New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"

A taint on Liverpool’s season has become turmoil. One loss became two became three. Now, Arne Slot’s champions are in dire straits, having lost five of their past six games in the Premier League.

This is a crisis, of course, with the Reds such a far cry from last season’s quality that not even an echo of that thrilling form can be found in this current crop. But then the season is still young, and there is a good chance that Slot, hailed as a “genius” and a “football scientist” by journalist Marcel van der Kraan last year, will find a solution.

But that solution needs to come quickly, with the expensive new signings all flattering to deceive, bar Hugo Ekitike and perhaps goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, solid if unspectacular in recent weeks as Alisson recovers from injury.

There was always going to be a period of integration, but this has gone beyond that. And, sadly, it feels like the Anfield side are missing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Why Liverpool miss Alexander-Arnold

Not for a long time have Liverpool seen a star depart in such bitter circumstances. Alexander-Arnold was the hometown poster boy, instrumental in so much success under Jurgen Klopp’s wing.

Trent Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool

But the whispers of his departure had started long before he left for Real Madrid at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, his contract about to expire and Real Madrid paying an £8m premium to free him early and add him to the Club World Cup squad over the pond.

Booed by segments at Anfield after the confirmation of his switch to Spain, Alexander-Arnold is no longer considered Merseyside’s Gerrard-esque superstar, even if he leaves a glittering legacy at his boyhood club.

But away from the emotion, Liverpool have missed their one-of-a-kind defender’s creativity. Jamie Carragher once said Trent’s range of passing was like “having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back”, with vision and accuracy on the ball that most could only dream of.

Indeed, no defender in the Premier League has racked up more assists than the 26-year-old, and with him having played fewer matches than all just below him.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

60

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

As the English top flight undergoes something of a cultural and tactical shift, with long throws and low blocks and direct play all the rage once more, Slot’s Liverpool have toiled away and fallen by the wayside.

Trent’s passing would be quite the tonic right now. As per FBref, the Three Lions man ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 8% for assists made per 90.

But there’s no use crying over spilt milk – or sold starboys, for that matter. Slot needs to find a solution, and he might just have one in another city-born talent.

Liverpool's new version of Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool have signed a new creative superstar in Florian Wirtz. The German hasn’t clicked yet, but his generational quality suggests there is a propitious future awaiting the attacking midfielder.

However, Wirtz isn’t the player in question here. Instead, Curtis Jones is quietly producing progressive playmaking performances under Slot’s management and must now be utilised in a more important role to help turn the tide that has swept the club’s title ambitions away over the past few months.

Jones is Liverpool’s leading academy graduate now that Alexander-Arnold has up and left. The versatile centre-midfielder has racked up 193 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 19 goals and providing 23 assists.

He never quite nailed down a role of significance in Klopp’s team, and while he played his part for Slot last year, Jones has been somewhat on the backbench since the summer, certainly in the Premier League.

In any case, Jones spoke at the start of the Dutch coach’s tenure of his admiration and excitement, feeling his ball-playing skill lends itself to success in Slot’s system.

With Liverpool struggling for control and focused creativity, might Jones be the answer? From limited match action this term, he has proven himself an interesting solution and must be handed a string of starts, especially with Alexis Mac Allister having drifted so far from his usual level.

There’s no question that Jones has become more progressive with his passing since Slot replaced Klopp. In fact, DataMB revealed earlier this week that the England international’s 17.82 progressive passes per game this season trumps every other Premier League midfielder, and that having recorded the highest pass completion rate (91.01%) besides.

He’s only started two league matches this season, featuring nine times in total, but the 24-year-old has also won 65% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

It’s no wonder that one Premier League analyst hailed him as “one of the most underrated players in England”, not necessarily the flashiest, but an industrious and dynamic player who is now adding layers.

This has always been Jones’ skillset, but now, he is starting to evolve into a forward-thinking player, shaking off that ‘conservative’ tag. Sideways passes and a play-it-safe attitude have been, unfairly, regular criticisms of his game.

