Leeds United are in a difficult position heading into the weekend as they are in the bottom three and heading to play Manchester City at The Etihad this afternoon.

The Whites have lost their last three matches in the Premier League, losing to Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, and now face a run of games against City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

On top of the daunting fixture list, Daniel Farke also has several new injury issues to contend with before they kick off against Pep Guardiola’s side today.

The latest Leeds injury news

Anton Stach will not be in the squad because he has been unable to train this week through concussion protocols, after the German midfielder was taken off in the first against Aston Villa last weekend with a head injury.

The £17.4m summer signing from Hoffenheim will resume training on Sunday before coming into contention for the Chelsea match, and Ao Tanaka could start in his place this afternoon.

Reserve defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, who joined from Wolfsburg in the summer, is going to be a late call on whether or not he can make the bench today, per Farke.

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Unfortunately, the German head coach also revealed that central midfielder Sean Longstaff suffered a calf injury and is due to be out of action for between four and six weeks, in a major blow for the Whites.

The summer signing from Newcastle has started ten of his 12 Premier League appearances for the club, creating six ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, and Farke will need to find a way to replace him this afternoon and for the weeks to come.

Instead of bringing Ilia Gruev, who is more of a deep-lying number six, into the side, Farke should unleash Brenden Aaronson in a new role to ease the Longstaff injury blow.

The new role that Brenden Aaronson should play in

Earlier this month, Farke said that the USA international “polarises and can be annoying” and then added that he “works his socks off, gives everything, relentless and leaves his heart on the pitch” in defence of the attacking midfielder.

Because of that work rate, it would be interesting to see how he would fare in Longstaff’s position as one of the two number eights ahead of Ethan Ampadu.

Aaronson, of course, was the main number ten for Farke in his 4-2-3-1 system last season before being moved to the right wing in the current 4-3-3 shape, which means that he is used to playing centrally under the German boss.

The 25-year-old star, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, has the creative qualities to soften the blow of losing Longstaff, who has created the most ‘big chances’ in the team, albeit as the main set-piece taker.

Goals

1

3rd

Shots per game

1.4

3rd

Key passes per game

0.9

3rd

Big chances created

3

2nd

xA

1.49

1st

Possession lost per game

8.4

8th

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has been one of the most creative players in the team in the top-flight this season, without being one of the most wasteful in possession.

This, along with Farke’s comments on his work rate, suggests that the American midfielder could be the ideal player to fill in for Longstaff in the next few weeks, because the Whites would still have a hard-working and creative player in that role.

On top of that, moving Aaronson away from the right wing position would allow the manager to unleash Dan James on the right, and his pace in behind could be particularly useful in these next three games against superior opposition who will be expected to dominate the ball.

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Therefore, playing the USA international in this new role could be an excellent way to respond to Longstaff’s injury, which is why Farke should consider it this afternoon.

Daniel Farke will is set to be sacked by 49ers Enterprises if Leeds lose their next two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Liverpool.

Farke frustrated by Man City tactics at the Etihad

The Whites were left heartbroken by a late Phil Foden winner at Manchester City on Saturday, as a crucial point slipped through Farke’s fingers.

The German bemoaned City’s dark arts after the match, believing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down with a “fake injury” that allowed Pep Guardiola to give his players a team talk.

“It is within the rules,” Farke said. “It is smart. If I like it, if it is in the sense of fair play, if it should be like this, I keep it to myself and I leave it to the authorities to find solutions for it. It is within the rules.

“I asked the fourth official at this point if you want to do something and he said: ‘No, our hands are tied, we can’t do anything’.

“If we don’t educate our players in football, what to do in terms of fair play, sportsmanship, if you just try to bend the rules to your advantage and you can do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is nothing I personally like but if it is within the rules I can’t complain about it.”

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Joe Nuttall

Nov 30, 2025

Leeds want new manager in before January transfer window

The Leeds manager is feeling the pressure with his side now sat in the bottom three heading into two huge fixtures, as they take on Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday before welcoming Liverpool to Yorkshire on Saturday evening.

And according to a report from The Guardian, ‘multiple sources at Leeds have privately conceded that Farke’s fate is in the balance’.

