we're going to talk about. The current situation is entirely speculative.”

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  Messi's record: Games & goals ahead of MLS Cup final

  Messi made 778 appearances for Barca after stepping out of their fabled La Masia academy system. He scored 672 goals, winning 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. It was during that time that he cemented a standing as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

  He now has eight Ballons d’Or to his name and is the most decorated player in history. An opportunity to land another major honour will present itself on Saturday when Inter Miami face Vancouver in the 2025 MLS Cup final.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken revealed that he apologised to the Italian team after Norway’s celebrations went overboard following their 4-1 win over Italy at the San Siro. A brace from Erling Haaland helped Norway secure their first World Cup finals qualification since 1998, marking a historic moment for the nation. With the defeat, Italy must now navigate the play offs phase in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Norway's historic win

Norway entered the decisive World Cup qualifier knowing they simply had to avoid a nine-goal defeat to secure automatic qualification, but they still aimed to finish the campaign strongly. Italy struck first, with Pio Esposito scoring in the ninth minute, giving the Azzurri a perfect start and raising faint hopes of an improbable comeback in the standings. Italy defended well in the first half, keeping Norway’s attack quiet, but the visitors grew into the game after the break. 

Antonio Nusa equalised in the 63rd minute, shifting momentum firmly in Norway’s favour. Haaland then delivered a devastating two goal burst within two minutes, putting the match beyond Italy. Jorge Strand Larsen added a fourth to complete the rout. The match also saw a heated moment when Gianluca Mancini provoked Haaland, prompting Gianluigi Donnarumma to intervene. 

Norway’s emphatic win sealed their place in the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. Norway coach Solbakken congratulated his young players on their historic achievement and believes they have ushered in a new era, saying: “There was a lot of pressure on this team, and these young players have managed to put that burden behind them. Now it's a new era for us.”

AdvertisementGettySolbakken's celebrations and apologies

In the post-match press conference, Solbakken spoke about Norway’s historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup and credited the strong culture and belief within the squad. He said: “There is a great culture in this team, everyone believed in this project and in this way of playing.”

Norway’s 4-1 win meant Italy finished second in their World Cup qualification group and will now have to go through the World play offs to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Solbakken could not contain his excitement and celebrated with the squad in the dressing room, but later admitted that the celebrations may have gone too far. He apologised to the Italian team and coach when he said “I sang and danced with the lads in the dressing room.”

“Perhaps we went a bit overboard with the celebrations in the end, and I apologised for that. They understood.”

Haaland, who scored a brace, was applauded by the San Siro crowd. Solbakken felt that the stadium, known for hosting some of football’s greatest forwards, recognised a future great. 

"Haaland applauded at San Siro? That's how it is for the greats. Here, they've seen [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, Sheva [Andriy Shevchenko], [Javier] Zanetti, [Ruud] Gullit, [Jurgen] Klinsmann," he said.

Italy's qualification scenario

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso apologised to supporters after the heavy 4-1 defeat to Norway, admitting that his team “got everything wrong” in a match he described as being divided into two very different halves. He felt Italy played with control and structure in the first half, only to collapse after the break due to fear, fragility and poor game management. The loss means Italy must once again go through the pressure of the play offs, marking the third straight qualifying cycle in which they have been forced down this route. It is another difficult moment for a nation that has not appeared at a World Cup since 2014, a painful absence for a country with such rich footballing history. On Thursday, Italy will learn which opponent they will face in the crucial March play offs, a draw that will shape their hopes of returning to football’s biggest stage in 2026.

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Getty Images SportGattuso's preparations

Norway can now look forward to playing in the 2026 World Cup, and Solbakken will hope to have Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard fully fit in time for the tournament. Meanwhile, Gattuso will analyse Italy’s defeat in detail and focus on addressing the team’s weaknesses. The Italy coach is expected to work on tactical adjustments and overall organisation as he aims to reduce Italy’s shortcomings before the crucial play offs.

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.

They dropped three catches in the first 15 overs of India’s second innings

Matt Roller01-Aug-20251:44

Trescothick rues dropped catches

England were left “frustrated” and “disappointed” after dropping three catches in the first 15 overs of India’s second innings at The Oval, as the fifth Test threatened to slip away from their grasp.India finished the second day with a lead of 52 and eight second-innings wickets in hand on a lively pitch, with the young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal riding his luck to reach a 44-ball half-century. Jaiswal was dropped twice, on 20 by Harry Brook at second slip and on 40 at long leg by Liam Dawson, while Zak Crawley shelled a chance at third slip off Sai Sudharsan.Both drops in the slips were genuine chances but hit firmly, but Dawson – on as a substitute fielder for the injured Chris Woakes – had one hit straight to him. He did not have to move as Jaiswal hooked Josh Tongue to him, but he lost the ball in either the sunlight or the floodlights – his sunglasses were on his cap – and was lucky to avoid a serious injury.Related