Liverpool need to see positive change over the coming weeks. Eighth in the Premier League and struggling for any semblance of fluency and confidence, Jones could provide a shrewd answer, combining with those around him, shoring up the defence and rethreading the attacking patterns that have frayed and split this year.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 15, 2025

Wayne Rooney backed to manage 'big, important club' after start to life at Plymouth – but 'problem' facing ex-Man Utd star is outlined

Wayne Rooney faces a “problem” in managerial circles, but the Manchester United legend is being backed to take charge of a “big, important club”.

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Earned legend status in his playing daysMixed record since moving into coachingTipped to climb the managerial ladderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The former England captain returned to coaching in the summer of 2024 when inheriting the reins at Championship side Plymouth. He has previously worked at that level with Derby and Birmingham, while also spending time in MLS at D.C. United.

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Rooney has recovered from a slow start to his reign at Home Park, with battling victories secured, and is being tipped to climb the managerial ladder if he can come to terms with the fact that those he is working with are not as talented as he used to be.

GettyWHAT SAHA SAID

Former United team-mate Louis Saha has told : “Wayne Rooney has got an enormous desire for football, and he’s got an enormous desire to transmit that knowledge to players. I would love to see Wayne Rooney managing a big, important club, but it’s a difficult journey and Wayne knows that better than anyone. Sometimes, you must be in the right place at the right time. You need the right opportunity. I don’t think Wayne has had that opportunity yet to manage the type of players that he would really like to work with. I’m talking about players with exceptional quality.

“In many ways, it’s a similar problem to what Patrick Vieira had. He went into Palace, it took him a bit of time, but he wasn’t working with players that were anywhere near the level he played at. Sometimes, that can be hard for a manager to deal with. Frank Lampard is the other example. He got the opportunity to manage his club, Chelsea, early in his career. OK, he had managed Derby, but making the jump from Derby to Chelsea is huge.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Rooney has been accused of landing jobs because of who he is, rather than what he has achieved as a boss, but Saha went on to say of the ambitious 38-year-old: “I don’t think Wayne Rooney expects anything in management to be handed to him on a plate. You can tell he’s hungry to show that he can manage because of the club’s he’s taken on. Nobody could describe those jobs as easy. He’ll know that he needs to improve to get a big opportunity, but I hope he gets it because he has so much to offer, and he had such an unbelievable playing career.”

Shakib Al Hasan to miss New Zealand tour after being granted paternity leave

Bangladesh are likely to leave for New Zealand on February 24, nine days after the Dhaka Test ends

Mohammad Isam11-Feb-2021Shakib Al Hasan will miss Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand later this month as the BCB granted him paternity leave for the duration of the entire tour. According to BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan, board president Nazmul Hassan spoke with Shakib before the decision was made.”Shakib is not going [to New Zealand]. He applied [for leave] to stay with his [expecting] wife. After talking to the board president, we granted him leave,” Khan said.New Zealand vs Bangladesh 2020-21

March 20, 1st ODI, Dunedin

March 23, 2nd ODI, Christchurch

March 26, 3rd ODI, Wellington

March 28, 1st T20I, Hamilton

March 30, 2nd T20I, Napier

April 1, 3rd T20I, Auckland

Shakib’s thigh strain forced him out of the ongoing Dhaka Test against West Indies. He is currently recovering under the BCB’s medical team.Khan said that the Bangladesh touring party is likely to leave for New Zealand on February 24, nine days after the Dhaka Test ends. The players will not have a training camp in Dhaka, as they will only have a short time with their family before getting into a hard quarantine in New Zealand.”The chances of holding a camp in Bangladesh are low. It’s very difficult to keep players in quarantine or bio-bubble all the time. After this series we will send them on vacation. After that, we might take them from here to there [New Zealand] and train.”

Australia's selection race: who is in the running to face India?