He is likely to be relieved of his duties if they lose both games, despite some within the club feeling the performances have deserved better results.

More intriguingly, the report states the 49ers want to a new boss in before the January transfer window if they do indeed make a change, as they would like to make signings in January to mould the team to the new manager’s needs.

And while just who that is remains to be seen, a report shared by Give Me Sport claims Gary O’Neil is now the frontrunner to take over.

The former Wolves manager has been out of work for nearly a year after he was sacked in December 2024, but was looked on favourably during his time at Molineux.

“It’s unbelievable and you think the summer they had as well,” Shay Given said on BBC Match of the Day last year.

“I’ve just wrote some names down Nunes, Neves, Collins, Coady, Jimenez, he had to sell all them to balance the books up.

“So the job he’s done under such restraints and Financial Fair Play is just phenomenal.”

Liverpool are waiting for this nightmare to end, rediscovering the form of last season under Arne Slot’s wing that led to the Premier League title and a summer of sweeping changes.

The signings made this summer were completed after meticulous research, but, nonetheless, the Reds have been dismal this year, lacking identity and inspiration. Even in victory have Liverpool given their opponents plenty of optimism.

It’s worth noting that Liverpool were far better defensively than has so often been the case this term, but this has done little to calm the anxieties of supporters who have been forced to accept a bleak new norm.

Among the bitter pills swallowed has been the form of captain Virgil van Dijk, the centre-back very much at the core of Liverpool’s problems this season and lacking solutions so often provided across his illustrious career at the club.

Virgil van Dijk's drop-off this season

Liverpool’s monster has been made mortal by the tailspin of Slot’s system this season. Ibrahima Konate’s struggles have no doubt been exacerbated by the slow recession of Van Dijk’s indomitability.

He is 34 years old, 35 at the end of the season. It is only natural that the Netherlands skipper should begin to wind down. However, it presents Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes with quite the conundrum as Konate edges toward the expiry of his £70k-per-week contract.

Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for about £27m this summer, but the 18-year-old Italian tore his ACL on his debut against Southampton and is not expected back until the start of next season.

The Italian would have offered a much-needed dimension over the past few months, allowing Slot to enforce more rotation, with Konate having started each of his side’s Premier League fixtures this season despite his rut. Van Dijk is now foundering beside him.

Change is needed, and with the winter transfer window approaching, it’s clear that Liverpool need a centre-back.

Liverpool targeting centre-back this January

As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool are set to table a bid for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi this winter, having reopened direct communications this week with the player’s agents after fumbling a deal to sign him in August.

Guehi is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of the season, and while Liverpool had a clean shot at the 25-year-old at the start of the season, notably even agreeing personal terms with the player, rival interest is now sure to be thick, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid considered suitors.

Sources suggest FSG are willing to offer around £25m for Guehi’s signature in January, paying something of a premium for one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

What Guehi would bring to Liverpool

Guehi could well be plying his craft for Liverpool right now, but it wasn’t to be as sporting director Richard Hughes gambled and left it late, Palace barring the door at the eleventh hour after failing to find a replacement.

It’s a real shame. Guehi is a seasoned Premier League star who just keeps on evolving. He has been hailed as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, but he is so much more.

As per data-driven site FBref, Guehi ranks among the top 7% of central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for through balls, the top 6% for assists and shot-creating actions, and the top 15% for tackles won per 90.

If Liverpool succeed in completing a deal for the two-footed centre-half this winter, it could carry the weight of that one-time signing of Van Dijk, who joined from Southampton midway through the 2017/18 season for a £75m fee.

Van Dijk needs no introduction. He is one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, a titan of the game.

He dovetailed into Jurgen Klopp’s exciting team and reinforced it with steel. He was the mortar which filled in the cracks and created a superteam.

Big boots to fill, but Guehi has been extensively profiled and could emulate the Netherlands man by arriving at the season’s midpoint, providing that dearly desired relief.

After such incredible success in recent years, it is staggering that Liverpool have plummeted so far beneath their expected level. This borders on a crisis, and one signing won’t stop the rot for good, but Guehi has the combative, confident defensive style to help put the Reds back on track, with his quality in the build-up something that Konate simply doesn’t possess.

