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Leeds United made the perfect start to life back in the Premier League on Monday night with a 1-0 win over Everton under the lights at Elland Road.

Lukas Nmecha, who signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg this summer, came off the bench to score the winning goal from the penalty spot on his debut for the Whites.

Daniel Farke went with Joel Piroe, who scored 19 goals in the Championship last season, as the main number nine from the start against the Toffees, but the Dutchman did not enjoy much success.

The former Swansea player showed some nice touches at times when he dropped deep to get involved, but his lack of mobility and physicality were issues against James Tarkowski and Michael Keane.

Piroe lost all three of his ground duels and lost four of his five aerial battles in the match, per Sofascore, which speaks to his lack of quality in physical tussles.

It will now be interesting to see what happens with the number nine position in the weeks to come, especially after Nmecha made a fast start to life in West Yorkshire.

What Lukas Nmecha's role could be this season for Leeds

The former Germany international was an interesting signing when he arrived from Wolfsburg earlier this summer, because he has struggled for form and fitness in recent seasons.

Nmecha has not scored more than four goals in a single season since the 2021/22 campaign, per Sofascore, and only managed three goals in 20 appearances last season for Wolfsburg.

Injury issues played a significant role in that, as the 26-year-old striker has missed 64 games due to injury over the last three years, according to Transfermarkt, which impacted his ability to deliver consistently on the pitch.

The former Manchester City academy graduate’s performances in the Bundesliga when he was fit and available in the 2024/25 campaign also left plenty to be desired.

Nmecha struggled in front of goal, as a finisher and a creator, and did not produce performances that made a move to the Premier League seem very likely for this summer.

Appearances

19

Starts

3

xG

4.54

Goals

3

Big chances missed

5

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the German forward underperformed against his xG, missed five ‘big chances’, and did not create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates in his 19 appearances in the division.

Despite his underwhelming goalscoring form and persistent injury issues, Farke opted to take a gamble on him this summer, and it is one that is already starting to pay off after his debut goal.

However, Nmecha’s time with Wolfsburg in recent seasons suggests that the role he played against Everton is most likely to be his main one at Elland Road – coming off the bench to make an impact when needed.

Leeds in the mix to sign new striker

The Championship champions are reportedly interested in adding another striker to their squad, despite having Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha, and Piroe.

Transfer Focus

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

According to El Chiringuito TV, Leeds United are one of the sides that are competing to sign Villarreal centre-forward Karl Etta Eyong before the end of the summer transfer window.

Supporters may recognise his name because the 21-year-old marksman scored against the Whites in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road earlier this month, nodding in from a couple of yards out in the 62nd minute.

This latest report claims that Leeds, Rangers, and Levante are all in the race to sign the Cameroonian forward, who currently wants to stay at Villarreal.

It adds that the Spanish side have already rejected a loan offer from Championship outfit Swansea, but it is unclear as to whether Farke’s team are keen on a loan or permanent deal for the striker.

Why Leeds should sign Etta Eyong

Leeds should push to convince Etta Eyong to want to move on from Villarreal this summer because he could arrive at Elland Road as a very interesting addition to the squad.

As aforementioned, Piroe may not have the physicality, as backed up by his performance against Everton, to be very effective in the Premier League, and there are still a lot of question marks over Nmecha.

Etta Eyong could come in as a striker who is an even better option than Nmecha to start games in the top-flight for Leeds, to provide serious competition for Calvert-Lewin as the main number nine for Farke.

The 21-year-old attacker, who was described as a “powerful” star by analyst Kai Watson, does not have heaps of senior experience under his belt, but he has shown plenty of promise in his short career to date.

Etta Eyong earned his place in the first-team at Villarreal towards the end of last season and scored three goals in seven games in pre-season, including goals against Arsenal and Leeds, per Sofascore.