There’s one batting spot in the XI to fill for Perth, and maybe a reserve player as well

Andrew McGlashan17-Oct-202410:42

Newsroom: How are Australia shaping up for the India Tests?

There have been a couple of key developments in Australia’s selection plans for the Test summer with Cameron Green’s back injury and confirmation that Steven Smith will move back down the order. But there remains a fascinating few weeks ahead with a combination of Sheffield Shield and Australia A matches for players to push their claims for a Test call-up.The likelihood is that the vacancy will be at the top of the order but there may also be a spot for another reserve batter in the era of concussion substitutes. Here’s a look at the runners and riders.Marcus HarrisHarris has started the season well with 143 and 52, albeit on a lifeless Junction Oval surface, and has been named in the Australia A squad. Before that comes a potentially high-octane Shield clash against New South Wales where he will face Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott and Nathan Lyon. Harris has spoken openly about his frustrations after being overlooked in recent times having been a long-term back-up around the Test squad, but he retains significant support within the set-up. He lost his Test place one game after an excellent 76 on a tough pitch against England at the MCG, but overall an average of 25.29 from 14 matches leaves plenty to prove if another chance does come his way.Related

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“It’s not like it’s going to be the first time I’ve ever played for Australia A before a Test series,” he said last week. “There’s obviously always a bit of attention around those games. Pressure wise, I’m not going to be trying to put the same pressure on myself as I had before. It will just be a great opportunity.”Cameron BancroftAs with Harris, we are back to where we were 12 months ago amid the debate about who would replace David Warner. As history shows, that took an unexpected twist with Smith’s promotion – a move which has proved short-term. So Bancroft’s name is firmly back in discussions. A pair in the opening game of the season hasn’t changed anything – “There’s plenty of batters that have managed to get a feather on an early Michael Neser ball,” chair of selectors George Bailey said – and over the last couple of seasons Bancroft couldn’t have done much more to push his claims. He has averaged 50.67 in the Shield over the last two summers (even including that pair) with last season’s runs being particularly hard to come by.Sam Konstas is the name on everyone’s lips•Getty ImagesSam KonstasHe is the 19-year-old new kid on the block and generating plenty of excitement. Konstas has been compared to Ricky Ponting and joined him as a teenager to make twin hundreds in the Sheffield Shield. Bailey was careful to temper expectations and it would be a very rapid rise – and against the grain for Australian men’s cricket – if he was catapulted into the Test squad in a few weeks.”He’s in the mix as are plenty of others,” Bailey said. “I certainly don’t want to single him out. Think the consistency of Cam Bancroft over a number of years, the consistency of Marcus Harris over a number of years, they’ve both had a look at Test cricket as well, so don’t think there’s a need at this stage to put any undue pressure or expectation on Sam.”But the opportunity is there for him to make the selectors think hard. He will face Scott Boland at the MCG from Sunday before what will likely be a strong India A side. Another couple hundreds against those attacks and the momentum could be unstoppable.Matt RenshawRenshaw was the reserve batter against West Indies and New Zealand earlier this year but has been overlooked for the Australia A squad. He made 6 and 15 in the opening round of Sheffield Shield against Western Australia. However, Bailey said that doesn’t mean the selectors have moved on from him, while also referencing a couple of other experienced domestic players who have had a taste of Test cricket.”We still really like Matt’s ability to play,” Bailey said. “As far as Australia A selection goes, part of the process around that is trying to identify opportunities that may come around in the short term but also making sure we do keep an eye on developing opportunities for those players who may become important in different roles in the future as well. Whilst there’s an Australia A squad there, I think Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, as three examples, are guys who we’ll continue to watch really closely in Shield cricket.”The other aspect is that even after the initial Test squad is named there will be three more rounds of Shield before the BBL for players to impress should back-up be needed during the series.Nathan McSweeneyThe South Australia captain would not be a contender to open the batting so a call-up for him would reopen the debate about an incumbent moving up to the top therefore appears an unlikely route, but McSweeney is very highly regarded, both for his run-scoring and his leadership. He will captain Australia A as he did last summer and has already started the season with an impressive match-saving 127 not out off 283 balls against South Australia.”I’m definitely confident in my game at the moment and if I were to get an opportunity I think I would be ready,” he said on Thursday. “But all I can do is to continue to focus on what I can control and that’s preparing well for South Australia and hopefully winning games for my state.”Beau Webster’s returns over the last two seasons have been outstanding•Getty ImagesBeau WebsterAn immediate question after Green’s injury was whether his replacement would be a like-for-like, or as close as could be found. That sounds an unlikely option with Bailey and Pat Cummins pointing out how often Australia have managed without an allrounder, while there remains confidence in Mitchell Marsh being able to bowl. Still, it is interesting to ponder the next in line given Green faces a lengthy lay-off.Webster, the Tasmania allrounder, has numbers that speak for themselves over the last two seasons. With the bat he has averaged 53.12 in the Sheffield Shield – including an opening-round hundred last week – while has taken 66 wickets with a combination of brisk medium pace and offspin. Add in bucket hands at slip and he’s an ultimate allrounder. The Australia A series is a chance for him to do it a level up and success there will keep him in the frame should there be a need for another allrounder down the track. His versatility could also put him in consideration for the Sri Lanka tour early next year.Aaron HardieAlongside Webster, Hardie is the other emerging allrounder and had an excellent limited-overs tour of England, especially with the ball whereas overall his batting is his primary suit. Bailey told that there had been consideration to trying to get Hardie one of the Australia A matches but with Green’s injury it was felt he would be needed through the ODI and T20I matches against Pakistan. There may be an opportunity for him to bat slightly higher in the order in the ODIs. He is due to return to Shield action at the weekend where he will be expected to slot in as part Western Australia’s top order. Hardie hasn’t scored a Shield century since his unbeaten 174 in 2021-22 final although did make one for Australia A in New Zealand a few weeks after that. In the last two seasons for WA he has averaged 31.45 so he may need a big season to push his case.And what about the bowlers?There is probably less mystery about who will be the back-up to the big three. It appears unlikely that Lance Morris will be in consideration amid his managed return from back problems (and a more recent thigh niggle) which leaves Boland and Michael Neser leading the way. Sean Abbott was part of the squad when India last toured in 2020-21 and, along with Neser, is someone who would bring some extra batting depth.