It’s Van Dijk-esque, and given that Guehi would be arriving in January after previous attempts to sign him, this could have the much-needed echoes of that euphoric deal.

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“It’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener,” the batter says after his maiden ODI hundred

Hemant Brar04-Dec-20254:31

Gaikwad: I decided I’d try to be consistent in any game this year

Ruturaj Gaikwad says he was “pretty much confident” of adapting to the No. 4 position despite having never batted there previously in 50-over cricket. Before the South Africa series, Gaikwad had batted 86 times in List A cricket but never below No. 3.He started the series with 8 off 14 balls in Ranchi before scoring 105 off 83 balls in the second ODI in Raipur, which he said was “definitely” his best innings across formats and levels.”[The team management] told me that I would be batting at No. 4 this series,” Gaikwad said after the match. “I feel it’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener. So I took it that way.Related

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“In the one-day format, even when I was opening the innings, I always tried to make sure that whenever I was set, I was able to bat till the 45th over and capitalise after that. So I knew somewhat how to play between overs 11 to 40, how to rotate strike, what the boundary options were. So I was pretty much confident about how I could go through [the innings].”It was just a matter of how I could play my first 10-15 balls and after that, the process remains the same. I have been working really hard, and obviously been in good touch as well. So I wanted to make sure that whenever I am set, I make it a big one.”Gaikwad was involved in a 195-run stand with Virat Kohli, who scored his second hundred in as many games. When asked about the partnership, Gaikwad said it was something “you dream of”.Virat Kohli gives Ruturaj Gaikwad a pat on the back after the latter tonned up•AFP/Getty Images

“I have been able to witness him since last one week now,” he said. “Whatever practice sessions we have had, he is batting unbelievably well… the amount of time he has and how he is able to convert it in the match as well. And even this game, I enjoyed a lot. [But] mostly, I was trying to be in my zone and not really think about how he is batting or how he is able to score runs.”The chat in between was very clear. We had set 5-5-, 10-10-run target and [discussed] how to manoeuvre the gaps or how to hit those boundaries, how we can rotate strike. So the chat was around that. I think we had really good running between the wickets as well. Obviously, you dream of these kinds of moments and to be able to have that kind of partnership, I really enjoyed a lot.”Before this series, Gaikwad last played an ODI for India in 2023. Since then, he has fallen behind the pecking order as opener, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill being India’s first choice, followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal. He got a chance in this series only because Shreyas Iyer was injured. How does he see this competition?”I think all these things are better if you don’t think too much [about them]. Because [if you do so], you are not in the present, and whatever matches are in front of you, you don’t have that much focus and preparation for them.”In the last Vijay Hazare Trophy, I couldn’t make that many runs [194 in seven innings]. Obviously, some things were going on in my mind. But after that, I thought whichever match it is, whether a club game, red-ball format, or white-ball format, I will make sure I try to stay consistent. I realised that my duty is to score runs as much as possible. And if I get an opportunity, well and good. Even if I don’t, it’s still fine.”

Beau Webster has done everything in his power to keep his Test spot, taking five wickets for Tasmania against South Australia with Alex Carey making 59

AAP11-Nov-2025

Beau Webster took 5 for 50•Getty Images

Beau Webster has taken his first five-wicket haul of the summer for Tasmania – but it came on a day when his chances of keeping his Test spot took a hit.Webster claimed 5 for 50 for the Tigers in Hobart on Tuesday to help dismiss South Australia for 177 in reply to the hosts’ first-innings 209. Tasmania then collapsed by losing nine wickets in an extended last session to reach stumps on day two at 177 for 9, with Henry Thornton taking two wickets in the final over to keep the hosts’ lead to 209 with a tight finish looming.Webster was out for eight as Tasmania crumbled, but was still the star of the day and did everything in his power with the ball to keep his Test spot.Related