Appearances

5

Starts

1

Minutes

136

xG

0.74

Goals

2

Duels won

5

Pass accuracy

80%

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old talent has shown plenty of promise in the very limited minutes he has been given in LaLiga, scoring two goals from 0.74 xG in just 136 minutes of football.

Prior to his emergence in the first-team with Villarreal, Etta Eyong also scored 18 goals in 30 matches for the B team in the third tier of Spanish football, which shows that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Unlike Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha, the promising talent also has a clean injury record, with no notable injuries in his career, per Transfermarkt, which suggests that he is more likely to be available week-in-week-out.

This could make him a more valuable centre-forward option than Nmecha for Farke, purely because of his potential to be available for more matches in the Premier League.

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Putting all of this together, Etta Eyong could be even better than Nmecha for Leeds because of his fitness record and his potential as a goalscorer, having caught the eye in a major European league after delivering prolific performances for Villarreal’s B team.

Manchester United’s senior players were forced to stage an intervention to address Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude before the winger’s exile from the first team and eventual move to Chelsea. Garnacho’s self-centred behaviour, both on and off the pitch, left Ruben Amorim and Red Devils players frustrated, ultimately leading to his Old Trafford exit just months after tensions began brewing.

Man Utd leadershp group confronted Garnacho

The Sun has reported that Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Harry Maguire were among the leaders who confronted Garnacho over his selfish attitude. Despite repeated attempts to get him to focus more on the team, the winger refused to change his ways. His clashes with Amorim, alongside temper tantrums and outspoken behaviour on social media, pushed him closer to the exit door.

AdvertisementAFPAmorim was hoping to make Garnacho central to his plans

Amorim initially hoped Garnacho would be central to his plans after arriving in November, but their relationship soured quickly. A series of flashpoints, including his conduct in Plzen, convinced the manager that the youngster was damaging the squad’s harmony. By January, it was clear that a parting of ways was unavoidable, with Amorim confident in his decision to exile Garnacho from the first-team squad.

Garnacho's negative attitude affected Man Utd dressing room

Garnacho’s mood swings and inability to handle setbacks only deepened the rift between him and the club. Senior players felt his negative energy was beginning to influence the dressing room. His eventual move to Chelsea came as little surprise to those who had witnessed the breakdown firsthand.

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Getty Images SportGarnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea

Garnacho returns to Old Trafford with Chelsea this weekend, just three weeks after leaving Manchester United. The reception he receives is expected to be frosty, given the circumstances of his departure. Amorim, meanwhile, has turned his focus to improving performances with his job now on the line.

Rain had an effect in most of the other games on the first day, but Bangladesh, South Africa and Sri Lanka had time to win their respective openers

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2025Australia opened their Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup with a dominant nine-wicket win over Scotland in the Group D game in Bangi.Fast bowler Caoimhe Bray starred with figures of 3 for 1 in 3.2 overs, while left-arm quick Eleanor Larosa and left-arm wristspinner Hasrat Gill shared five wickets among them to help Australia skittle Scotland for a mere 48 in 15.1 overs. Australia chased down the target in 6.4 overs with opener Katy Pelle remaining unbeaten on 29 off 18 balls.In Kuching, rain played spoilsport with the match between Samoa and Nigeria abandoned without a single ball bowled. The Pakistan-USA fixture also ended similarly in Johor, with the match abandoned without a ball being bowled.Meanwhile, in the England vs Ireland match in Johor, England rode wicketkeeper-batter Jemima Spence’s 37 not out off 27 balls and Charlotte Lambert’s 14-ball 25 to post a competitive 144 for 7. Ireland were put under pressure when they lost two early wickets inside four overs, however, rain forced the game to end without a result.Rain had a say in the New Zealand vs South Africa game as well, but not enough to prevent a result. Asked to bat first in Kuching, South Africa scored 91 for 7 in the 11 overs they got, with the opening pair of Jemma Botha (32 in 24 balls) and Simone Lourens (21 in 14) and international wicketkeeper Karabo Meso (25 in 14) doing most of the scoring. New Zealand could only manage 69 for 5 in reply despite opener Emma McLeod’s 34 in 25.Bangladesh, meanwhile, bowled Nepal out for 52 in 18.2 overs after inserting them in Bangi, and then knocked off the runs in 13.2 overs.