Robin Jackman picks his South African XI of the 1980s

Robin Jackman picks his South African XI of the 1980s

Roving Reporter by Chandrahas Choudhury27-Dec-2020It is often lamented that a generation of very fine South Africancricketers from the late 1970s and ’80s never played any international cricket – or, at best, a minuscule amount in the twilight of their careers, after South Africa’s readmission to world cricket in 1991. The only international sides that these players took on were the controversial so-called rebel teams from England, West Indies and Australia.Imagination, however, permits many things that reality does not. So whatif we were to imagine a South African team from that era themselvesrebelling against time, and landing up in the India of 2004 to play a Testseries? Which players would be on that team, and how would they fare? These questions were put to Robin Jackman, the former England player who is nowa familiar face (and voice) in India through his commentary work. He played in South Africa’s domestic Currie Cup matches for many years.”Jackers” took the matter so seriously that he asked to be allowed to ponder the question overnight. The next day he had a team neatly written down in black.”I’ll pick a South African side from the mid-1980s,” he said, “so thatwe stay within the limits of the exercise as I understand it, and don’tpick any players who played Tests for South Africa in the ’70s. Also,I began my tenure as coach of Western Province in 1985, so I was watchingthe domestic scene quite carefully then, and remember a lot of the playersquite well. So here’s my team to play India.”As my openers I’d take Jimmy Cook and Henry Fotheringham. Cook had atremendous technique, and made thousands of runs for Somerset on very goodpitches, similar to those you find in India. So he’d play quite well here,I think. Fotheringham was more workmanlike, but a fine player in his ownright, and a good foil for Cook.”At No. 3 I’d have to pick the leading batsman of my time in South Africancricket, Peter Kirsten. Peter was an attacking batsman with all thestrokes in the book, and a phenomenal player of spin. Kirsten could alsobowl a bit of offspin, rather like Virender Sehwag in the current Indianside – always useful as an option. And at 5 I’d have another fineplayer of spin, Ken McEwan. Both Peter and Ken had plenty of experience ofEnglish county cricket, and could adapt quickly to any conditions. They’denjoy taking on the Indian spinners.”At No. 4, in between Kirsten and McEwan, I’d pick Allan Lamb. I’m cheatinga little bit, because Lamb played plenty of Tests for England, but I’massuming he’d have played for South Africa if he’d been able to. Lamb wasa fine player of the quicks, and he made a lot of runs against the greatWest Indies team of the ’80s – just the right man to bat at the heartof the top order.”At 6 I’m picking Kevin McKenzie, Neil’s father. A high-class player, and one of the best hookers of the ball I’ve ever seen. And at 7 is my allrounder, Clive Rice. A good batsman and a very clever bowler, genuinely quick when he was young. Rice was also a very astute thinker on the game, so he’s my captain. And there’s not too much trouble over the wicketkeeper. Ray Jennings, the coach of the current team, was the best wicketkeeper in South Africa in his time.