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India get a thrilling dose of the Zak Crawley experience

Siraj, Jaiswal and Prasidh put India ahead on 15-wicket day

Stats – The breathtaking Crawley-Duckett opening salvo

“You’re always frustrated when you miss opportunities,” Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, said. “Of course, we pride ourselves on being very good in those sorts of areas, but it just didn’t happen. We all know how important they are and we all know how tough catches can be – especially in the slips – so [we are] disappointed, but it is what it is.”Crawley’s drop was England’s 15th of the series, per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, compared to India’s 20. Their catching cost them in Manchester last week, with Shubman Gill put down by Dawson and Ollie Pope on his way to his century, and Joe Root putting Ravindra Jadeja down off the first ball of his match-saving unbeaten hundred.England looked weary in the field on Friday evening after batting for just 51.2 overs in their first innings but Trescothick refused to blame their drops on physical and mental fatigue. “I don’t think that’ll be anything to do with it,” he said. “It just happens over the course of some days and some games. It’s just the game, as we see it.”Trescothick believes that the Test is “evenly poised” after two days, and expects the pitch will continue to be “lively”. “There’s more life in it,” he said of the surface. “There’s more pace, more seam movement, and we’re at the extreme version of what we see in those types of pitches, but it’s definitely what we like.”We want pace on the ball, we want the ball to bounce and we want the ball to carry through so that when we’re batting, we can be aggressive, we can attack, and we can put pressure back on the bowlers; and when we’re bowling, if we get opportunities and we catch the edge, hopefully it will carry through… We’re very happy with how [the pitch] has performed so far.”

Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just missed out on what would have been the second cycle in Major League Baseball postseason history Wednesday.

In Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Mariners, Toronto's offense broke out when it was needed the most, partly in thanks to a four-hit night from Guerrero. He smacked a 406-foot home run to center field in the fifth inning, which moved him just a triple shy of the cycle with plenty of game left.

He was intentionally walked in the sixth, but saw an opportunity in the eighth to achieve the rare feat. Guerrero poked an 83-mph curveball in the middle of the zone to the right-field gap and dug for extra bases. He rounded first and booked it for second, but stopped on second base instead of pushing for the triple, which would've completed the cycle. He appeared to take too big of a step as he rounded first, which put him a bit off balance and may have halted his opportunity for a triple.

Once the 26-year-old first baseman stood up on second, he knew he missed an opportunity, but was happy with another extra-base hit. The Fox broadcast perfectly panned to some of his Blue Jays teammates in the dugout who looked disappointed that the cycle didn't come to fruition.

As the hardest piece of the cycle, you can't fault Guerrero for not reaching third on the play, but his eighth-inning hit may have been the best opportunity possible.

Guerrero was 4-for-4 with a walk on the night, recording his only RBI via a solo homer in the fifth. The Blue Jays' offense exploded at the right time, and it led the charge behind the 13–4 win against the Mariners in Wednesday's Game 3. Seattle still leads the series 2–1 with Game 4 slated for Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.

Who hit for the only cycle in MLB postseason history?

Red Sox utilityman Brock Holt hit for the only cycle in MLB postseason history, doing so in Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Yankees in 2018. Holt's playoff cycle was part of Boston's 16–1 stomping of New York before they won the series in Game 4. He hit for the cycle three years earlier in the regular season against the Braves.

Splashing the cash in the transfer market hasn’t been alien to Manchester United over the last couple of years, with INEOS massively backing various managers at Old Trafford.

Since the summer of 2022 alone, the hierarchy have spent upwards of £800m on new additions, but it’s safe to say they’ve failed to have the desired effect in the Premier League.

Ruben Amorim could only direct the side to 15th place last time around, with the 40-year-old’s men now sat in eighth in 2025/26, but it could be about to get tricky for the manager.

Many of his key starters are set to go away with their respective nations for AFCON at the end of December, which could leave the squad bare in numerous areas.

As a result, the board have drawn up a plan, which could see numerous big-money talents make their own move to Old Trafford during the January transfer window.

United’s hunt for new signings in January

Over the last couple of days, Real Madrid star Rodrygo has once again appeared on United’s radar, but it seems a deal for the forward’s signature could prove to be a tricky one.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are all said to be monitoring the progress of the Brazilian international, which could lead to a bidding war in the winter window.

He’s fallen down the pecking order of Xabi Alonso over the last couple of months, which could see him depart the Bernabeu in a deal worth around the £70m mark.

However, he’s not the only player mentioned with a potential switch to Old Trafford, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo another player seemingly on their radar.

According to Football Insider, INEOS have identified the 25-year-old as the perfect player to come into the club in January to bolster the frontline during AFCON.