The allrounder has made the call as Australia’s limited-overs squad was due to head to Sri Lanka

Andrew McGlashan06-Feb-2025Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the upcoming Champions Trophy.Stoinis, 35, will now focus on T20 cricket and remains available for Australia in that format. He scored 1495 runs in 71 ODIs at an average of 26.69 with a best of 146 not out against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, and also took 48 wickets at 43.12 apiece.Related

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“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold,” Stoinis said. “Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish.”This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with Ron [Andrew McDonald] and I’ve hugely appreciated his support. I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan.”Stoinis was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad and played an important role with the ball against Pakistan, when Australia began their fightback from a poor start to the tournament and ended it as champions.”Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade,” McDonald said. “Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements.”However, he played only one more ODI after that World Cup, against Pakistan earlier this season, and did not receive a Cricket Australia contact last year, but was earmarked to play a role at the Champions Trophy in the absence of the injured Cameron Green.”I wasn’t involved in those discussions, but from our perspective, Stoinis was trying to map out how one-day cricket was going for him,” assistant coach Daniel Vettori said after the opening day of the second Test in Galle. “[The] 2027 World Cup is a long way away. From my perspective, it’s been great the way he’s been able to lead with the ball at times. I think back to that 2023 World Cup and those two breakthroughs against Pakistan, and his style of bowling and the aggressiveness. If the big three weren’t able to get a breakthrough or Zamps, then Stoins was turned to a lot on the bowling front, and he brought a real energy and attitude.”Stoinis recently played three matches for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, where he suffered an injury in his second outing, on the back of the BBL with Melbourne Stars.Australia will need to make numerous changes to their Champions Trophy squad, which they are due to confirm after the second Test against Sri Lanka. Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out with a back injury while captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood will also miss the tournament.

Alexander Isak's first goal for Liverpool should have been the story after Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Southampton at Anfield. Instead, it was Hugo Ekitike getting himself stupidly sent off after netting the winner.

Isak opened the scoring in the Carabao Cup third-round clash on Merseyside with a characteristically cool finish just before the interval – and only 58 seconds after Leo Scienza had headed wide with the Liverpool goal at his mercy.

However, Arne Slot's side failed to killed the game and Southampton sensationally drew level with 14 minutes to go when Shea Charles punished a dreadful attempted clearance from Wataru Endo. Unfortunately for the Championship side, Liverpool weren't done and, for the sixth time this season, they scored a late winner, with Ekitike tapping home a pass from Chiesa.

The drama wasn't over, though, as Ekitike clearly forgot that he was already on a booking, meaning the French forward saw red for foolishly removing his shirt to show the crowd the name on the back of his shirt and will, thus, be suspended for Saturday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Liverpool players at Anfield…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Giorgi Mamardashvili (6/10):

A decent debut for the Georgian, who saw more action than he probably would have expected. Made a couple of decent stops and looked comfortable on crosses.

Jeremie Frimpong (5/10):

A pretty underwhelming display from the Dutchman, who was lax defensively and pretty poor with his passing. Didn't get much better after being moved onto the wing in the second half.

Giovanni Leoni (7/10):

Making his Liverpool bow but looked like he'd been lining out for the Reds for years. The giant Italian teenager was unsurprisingly dominant in the air and very accomplished on the ball. Such a shame that he was forced off through injury in the 80th minute as he really did look ready for more first-team action.

Joe Gomez (4/10):

The versatile England international was excellent during his recent cameo against Arsenal but he looked miles off the pace here. Lucky that a couple of very awkward clearances didn't end up in the back of his own net, while it was his sloppiness that presented Southampton with two gilt-edged chances in the first half – and the corner that led to their leveller.