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However, his wickets came just as Cameron Green was returning to bowl for Western Australia for the first time in six weeks, after battling side soreness.Green bowled with good pace and bounce at the WACA, taking an early wicket and dispelling any concerns over his fitness. If Green is fit to bowl in the first Test from November 21, selectors will be left to decide between keeping Webster or picking a specialist opener in Tasmania teammate Jake Weatherald.A key consideration will also no doubt be that Weatherald’s inclusion would allow Marnus Labuschagne to bat in his preferred position of No.3. Weatherald looked in touch for his 30 on Tuesday, before edging a ball back onto his own stumps off Liam Scott for a pair of squandered starts in this match, after a first-innings 23. He hit Nathan McAndrew for three boundaries in one over, pulling him twice to the rope before a glorious cover drive to the fence.Earlier, Webster was easily Tasmania’s best bowler on Tuesday after having Travis Head caught behind on the opening evening. The seamer bowled Liam Scott through the gate with a ball that swung back in at the right-hander, then also drew Jake Doran’s edge soon afterwards.Beau Webster celebrates his fourth career five-wicket haul•Getty Images

Nathan McAndrew followed in a similar fashion, before Brendan Doggett was the last to go when Webster took the tailender’s off stump.Webster has taken eight wickets at 23.25 since debuting for Australia at the SCG, while also proving a reliable man with the bat at No.6.”Beau does what Beau does, just gets in a nice area,” Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey said. “In conditions like that he gets a lot out of it, and that’s what I’ve seen in his Test career so far.”With wickets that have a bit in it, he comes to the fore and got his five-wicket haul today.”Jake Weatherald, I think, is a really quality player and looked really good for his 30.”Alex Carey drives through cover•Getty Images

Carey (59) was the only South Australian to pass 50, as he played a counter-attacking role in a low-scoring game. On a day when rain, storms and even hail stopped play, the Australian Test wicketkeeper regularly charged the quicks. He used his feet to hit Jackson Bird over the mid-wicket fence, and played another cracking cover drive against Webster.But when Carey guided Gabe Bell to Webster at second slip on 59, it kick-started a collapse of 6 for 33 to end South Australia’s innings.South Australia then went through the Tasmanians by taking nine wickets in an extended final session, with Ben Manenti taking 3 for 26.

While this season is shaping up to be a spectacular one for Arsenal, Sunday was a disappointment for Mikel Arteta and Co.

The Spaniard’s team looked second best in their Premier League game against then-second-placed Chelsea, and then failed to capitalise when the Blues went down to ten men.

With that said, while it was a poor showing from the Gunners, they were without a number of the best players, like William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and just as important, Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian has been in scintillating form for Arsenal in recent months, and yet, if reports are to be believed, the club are looking to sign someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

During the summer, it looked like Trossard would be leaving Arsenal, as he didn’t have a great campaign and was linked with clubs like Bayern Munich.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem stayed, was handed a pay rise, and since then has played like a man possessed.

For example, it was his thunderous effort against Sunderland that ensured the Gunners left with a point, and then against Tottenham Hotspur, he scored and assisted a goal.

However, even with performances such as these, it looks like the North Londoners are looking to sign an upgrade on the 30-year-old.

At least that is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Arsenal are interested in Michael Olise.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the club have placed the Frenchman at the top of their wishlist for next year and, with Sporting Director Andrea Berta, are already laying the groundwork for the deal.

However, it won’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, with the report claiming that it will cost in excess of £100m to convince Bayern Munich to sell their star attacker.

Even so, given Olise’s immense ability and further potential, this is a deal Arsenal should be going all out for, especially as he’d be a significant upgrade on Trossard.

How Olise compares to Trossard

So the first thing to get out of the way is that, yes, Olise is primarily a right-sided player, and Trossard plays mostly on the left.

However, Arteta has made it quite clear with the signing of Noni Madueke that he is more than happy to play wingers on the opposite flank, and given the Frenchman’s immense ability, it feels like he should have no problem playing out there.

Moreover, when the former Chelsea ace has played in the team, he and Bukayo Saka have swapped sides back and forth during games, which suggests the manager has almost moved beyond the idea of a wide player starting and sticking to a position as matches progress.

With all that said, why would the former Crystal Palace star, who shone with Eberechi Eze in South London, be an upgrade on the Belgian?

Well, the first and most important reason is the simple fact that he is a far more potent goal threat, be that through scoring or assisting them.