The report also states that the player has a £65m release clause that becomes active in the new year, with such a fee one the board are looking to activate and fast-track a deal for.

Why United’s £65m target would be Cunha 2.0

Investing big on Premier League players who have caught the eye in recent times is another thing United have done, as seen by the deal to land Matheus Cunha from Wolves during the summer.

The Brazilian scored 15 times in England’s top-flight last season, which massively attracted the interest of the Red Devils and Amorim during the recent summer window.

As a result, the board forked out a reported £62.5m for the attacker’s signature, with Cunha just one of three forwards signed to make a difference in the final third.

During the opening months of his career in Manchester, the 26-year-old has struggled to replicate his best form, as seen by his tally of one goal in his first 11 outings.

However, there’s still bags of time for the big-money addition to resurrect his career at Old Trafford, especially if Semenyo makes the move in the coming months.

They could star together, or the Ghanaian international could overtake him in the pecking order – something which could come to fruition when comparing their figures.

In 2025/26, Semenyo has massively outperformed Cunha in numerous key areas, with the Cherries star the perfect man to improve the frontline in 2026 and beyond.

The 25-year-old, who’s been dubbed the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle, has already posted more combined goals and assists this season – showcasing his incredible ability in front of goal.

Semenyo has also completed more carries into the final third, whilst achieving a higher take-on success rate, with such numbers making him a much better ball-carrier than the Brazilian.

Games played

13

11

Goals & assists

9

1

Shot on target accuracy

52%

40%

Progressive carries

3.5

2.8

Progressive passes

3.7

3.6

Take-ons completed

1.9

1.7

Take-on success

53%

52%

Crosses completed

1.7

1.6

Aerials won

2.3

0.8

His dominance over the United star is further reflected in his higher tally of crosses completed per 90, with such a tally showcasing his ability to add an end product to his mazy runs.

Other numbers, such as a higher shot on target accuracy rate and a better pass accuracy rate, highlight his all-round dominance in attacking areas.

£65m for a player of Semenyo’s quality would be an excellent piece of business, with such a move softening the blow of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo’s absence at AFCON.

However, given the money spent during the summer, it would be another huge investment, with the backing certainly there – but it’s down to Amorim to get a tune out of the current crop of players at his disposal.

Fewer touches than Lammens & 100% duels lost: Man Utd flop must be dropped

Ruben Amorim has multiple changes to make after his side’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United.

ByEthan Lamb 7 days ago

قدم جيمي كاراجر، أسطورة نادي ليفربول، اعتذاره لنجم الريدز الحالي، محمد صلاح، موضحًا أنه يحب الدولي المصري كثيرًا كلاعب، لكن على الأخير أن يحسن من سلوكه خارج الملعب.

كاراجر كان قد فتح النار على محمد صلاح بعد تصريحات اللاعب التي هاجم فيها إدارة ليفربول ومدرب الفريق آرني سلوت، عقب نهاية مباراة الريدز أمام ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والتي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 3-3.

واتهم محمد صلاح إدارة ليفربول بعدم تنفيذ الوعود المقدمة له، إضافة إلى تصريحه بانهيار علاقته مع سلوت، والذي أبقى ابن الـ33 عامًا على مقاعد البدلاء في آخر ثلاث مباريات للريدز في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واتخذ سلوت في المقابل رد فعل تجاه محمد صلاح واستبعد اللاعب من مباراة ليفربول وإنتر ميلان يوم أمس الثلاثاء في دوري أبطال أوروبا، والتي فاز بها ليفربول 1-0.

وهاجم كاراجر محمد صلاح بعد تصريحاته، موضحًا أن الجناح الأيمن لم يفز ببطولة مع منتخب مصر ولم ينجح مع تشيلسي.

لكن كاراجر تراجع عن هذه التصريحات واعتذر لمحمد صلاح مرة أخرى، وذلك عبر استوديو قناة ”CBS Sports” إلى جانب نجم مانشستر سيتي السابق، ميكا ريتشاردز.

وسأل ريتشاردز كاراجر في البداية وقال له: “هل تود الاعتذار لمحمد صلاح والتعبير عن أسفك لأي إساءة له؟ هذا نابع من الحماس، أنت مشجع، هيا، قلها أمام الكاميرا”.

ثم رد كاراجر على ريتشاردز وأضاف: “مو، أعتذر ، لقد أزعجتك، أحبك كلاعب في ليفربول لكن عليك أن تتصرف بشكل لائق خارج الملعب وتحسن من سلوكك”.

وبعد ذلك أجاب ريتشادرز: “هذا منصف، بدا الأمر صادقاً للغاية”.

ويعتقد كاراجر أن محمد صلاح لن يشارك مع ليفربول في مباراة برايتون الأسبوع المقبل بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وسوف يستمر سلوت في استبعاد اللاعب، حيث أوضح: “بصراحة، لا أعتقد أنه سوف يشارك”.