Andy Robertson (7/10):

Given the captain's armband for the evening and performed with his usual level of tenacity in defence. Also played a beautiful ball over the top for Chiesa to lay on the winner for Ekitike.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Wataru Endo (5/10):

The Japan international was his usual dynamic self in front of the back four, winning duel after duel. Also involved in a couple of neat passing moves further upfield. However, his disastrous attempted clearance gifted Southampton their equaliser.

Curtis Jones (6/10):

A first start since returning to injury and unsurprisingly kept the ball well – even if he didn't do anything especially creative with it. Taken off just before the hour mark. All things considered, another small step forward for the fit-again Scouser.

Trey Nyoni (5/10):

Deployed in the more advanced role in Slot's midfield three but the youngster struggled to create any real openings. Still, his passing was very tidy.

AFPAttack

Federico Chiesa (8/10):

The Italian is still struggling for regular game time in the Premier League but he really does look much fitter and sharper this season. Had already tested McCarthy with a terrific drive before creating Isak's goal with his awareness and quick cutback. Bagged another assist in his best Liverpool performance to date after a killer first touch to control Robertson's pass before leaving Ekitike with a tap-in.

Alexander Isak (7/10):

His first big chance probably came a little too early for him but he made no mistake when teed up by Chiesa just before the break. Also showed how much of a threat he's going to be down the channels with one exciting show of pace on the left flank.

Rio Ngumoha (6/10):

Lacked an end product but the 17-year-old really is a tremendous dribbler. Looked capable of making something happen every time he got on the ball.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Hugo Ekitike (6/10):

Took over up front from Isak at half-time and squandered a great cross from Chiesa by heading wide when well-placed, before making amends by deciding the game in Liverpool's favour. However, all of the headlines will rightly focus on his idiotic decision to remove his shirt in celebration. Despite Ekitike's fine form, it's now advantage Isak in the battle for the striking berth in Slot's line-up.

Conor Bradley (6/10):

Replaced Jones in the 58th minute and slotted into his usual right at right-back, as Frimpong moved further forward.

Jayden Danns (N/A):

Only came on for Ngumoha for the final 13 minutes.

Milos Kerkez (N/A):

Thrown on in place of the injured Leoni late on.

Arne Slot (6/10):

Wisely decided to make 11 changes to his starting line-up and he would have been so happy with how Leoni performed before his enforced withdrawal. Starting with Isak before bringing on Ekitike also looked to have worked perfectly until the French forward spoiled everything! This weekend's game at Selhurst Park just got a whole lot harder – even if most of Slot's key men will be well-rested.

With Monday’s transfer deadline fast approaching, Aston Villa have reportedly launched a shock £47m offer to sign a late midfield reinforcement for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa's late transfer plan

The Villans are attempting to salvage their summer after battling with PSR constraints since the end of last season. So far, the current window has seen Evann Guessand, Yasin Ozcan and Marco Bizot all arrive, but after Emery revealed his desire to have two players in every position, the Midlands club may not be done with their incomings just yet.

The rumours have been coming thick and fast since those words and all eyes are now on Monchi as Aston Villa look to bolster their squad one final time this summer.

Of those mentioned, the biggest name has been Marco Asensio. It seemed as though Aston Villa were destined to miss out on the Spaniard after an excellent loan spell last season, but fresh reports have now indicated that they’ve made their move and he could be on the way.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger was a real difference-maker for the Villans last season and would no doubt add the further firepower that they’ve lacked in recent weeks.

The same, meanwhile, can be said for another Premier League rival that Aston Villa have already reportedly launched a shock bid to sign late on in the window.

Aston Villa launch shock Paqueta bid

According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa have launched a £47m bid to sign Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United before the transfer window slams shut.

Those in the Midlands are reportedly pushing to secure his signature, but remain without the green light from the Hammers, who are keen to keep hold of the Brazilian.