Peter Kirsten: earns a place in the XI for having all the strokes© AFP
“Now for the bowlers. At No. 9 would be Garth Le Roux, Imran Khan’steam-mate at Sussex. Big, fast, bustling, aggressive; bowled a lot ofbouncers. Just right as your spearhead. Like a lot of fast bowlers, hecould also hit the ball a long way. And as Le Roux’s new-ball partner I’dpick Stephen Jefferies. If you want to conjure up an image of Jefferies,think of Irfan Pathan. Jefferies was very like him – similar build, samesort of pace, big swinger of the ball.”And the last man would have to be a spinner: the deadly accurate AlanKourie, of Transvaal. Kourie was not a big spinner of the ball, but thenyou don’t have to be on these pitches. It’s more important that you put itin the right places. I reckon he’d give the Indian batsmen some trouble.”So there you have it,” said Jackers, stubbing out his cigarette. “A goodbalanced side: six classy batsmen and an allrounder at No. 7; two finequicks in Le Roux and Jefferies; Rice at first change, and Kourie as thespinner, with Kirsten for a little offspin.”They’d be good enough to give your lot a pretty tough fight.”

Rico Lewis told he can 'play in all positions' as Pep Guardiola showers praise on Man City youngster following excellent start to Premier League season

Rico Lewis' rise into Manchester City's senior squad has been meteoric, and Pep Guardiola can't help but shower praise on the versatile youngster.

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Guardiola praises Lewis' versatilityLewis becoming a starter for Man CityStarted all six matches this seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty WHAT HAPPENED?

Lewis made his Manchester City debut in 2022 and had been one of the fringe players for Guardiola, the same continued at the start of last season. However, with Kyle Walker ageing and a number of injuries hitting City's squad towards the end of the season, Lewis became a regular in the first team having played in a number of positions.

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So far this season, Lewis has started all of Manchester City's games and is likely to do so again against Arsenal as well. The 19-year-old has mainly played as a defensive midfielder for Guardiola but also fulfilled the duties of a full-back during their last game against Brentford. The Spanish coach has not shied away from praising the England international for his versatility.

Getty Images SportWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: “He can play in all positions.

“I see sometimes when players are asked, they say ‘yeah I’m a holding midfielder’ or ‘I am a winger’ – Rico can play football and you put him in a position, and he knows exactly what he has to do.

“All the games he has played so far, he has been really, really good and that’s why he’s deserved the minutes he has had so far.

“He’s so good in so many aspects – he always wins the ball, he’s so intelligent defensively and so aggressive one vs one.