A “magician” – according to Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano – in 20 appearances this season, totalling 1583 minutes, he’s scored nine goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.05 games, or every 83.31 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton star has scored five goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances, totalling 948 minutes, which averages out to a goal involvement every 1.6 games, or every 94.8 minutes.

The second reason is that, at just 23 years old, the 13-capped international has far more upside than the 30-year-old and should even improve in the coming seasons.

Finally, on top of his better output, the former Reading man also comes out on top when you take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Olise vs Trossard

Statistics

Olise

Trossard

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

1.00

0.38

Progressive Carries

5.70

2.63

Progressive Passes

6.40

3.63

Shots on Target

1.99

0.62

Passing Accuracy

81.4%

69.3%

Key Passes

2.60

1.38

Shot-Creating Actions

6.68

3.25

Goal-Creating Actions

1.10

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.40

0.88

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

For example, he comes out ahead in the most critical metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, goal and shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Trossard is a brilliant player, but Olise is clearly superior in practically every way and more than justifies Oliver Glasner’s claim that he’s “one of the best talents in the world.”

Therefore, even if it costs a king’s ransom, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him in 2026.

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Ireland will welcome the experience of Josh Little and Mark Adair and search for a change in fortunes after losing the Test series

Mohammad Isam26-Nov-2025

Bangladesh’s busiest year in T20Is

When Bangladesh enter the field on Thursday, they will play their 28th T20I in 2025, making this their busiest year in the format. They go into this series without their main fast bowler, Taskin Ahmed, with the BCB having given him an NOC to play the Abu Dhabi T10 till November 30.Bangladesh’s fast bowling stocks have reached a level of quality that the team management is comfortable enough to give someone like Taskin a break. The current squad includes Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam and Mohammad Saifuddin in the fast-bowling department. They also have their best spinners in the format – Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed – all available for selection.Related

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Ireland look for sub-continent comfort

Ireland have played just six T20Is this year, which leaves them with a bit of a gap in form and experience. Chattogram has Bangladesh’s best batting conditions, which is good news for Ireland, who couldn’t quite get enough runs in the Dhaka and Sylhet Tests.Captain Paul Stirling will have to lead from the front, as he often does in Ireland colours. The likes of Ross Adair, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher provide the middle-order punch. Ireland will also hope to see runs from allrounders George Dockrell and Gareth Delany, while newcomers Ben Calitz and Tim Tector will no doubt look to soak in as much experience as possible.

Consistency eludes Bangladesh

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has to step up in the run-making as the batters look for consistency in T20Is. They haven’t had the best of times in 2025, particularly against West Indies last month, when they couldn’t chase modest targets in Chattogram.Saif Hassan is the man in form, as he fights for a position in the top order with Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon. Bangladesh’s top order is exciting but they don’t often click together. The likes of Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali will mind the middle order, while Nurul Hasan has attempted plenty of shots in his return to the T20I side recently. The selectors have picked Mahidul Islam Ankon ahead of Shamim Hossain, in an attempt to rejig the No. 4 or 5 positions.Josh Little is back for Ireland in the T20I setup•ACB

Ireland bowlers know better

Having played a role in the Test series, the likes of Matthew Humphreys, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young would have gained good knowledge and understanding of Bangladesh conditions. Seamers McCarthy and Young didn’t play the Dhaka Test but left-arm spinner Humphreys has looked far better as the tour has progressed.They will also welcome the addition of experienced bowlers like Mark Adair and Josh Little, who have past experience of playing in these conditions. Legspinner Ben White, too, has played in Bangladesh before, so Ireland can feel confident of possessing a handy bowling attack.

Batting first more viable in Chattogram

West Indies found out last month that the Chattogram pitches have better bounce and movement in the second half of night games, despite the onset of dew after 8.00pm. They defended middling totals like 165 and 149, and later chased down 151 in the third game. Teams batting first will look to beat the average total of 155 from the October series. Bangladesh will also feel that they must end the year well, particularly this being their last T20I series ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

After three months and six matchdays featuring a whopping 108 games, this season's Champions League is finally getting interesting, as we now have a much better idea of which sides are on course to qualify directly for the last 16, who is likely to end up in the play-off round, and whether any top team is running the risk of falling at the first hurdle.