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It seems like West Ham are in no mood to compromise, either. TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook has been quick to burst Villa’s bubble, reporting that a move, at this stage, is unlikely for Paqueta with West Ham unwilling to agree a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy. As such, Villa are not in a position to afford the midfield star.

Things can quickly change in a transfer window, however, and Paqueta remains one to watch. Dubbed “incredible” by David Moyes during his time at West Ham, the South American is certainly one worth fighting for.

Tyler Morton scored his first goal for Lyon to secure a 1-0 victory and continue his bright start to life in Ligue 1. The former Liverpool midfielder, making his return after serving a suspension for a red card against Rennes, praised coach Paulo Fonseca for his tactics and highlighted team-mate Nicolas Tagliafico’s assist for the decisive strike.

Morton’s winner against Lille

Morton, making a box-crashing run into Lille’s penalty area, slipped between two defenders to finish off Tagliafico’s cross. It was his first game back from suspension after being sent off in Lyon’s 3-1 defeat to Rennes, where he had received a red card for what he described as a typically ‘English’ tackle.

AdvertisementMorton's praise for coach and teammates

In his post-match interview, Morton praised coach Fonseca for the clearly defined roles within the team, saying: "The coach helps us enormously with tactics. Everyone knows exactly what they have to do and when they have to do it."

He also credited Tagliafico for his assist and explained the reasoning behind his celebration: "Nico gave me an incredible cross, I'm very happy. I also remembered that there were the fans, so I went to celebrate in front of them."

Taking to Instagram afterwards, he wrote: "Massive 3 points away against difficult opposition! We fought until the end thanks to our fans. A very proud moment to score my first goal for this club."

Morton’s praise for Klopp

Morton left Liverpool at the end of the summer window to join Lyon in search of playing time after current coach Arne Slot. However, he was full of praise for former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who believed in him, handed him his league and Champions League debuts, and sent him out on loan to aid his development.

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Getty Images SportMorton’s mid-week test against Salzburg

Morton hopes to use his time at Lyon to further develop his game after a lack of minutes stalled his progress at Liverpool. His goal will have given him a confidence boost, and he will now be eager to face RB Salzburg on Thursday in the Europa League.

It is CSK’s third-lowest total ever and their lowest at Chepauk

Alagappan Muthu11-Apr-2025Right from the very start, spin dictated terms at Chepauk. Except these bowlers weren’t wearing yellow. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine and Moeen Ali strangled the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), their combined figures 12-1-55-6. CSK avoided being all out for their lowest total (79) in IPL history but only just. The 24 additional runs they managed do not seem match-winning; 103 is still their lowest T20 score at home.MS Dhoni was back as captain of his team with Ruturaj Gaikwad injured and out of the season. He got what he wanted at the toss, for his team to bat first, but everything else played out according to Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) script. They brought in Moeen for the match-ups against CSK’s left-handers. That worked. He bowled a maiden over as he took Devon Conway down.They gave pace on for only five of the first 17 overs on a black soil pitch where the ball didn’t come onto the bat. Even those guys concentrated on bowling slower balls into the wicket. This discipline was the reason CSK just couldn’t break free no matter how often they tried. They recorded the second-lowest powerplay score in IPL 2025 – 31 for 2 – behind their own 30 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They hit just three boundaries after the eighth over (one of them a top edge). They had to bring in Deepak Hooda as an Impact Player, accepting the risk of going in with a bowler short when they would have to defend this total but even that gamble backfired. Hooda fell for a duck and one of their key players, Matheesha Pathirana will not be able to take part in this game.MS Dhoni walked out at No. 9 and was crowded by a slip and short leg. He had to face only Narine and Chakravarthy against whom he has a poor record and that match-up paid off as well. KKR dismissed Dhoni for 1 off 4, although he reviewed the lbw decision and there seemed to be a spike as the ball passed the bat. The third umpire Vinod Seshan, though, upheld the on-field decision and coach Stephen Fleming seemed to take issue with that as he left the dugout in search of the reserve umpire. To cap it all off, Shivam Dube seemed to have picked up a leg injury in the last over of the innings.