“He played against one of the best wingers in Europe and of course he can come in midfield and play, or centrally and arrive in the final third with intelligence and do many things, but he’s a really, really good defender.”

WHAT NEXT FOR LEWIS?

The 19-year-old is likely to be a starter yet again for Guardiola when Manchester City take on Arsenal on Sunday evening as they look to extend their lead atop the Premier League.

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Being a referee in the Premier League is arguably one of the toughest jobs in football, with a select group of officials regularly entrusted to take charge of top flight fixtures.

Even though VAR is still causing plenty of controversy week in, week out, decisions on the field are now more important than ever, with technology doing its best to try and not get involved unless it is ‘clear and obvious’.

The game is also arguably faster than it’s ever been, so referees need to be extremely fit and quick to react. But who is the best referee in the Premier League right now?

Rank

Ref

1

Anthony Taylor

2

Michael Oliver

3

Stuart Attwell

4

Craig Pawson

5

Jarred Gillett

6

Darren England

7

Chris Kavanagh

8

Simon Hooper

9

Andy Madley

10

Peter Bankes

11

Robert Jones

12

Michael Salisbury

13

Tony Harrington

14

Samuel Barrott

15

Thomas Bramall

15 Thomas Bramall

One of the least experienced referees in the Premier League, Thomas Bramall was the man in the middle that made a huge mistake by disallowing Aston Vila’s goal against Man Utd on the final day of the 2024/25 season.

That arguably cost Villa a place in the Champions League, but the PGMOL have stuck with Bramall, who, at 35 years of age, appears to be a referee in the early stages of his top flight career.

14 Samuel Barrott

One of the card happiest referees in the Premier League, Samuel Barrott is one of the most inexperienced officials in the top flight after making his debut in 2023/24.

He took charge of 23 games in 2024/25, apologising for one mistake he made in Crystal Palace’s defeat to Brentford after wrongly ruling out Eberechi Eze’s free-kick.

13 Tony Harrington

Tony Harrington is among the referees to average the least amount of fouls awarded per 90, but that doesn’t make him a bad official.

He made his Premier League debut in 2021/22 but just hasn’t been given a regular run of games in the top flight. Harrington’s best tally of games came in the 2024/25 season where he officiated 18 fixtures.

12 Michael Salisbury

Michael Salisbury has never been a regular in the Premier League after taking charge of his first game in the 2021/22 season.

He was on VAR duty and instructed referee Robert Jones to look at Josh King’s goal against Chelsea which was incorrectly ruled out. Salisbury was dropped by the PGMOL shortly after.

11 Robert Jones

Nottingham Forest aren’t the biggest fans of Robert Jones, with Evangelos Marinakis’ side lodging an official complaint against the 38-year-old after a series of decisions against the Reds.

He was the first Premier League referee to ever perform a red-card rejection, however, some of Jones’ decisions are controversial and he averages awarding a penalty every three games.

10 Peter Bankes

Peter Bankes has now reffed more than 100 games in the Premier League since 2019, however, the Merseyside-born official has regularly come in for criticism from fans.

Former referee Keith Hackett even said Bankes looked “out of his depth” in 2025 after a decision he made in Man Utd’s clash with Bournemouth.

9 Andy Madley

A FIFA licensed referee who has taken charge of the FA Cup final, Andy Madley has taken charge of more than 100 Premier League games since 2017/18.

More recently, he has made some controversial decisions, including one between Everton and Man Utd which resulted in Toffees fan Tony Bellew calling him a “cheat”.

8 Simon Hooper

Often blowing early instead of allowing advantage, Simon Hooper has enraged Premier League players and managers in recent years.

An experienced top flight official after making his debut in 2015, Hooper has often come in for criticism and was actually injured at the end of October in Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford, while he was also the man in the middle during the Reds’ controversial defeat at Tottenham in 2023.

7 Chris Kavanagh

Chris Kavanagh has been a hot topic of conversation in recent years, whether it be for sending off Declan Rice for kicking the ball away or leaving Bruno Fernandes upset after he missed his penalty.