Arsenal remain on track to finish first after maintaining their 100 per cent record with a comfortable win in Bruges, while Bayern Munich got back to winning ways against Sporting CP, after suffering their first defeat of the season at the Emirates last time out, while Manchester City also bounced back from their shock loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen by piling more misery on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu.

Elsewhere, Barcelona came from behind to beat Eintracht Frankfurt, but defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held by Athletic Club at San Mames and Chelsea were stunned by Atalanta in Bergamo, casting serious doubt on the Blues' title prospects. 

Of course, there are still an awful lot of games yet to play but, as it stands, which sides are looking like potential champions? And who is running the risk of suffering an embarrassingly early exit? GOAL ranks and rates all 36 participants in the 2025-26 Champions League below…

AFP36Kairat Almaty ⬇️

Despite the best efforts of Player-of-the-Match-winning goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov, Kairat were beaten 1-0 by Olympiacos on Tuesday, thus effectively ending what little chance the Kazakhstani side had left of making the play-offs.

They're not mathematically out of the running just yet, but they're six points off 24th place and their goal difference is -11. All that Kairat’s players can do now is to try to pick up their first win when they host Club Brugge on matchday seven – and then do their best to enjoy the exercise in damage limitation that will be their trip to the Emirates on January 28.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport35Villarreal ⬇️

It's just so hard to make sense of Villarreal. Marcelino's men are currently third in La Liga, having lost just two of their 15 games so far this season – and yet they've managed to pick up just one point in six Champions League outings. Villarreal twice came from behind in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at home to Copenhagen, but their desperate need for a victory meant they took more risks than they normally would have in the closing stages and ended up conceding a 90th-minute winner to Andreas Cornelius.

The Yellow Submarine could yet make it to seven points, but that won't be anywhere near enough for a play-off place, and it looks beyond them anyway, especially as they must travel to Leverkusen on matchday eight.

Getty Images Sport34Slavia Prague ⬇️

Jindrich Trpisovsky couldn't fault his players for effort in Tuesday's 3-0 loss at Tottenham, and felt that the final scoreline was not a fair reflection of the game.

"We had some good chances and then we conceded two goals from penalties and an own goal," he pointed out. "But the speed of the game was incredible, so it's a good experience for our team – as it's different when you see it on TV!"

Trpisovsky's troops are set for another eye-opener when they face Barcelona on matchday seven, but they could at least pick up their first win in the Champions League proper since 2007 when they play Pafos away in their final fixture, on January 28.

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AFP33Ajax ⬆️

With just over 10 minutes to play in Baku, Ajax, the four-time champions of Europe, were 2-1 down to Qarabag and facing the most humiliating Champions League exit possible. However, two goals from Oscar Gloukh, either side of a sweet strike from Anton Gaaei, saw the Dutch outfit end a bitterly embarrassing run of five consecutive defeats in the league phase.

Of course, Ajax's first win has likely come far too late to salvage their play-off hopes but, with games to come against fellow strugglers Villarreal and Olympiacos, the Eredivisie strugglers could at least finish what has been a trying campaign on a high.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has addressed transfer speculation linking club legend Lionel Messi with a return to the Catalan club. The World Cup winner left the Catalan giants in acrimonious fashion back in 2021 as their financial woes meant he could not be offered a new contract, but the hope of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner returning to Camp Nou has not left Barca fans – despite Messi turning 38 this summer.

• How Barcelona lost Messi in 2021

  Messi established himself as an all-time great during a sparkling 17-year stint in Barca's senior setup, holding the club's records for most appearances and goals with 778 matches played and a ridiculous 672 strikes. He won every major honour there is to win with his former club, including 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, playing alongside other legends like Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar and Sergio Busquets, among others, as Barca enjoyed one of the most glistening periods in their history. 

  The fairytale eventually came to an end in 2021 as financial mismanagement resulted in Messi's departure at the end of his contract. He signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer but had two difficult seasons in France before joining Major League soccer outfit Inter Miami, where he has resumed his incredible goal-scoring. Barca remain somewhat strapped for cash but appear to be in a better position than they were four years ago, but sporting director Deco didn't give much away when asked about a potential return to the club for the Argentinian.