Leeds United have had to recover quickly in recent times when notable players have exited Elland Road.

Last summer, after heartbreakingly losing the Championship playoff final, the eventual promotion winners had to wave goodbye – through gritted teeth – to both Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville as Premier League moves awaited the entertaining duo.

Not even the added security of being in the elite division has saved Leeds from having to part ways with some star assets, however, with Kalvin Phillips leaving his boyhood club behind for Manchester City in the summer of 2022.

Unfortunately, the one-time £40m buy has struggled ever since leaving West Yorkshire behind, but there might well be some green shoots appearing at the Etihad now for the forgotten midfielder…

Phillips' turbulent stay at City

Amazingly, despite last featuring for Pep Guardiola’s men way back in October of 2023, Phillips could now have been gifted a chance at redemption.

Indeed, it has emerged that the Leeds-born midfielder has now been included in City’s Premier League squad for the rest of the 2025/26 season, having presumably impressed in flashes out on loan at Ipswich Town last campaign.

It was far from a standout loan experience for the 29-year-old, but he did hammer home this effort at Portman Road during his 22-game stay to be remembered somewhat fondly, away from also winning 3.5 duels on average across his 17 Premier League outings in Suffolk, as per Sofascore.

While Guardiola’s surprise inclusion of Phillips will give the 31-time England international some hope that he can rewrite his City narrative, it’s far from being conclusive proof that he will start plenty of City games moving forward, having only ever completed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League for his current employers a meagre two times.

Phillips will just have to hope his ordeal in Manchester doesn’t get any bleaker, with a worry now that this other ex-Leeds ace is experiencing a similar fall from grace to that of the 29-year-old, as his first-team minutes also continue to be minimal in the tough division.

The ex-Leeds star in danger of being the next Phillips

Thankfully, for both the aforementioned Rutter and Summerville, they have taken to the pressures of the Premier League a lot more steadily than Phillips.

Rutter is already up to eight goals and five assists for his new employers Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst his Dutch counterpart has also managed to successfully battle back from injury difficulties at West Ham United to collect two assists during the infancy of the new season.

On the contrary, former Leeds homegrown product Archie Gray has found the leap from the EFL to the Premier League to be a daunting one, having moved to Tottenham Hotspur just last summer after a whirlwind ascent into the Whites’ first-team spotlight.

Daniel Farke, who still occupies the Elland Road dug-out, would be the first manager to get a tune out of the adaptable 19-year-old in the senior ranks, with Gray previously being branded as a “very intelligent” talent by ex-Leeds great Marcelo Bielsa when he was just 15 years of age.

He would be showered with further elaborate praise after making a name for himself in the first team at his boyhood club, as seen in Sky Sports’ Andy Hinchcliffe heralding the teenage sensation as “extraordinary” during his breakout 2023/24 season, which saw him make 52 appearances in total.

Missing out on promotion that same season, then saw Premier League clubs unsurprisingly line up for his coveted services, with the £30m eventually forked out by Spurs to land Gray not looking like a rash amount to spend, either, considering analyst Ben Mattinson was wildly suggesting that the 19-year-old could go on to be a “future £100m” asset.

Games played

29

Games started

20

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

At the moment, Mattinson’s praise hasn’t been backed up by Gray’s performances in North London, with new Spurs boss Thomas Frank only handing him one league start so far this season, having started 19 league contests under Ange Postecoglou. He wasn’t even named as a substitute for Spurs’ big 3-0 win over West Ham United, either.

It does feel now that Gray jumped ship from Leeds to pastures new in the Premier League a bit prematurely – especially as Farke’s men are now competing alongside Spurs – with an additional worry that the teenager is already being swallowed whole by the pressures of his top-flight environment, in a similar way to Phillips.