The Greater Manchester official has been on FIFA’s books since 2019 and is closing in on 200 Premier League matches at the age of 40.

6 Darren England

Another FIFA referee, Darren England caught the eye of the international governing body after two years as a Premier League official.

He was a part of the VAR team that somehow incorrectly ruled out Luis Diaz’s goal for offside in Liverpool’s defeat to Tottenham, but in recent years on the pitch, has been consistent.

Indians at the Women's Hundred – Deepti sizzles, Mandhana and Ghosh stay quiet

Deepti Sharma made an eventful return to the competition after she was signed as a replacement for Spirit

Srinidhi Ramanujam19-Aug-2024Deepti Sharma (London Spirit)The allrounder had the best time at the Hundred among the India internationals. She came in as a replacement for the injured Grace Harris and was instrumental in Spirit clinching their maiden title.Not long ago, she showed a different dimension of her T20 batting with a high-octane 88 off 60 for UP Warriorz against Gujarat Giant in the WPL. At the Hundred, she showcased similar intent, playing as a finisher.Related

Gibson's muscle and Deepti's cool lift London Spirit to maiden Women's Hundred title

She was involved in a dramatic tie against Oval Invincibles, where she took 3 for 18 after scoring 44 off 34. A few days later, she hit a valuable 37 not out against Northern Superchargers and put on 77 with Heather Knight to lift the team to second in the points table. After going wicketless in the Eliminator against Invincibles, the offspinner struck the winning runs in the final against Welsh Fire – a six over long-on when the team needed four off the last three balls. In the six innings she played, Deepti remained unbeaten five times. Having been an unused squad member at Birmingham Phoenix in 2022 and not picked in 2023, she’s come back to the Hundred in style, with the same team she represented in the inaugural season.

Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave)Coming into the competition on the back of excellent form in international cricket, Mandhana had a disappointing campaign in England. The opener featured in five games and had three single-digit scores. This was in contrast to her performance last season when she made 238 runs in nine innings, including two fifties. Brave, the 2023 champions, finished at the bottom, notching up just one win from eight games.Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix)Playing at No. 5, Ghosh was unable to set the stage on fire for Phoenix, who finished just above Brave on the points table, with three wins in eight matches. Against Trent Rockets, though, she came in at 3 for 9 and put on a record fourth-wicket partnership in the women’s Hundred – 95 runs – with Sterre Kalis. Ghosh made a valiant 41 from 36, which included five fours and a six, to help Phoenix to 112 for 6. Batting at a strike rate under 100, she was dismissed by a spinner three out of four times in the competition.

"Step up…" – Farke warns Leeds star whose performances are getting worse

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has told one of his key players to “step up” ahead of the Premier League encounter against West Ham United at Elland Road this Friday.

Leeds gearing up for potential early six-pointer against West Ham

Although we are still in the very early stages of the season, Leeds’ home match against West Ham this Friday could have big ramifications at the end of the campaign, given that both sides are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle.

The Hammers have already dismissed Graham Potter, who was replaced by Nuno at the end of September, but the former Nottingham Forest boss has been unable to make an immediate impact, with Jamie Carragher not impressed by recent performances.

Farke’s side, on the other hand, were always going to find it tough to avoid the drop as a newly-promoted team, but still remain three points clear of the relegation zone, having picked up wins against Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The manager made a number of new additions to his squad in the summer, in order to boost their survival chances, and Anton Stach has started all eight of the Whites’ Premier League fixtures up to this point.

However, the Leeds boss has now warned Stach he needs to improve, despite playing through injury, given that his performances have gone downhill in recent weeks.

Farke said: “They weren’t poor performances but not on the top level as before. It’ll be good for him to get rid of these problems with his finger and ribs.

“Hopefully then he’ll keep going with delivering top performances. This week having a bit of time to recover was good for him, hopefully he can step up.”