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  Deco responds to potential Messi return

  Speaking on , Deco said: "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," he firmly stated. 

  "The current situation is entirely speculative,” Deco added. 

• Why an imminent return seems unrealistic

  Barca fans unsurprisingly fell head-over-heels back in love with Messi when he was pictured at the club's newly-refurbished Camp Nou stadium back in early November. The legendary attacker admitted he wants to return in some capacity in the future in order to say a proper goodbye to supporters, something he was denied four years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

  However, president Joan Laporta later revealed it was "not realistic" to consider a playing homecoming with Messi recently committing his future to Inter Miami for another three years. Their financial situation remains tight, having spent relatively little on transfers compared to some of Europe's other top teams over the past few seasons, and whether they would be able to afford Messi's wages remains to be seen.

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  What comes next for Messi and Barcelona?

  With many football supporters around the world hopeful of Messi returning to Camp Nou in the future, this is a story that is unlikely to fade away any time soon. However, the two parties have different goals to focus on in the immediate future. Messi will be hopeful of scooping more silverware on Saturday, with Inter Miami facing Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final. He could be joined by some former team-mates in the future, with Neymar linked with a switch to MLS after experiencing a difficult return to boyhood club Santos, while he could also feature in next year's World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico as Argentina look to defend the crown they won in Qatar in 2022.

  Barca, meanwhile, have opened up a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, though Los Blancos have the chance to cut that advantage when they meet Athletic Club on Wednesday night. 

It’s the hope that kills England, as crushing comedown leaves their bid for immortality on the rocks

Vithushan Ehantharajah22-Nov-20252:13

Stokes defends attacking approach after batting collapse

You know what, this might be the worst one. And there have been some shockers.Certainly, it’s up there with any of England’s previous defeats in Australia. This being their 100th, by the way. With a team mooted as having the best chance of winning a first Test match here for the best part of 15 years.Instead, England’s quest for a historic reclamation of the Ashes has begun with a loss as dispiriting and rancid as they come. It’s a potent mix that will take a long time to shake. Because the worst thing is … about six hours before this had curdled, England were actually winning.Swallow it down, it’s bad for you. And don’t fret about getting the taste out of your mouth. If you’re new to this, this generational flaying from a position of strength will make itself at home, burrowing deep into the sporting DNAs of the lineage of England fans to come.This could be Adelaide 2006-07 for the TikTok generation; the original was a slow-burn four-day tussle which culminated in Shane Warne’s fifth-day punchline. This remake has been condensed for shorter attention spans: hold the screen down if you want to watch England fast-forward from 105 ahead and just one down in the afternoon to an eight-wicket defeat before night-fall. Actually, don’t bother. It was quick enough in normal time.Travis Head blazed Australia to glory in the manner that England prescribe•Getty ImagesOr this could be an AI slop re-imagination of either of the first two Tests of the 1990-91 tour, and given that Graham Gooch described that series as a “fart competing with thunder” it’s a depressing comedown from the high-octane thrills of day one. That opening match at Brisbane trod a similar path to this one – the tourists were ahead by 42 on first innings then, compared to 40 here. The second featured an injury-prone left-armer, Bruce Reid, snaring 13 English batters at the MCG. Mitchell Starc (how can a big quick be this durable? He’s clearly AI) bagged his 10 in 24.5 overs.Or it could be another big-picture reboot from 2006, with the charismatic Travis Head playing the part of Adam Gilchrist’s previous Running Man effort in Perth. Sure, the background scenes were updated (how good does the WACA look with that filter, by the way?) but this one was even more impactful than the original. Mind you, the ending was exactly the same: England comprehensively thrashed.Related