وأردف كاراجر: ”لا أدري، لماذا يثار هذا الجدل، سواء كان على مقاعد البدلاء أو يجري عمليات الإحماء؟ الجماهير لها دور في ذلك، لا أدري، هل يُمكن أن يؤدي ذلك إلى انقسام بين الجماهير والمدرب ومحمد صلاح؟”.

وتابع: ”لذا أعتقد أنه بما أنه لم يتبق سوى مباراة واحدة قبل سفره، فمن الأفضل أن يؤجل الأمر حاليًا ثم نرى كيف ستكون الأمور بعد عودته من كأس الأمم الإفريقية”.

ويعتقد كاراجر أن هناك فرصة لمشاركة هوجو إيكتيكي، وألكسندر إيزاك، وفلوريان فيرتز، بصورة أساسية معًا في تشكيلة ليفربول خلال الفترة المقبلة مع غياب محمد صلاح.

طالع .. رومانو يوضح حقيقة معاقبة محمد صلاح في ليفربول

واستكمل كاراجر في حديثه عن مشاركة إيكتيكي وإيزاك بشكل أساسي ضد إنتر ميلان في دوري الأبطال، إذ واصل: ”بفضل الأداء الجيد لليفربول، هذه هي المرة الأولى التي نرى فيها إيكيتيكي وإيزاك معًا، كنت أتوقع أن يبدأ فيرتز أساسيًا يوم السبت أيضًا على أرضنا أمام برايتون، في الواقع، قلت قبل أسابيع قليلة إن ليفربول قد يضطر إلى بناء الفريق بينما كان محمد صلاح في كأس الأمم الأفريقية، من أجل المستقبل”.

وقال كاراجر: “اسمعوا، لأي سبب كان، حدث ذلك قبل أسبوعين من سفره إلى كأس الأمم الأفريقية، لكن كان على ليفربول دائمًا إيجاد طريقة لإشراك صفقاته الكبيرة في الفريق. لم يحدث ذلك بعد، حيث بدأ الثلاثة جميعًا أساسيين”.

وأضاف: “لذا أعتقد أن مباراة برايتون فرصة رائعة لإشراك الصفقات الجديدة في الهجوم، أشركوا فيرتز خلف المهاجم، حيث كان على مقاعد البدلاء الليلة ضد إنتر ، وقدم أداءً جيدًا عندما دخل إلى الملعب”.

واختتم كاراجر: “لذا أعتقد أنها المرة الأولى التي قد نشهد فيها ذلك وربما ما هو مستقبل ليفربول من حيث المضي قدماً، ليس فقط هذا الموسم بل ربما على مدى الـ 18 شهراً إلى العامين المقبلين”.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been forced to deal with a plethora of injuries since taking over from Ange Postecoglou, with the club’s bad luck in that regard continuing into this season.

Ex-chairman Daniel Levy got so frustrated with Spurs’ key player absences in 24/25 that he overhauled their medical department for the second year running last summer. Key sports science chiefs Adam Brett and Nick Davies were both shown the door before the start of this season, with Nick Stubbings following Frank from Brentford to join as medical lead.

The Lilywhites were minus Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario for large portions of last campaign, alongside many other key men, which undoubtedly played a role in Spurs’ finishing a lowly 17th in the Premier League table.

This season, they haven’t fared much better.

Soon after Frank was appointed to succeed Postecoglou, Spurs lost playmaker James Maddison to an ACL injury which will keep him out for most of 2025/2026, with the England international on an extensive list of absentees.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The likes of Romero, Wilson Odobert, Randal Kolo Muani and Destiny Udogie were also sidelined for periods recently until making their respective comebacks, so Frank will be desperate for this torrid luck to cease as he attempts to guide Tottenham to major silverware and a top four finish.

Luckily for Spurs, electrifying winger and star summer signing Mohammed Kudus is likely to return against Man United this weekend after the Ghanaian confirmed his knock is getting better.

Tottenham hit by injury blow as "promising" youngster Elijah Upson withdraws from England duty

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit and academy expert John Wenham, who oversees the Lilywhites Rose account on X, says that Tottenham’s injury woes even stretch down to youth level.

Young defender Elijah Upson, who captains Spurs’ Under-18s, was forced to withdraw from the England Under-17s World Cup squad after suffering his own injury, which comes as a crying shame considering the club could have had five youth players representing them for the Three Lions.

The 17-year-old was recently handed a call-up to Tottenham’s Under-21 squad as well, playing the full 90 minutes and shutting out West Brom in a 1-0 win just over a month ago.

The injury comes as more of a blow to Upson’s personal development, with the versatile centre-back/right-back looking to make Johan Lange – who now oversees the academy as one of his many co-director responsibilities – stand up and take notice.

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.