Leeds linked with "one of the best coaches ever" to replace Daniel Farke

The German could soon be under huge pressure.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 22, 2025 Stach must improve against West Ham on Friday night

The German has shown his class at times this season, most notably putting in a fantastic performance in the 3-1 victory against a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers side last month, chipping in with a stunning free-kick goal and an assist.

However, as pointed out by the Leeds manager, recent performances have not been at the same level, with the 26-year-old struggling to make an impact against Burnley last time out, losing three of the five duels he contested before being replaced by Joel Piroe.

It has recently become clear that Farke is looking to sign a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with talks being opened over a deal for Maccabi Tel Aviv star Issouf Sissokho, while there have been widespread links to Inter Milan’s Piotr Zielinski.

As such, in order to keep his place in the side, Stach will need to rediscover his best form soon, hopefully starting Friday against West Ham at Elland Road.

Smith praises 'exceptional' Neser and 'freak' Carey

Stand-in skipper pleased with Michael Neser’s maiden Test five-for, says Alex Carey keeping performance “one of the best” he’s seen

Alex Malcolm07-Dec-2025Australia’s stand-in captain Steven Smith has described Michael Neser’s performance as exceptional and Alex Carey’s keeping display as one of the best he’s ever seen as the duo combined to help Australia take a 2-0 Ashes lead following an eight-wicket triumph in Brisbane.Neser took his maiden five-wicket haul on Sunday, finishing with 5 for 42 in the second innings having broken the key partnership between Ben Stokes and Will Jacks that had given England hope on day four.Stokes and Jacks batted through the entire first session and produced the longest partnership by any pair in the series to-date, grinding for 36.4 overs to add 96 against a disciplined Australia attack and raised hopes of England setting a fourth-innings target that might trouble the home side.Related

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Neser comes back from the brink to leave England on the edge

But Neser snuffed it out with an outstanding spell with a 69-over-old pink ball. He had Jacks superbly caught by Smith at slip before Carey took a less dramatic but no less difficult catch off Stokes up the stumps to dash England’s hopes within three overs.”What he [Neser] did today and in the first innings, was exceptional, I think,” Smith said at the post-match presentation.”He offers something different to the other guys. We can bring the keeper up to the stumps and change the game that way. And the way he bowled today and last night was exceptional. Really pleased for him to get his first five. He’s been on a lot of tours. He’s worked really hard.”He obviously made our batting a little bit longer as well at number eight.”Smith also heaped praise on his wicketkeeper Carey who was flawless across the match. He took three catches in the first innings, including a stunner back with the flight while being interfered with by Marnus Labuschagne. He also nearly stumped Harry Brook off Scott Boland, showcasing some sharp takes up the stumps from both Boland and Neser.Carey’s glovework was impressive across the match•Getty ImagesCarey made a crucial 63 with the bat, sharing a 54-run stand with Neser that got Australia through the night session on day two and into the daytime to allow player of the match Mitchell Starc and Boland to combine for two hours in the daylight when batting was at it’s easiest.In the second innings he completed four catches, including an incredible catch up to the stumps off Neser to remove Stokes.”He’s a freak,” Smith said. “Honestly, up to the stumps, the ball just seems to end up in his hands. It hits the batter’s pad or something, and still ends up in his hands. He’s got no fear up there. He moves so well, and his gloves are just sensational. That was one of the best keeping performances, I think I’ve ever seen.”Smith wasn’t to be outdone in the field, though, and rated his slip catch off Jacks was among the best he had ever taken. Smith took three catches in the innings and four in the match to equal Rahul Dravid for the second-most Test catches by a non-wicketkeeper.”It’s got to be up there, I reckon,” he said. “They’re pretty tough when you got a pink ball, the lights are on, I’m blindsided by Alex. I’m standing quite wide because Alex covers so much room and then, yeah, just fortunately saw it late and got down to it and it’s stuck. It was obviously at a crucial time to break that partnership. So, yeah, I’ll remember that one.”

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