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Those waking up in the UK on Saturday morning got to take in all such horrors. And no, we’re not talking about TNT’s coverage, although some of the broadcast’s lamentable problems were probably welcome now. With the commentary frequently out of sync with the pictures, at least those of a sensitive disposition were offered trigger warnings for incoming England wickets and then Head boundaries.For the same bowlers who had covered for the batters after their first-innings collapse of 5 for 12 were all too quickly back out there as fodder for Head and, latterly, Marnus Labuschagne. Lightning struck for England when they managed to get all of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse on the park at the same time, even as Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were missing for Australia. But none of them could summon another significant strike 24 hours later, even against an Australian team whose one banker opener continued to not open.Joe Root dragged a drive on to his stumps•Getty ImagesEngland’s quartet could point out that more than 35 overs of rest would have allowed them to replenish the necessary energy to be as accurate and relentless as they had been on Friday. They might also note that their combined contribution of 66 runs on Saturday dwarfed the tally of most of their more seasoned and celebrated batters across both innings. Zak Crawley – backed explicitly because his technique was expected to suit Australian pitches – bagged a pair. More gallingly, Joe Root’s 0 and 8 made it seven single-digit scores for England’s top six.Root’s failures, however familiar in Australia, also came with a modern, debilitating twist, and that was before his solitary over of offspin (which put him four runs in deficit for the game) had brought the scores level ahead of Steve Smith’s winning boundary.England’s greatest batter was the last man to fall in a post-lunch collapse of 3 for 0 in six deliveries, which capped an overall slump of 9 for 99 to close the second innings. Root’s inside-edge into his stumps off Mitchell Starc came as he looked to drive on the up through the covers, despite the fact that Ollie Pope (caught behind) and Harry Brook (caught first slip) had just fallen to that exact shot in Scott Boland’s previous over. The thing about Root in this team is he knows better. But he didn’t when it mattered today.

They came to Australia searching for immortality. And no one will forget what they did here today.

Boland was a bowler reborn overnight, digging a trench on his usual six-to-eight metre length. England’s batters had made merry with him in their first innings, knocking him off his usual strides, forcing him to bowl fuller, and punishing his 10 overs to the tune of 0 for 62. Crucially, they had not been trying to hit the ball square on the off side with the bounce so steep.Maybe this is not what England fans want to read so soon after their side has lost 20 wickets in 67.3 overs… but were they too timid?Ben Stokes thought so, as he pointed out that the successful batters on a tasty Perth deck – Head, and to a lesser extent, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith with their respective 52 and 33 on day one – had succeeded in disrupting rhythms and off-setting routines by taking chances.Without naming names, Stokes had suggested the responsibility to do so should have fallen to the person with his eye in, which brings Pope’s second innings under the microscope. England’s No.3 looked solid in this match, particularly when driving down the ground. But after reaching 18 off 24 in his second innings, he came to a standstill. A run of 25 dots in his next 32 balls culminated in his dismissal to Boland, who had been responsible for 14 of them.Harry Brook walks off after making a duck•Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesDid Pope get bogged down? Maybe Boland, simply, bowled well, and was worthy of the calm? England ensured he would get his rewards, as he finished with 4 for 33 and kept that home bowling average low at 13.47. The rest of the team vibed off their popular quick’s thrust. And that is when England became footnotes in a story they had been writing.The small- and big-picture ramifications of such a defeat will be just as infuriating. Batting first here was predicated on getting the best of batting conditions, using India’s victory at the Optus Stadium last year as a template.The first innings followed the identical script. But they totally flunked the next, most important bit. Whereas India saw out day two, closing on 172 for 0, England were instead left sitting shellshocked in the away dressing-room.Never mind, at least Head put the better conditions to historic use. The most Bazball batter imaginable out-Bazball-ed the Bazballers. And not only that, Travball brought up three figures in just 69 deliveries, quicker than Gilbert Jessop, achieving the side-quest that has been a white whale for these English batters. He scored the runs that could have been theirs, and in the manner that they dream of … if only they could have made it through that sticky post-lunch period, into a movement-free afternoon and a 40-over-old ball …England have played with freedom. The pressure has been lifted off them for the past three years. And while they have admittedly had a decent amount of success, and won some spectacular Test matches along the way, they still haven’t achieved anything that could be classed as truly great.This was supposed to be the start of that. The first of the three necessary steps for the biggest crowning glory of all. Now they must wear one of England’s most inglorious defeats on Australian soil, and that is something they may never be able to shed.They came to Australia searching for immortality. And no one will forget what they did here today.