Gray will hope he can live up to his previous high praise down the line, but if his minutes continue to deplete, he might well just be viewed as another forgotten figure of Leeds’ past that struggled to cut it in the big time.

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Head coach wants his side to challenge the Championship’s frontrunners after 10-year absence

Alan Gardner28-Mar-2025Sussex’s base at Hove may be one of the more tranquil destinations on the county circuit. But when the club make their return to Division One of the Championship after a ten-year absence next month, opponents should not arrive expecting a ride on the teacups.That is the message coming from the 2024 Division Two champions, with head coach, Paul Farbrace, saying Sussex will go into the new season “aiming to win” the title. If that proves beyond them, Farbace is targeting a finish of fourth or higher, with the goal of being in the top two the following summer.All this is part of a five-year plan Farbrace drew up when appointed to succeed Ian Salisbury in the winter of 2022-2023. Sussex, who lifted the County Championship as recently as 2007, were at the time languishing in the second tier, having won just three first-class matches in the previous three seasons – but Farbrace immediately set about scotching talk of incremental progress, declaring that the club should be challenging for promotion and a place at T20 Finals Day.Related

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Although Sussex finished that season in third, those lofty twin goals were eventually realised a year later – John Simpson (a Farbrace signing) captaining them to the Division Two title with a 20-point gap on Yorkshire, while Tymal Mills oversaw a run to the last four of the Blast. It proved swift vindication for Farbrace’s belief that the players could walk his talk.”I deliberately tried to change the language [around the club],” Farbrace tells ESPNcricinfo during Sussex’s pre-season media day at Hove. “At the time, people were saying to me, it’s a tough job, because, you know, they’ve only won one game [per season] in three years. But actually, we’ve got a group of players, they were crying out for someone to say, ‘Right, this is where we going. Come on, let’s roll our sleeves up. Let’s have fun doing it.'”I think there’s a real feelgood [factor], and everyone’s realising now that we don’t have to be a team that just talks about, ‘What’s our relevance in county cricket?’ Let’s show people our relevance. Let’s punch above our weight. All right, some of the clubs have got bigger and better budgets than we have, but it’s not about that. It’s about having the right people in the right places, whether that’s on the field or off the field, and have a bit of fun doing what you’re doing. You spend a lot of time at cricket, practicing, playing, working at the game. You want to enjoy it as well. But you enjoy it so much more when you’re winning.”It was not all smooth sailing from the outset, with ill discipline undermining their promotion push in 2023 – Sussex were docked 12 points after a bad-tempered late-season win over Leicestershire – and rumours that not everyone agreed with Farbrace’s approach. Ali Orr, one of the club’s brightest batting talents, was allowed to leave for Hampshire, prompting Chris Adams and Ian Gould, two Sussex stalwarts, to step down from advisory roles. George Garton, another homegrown talent, also found himself surplus to requirements.Upending the deckchairs at a tight-knit club like Sussex could have been risky but Farbrace believes it was important to “give the place a shake” after several seasons in which cost-cutting and a reliance on the academy had limited ambition. He also says he has tempered his approach accordingly as the team has developed.”I had to do that,” he says. “I think that was part of my role when I first came in. I’d like to think I’m doing things differently to what I did in the first year. The first year, I was very bullish, I didn’t really ask too many questions. I told people what we were doing, let’s get on board and make sure you’re with me. That was something that I spent a lot of time doing, making sure people understood what we were trying to do and why we were trying to do it. And, yeah, I did ruffle a few feathers, I think I had to.Sussex won promotion with a game to spare in 2024•Getty Images”I had quite a few spats with people during that first year. But I definitely think it was the right thing to do. And then subsequently, last year, I’ve been a lot more inclusive, a lot more open, I’ve asked a lot more people’s thoughts and views, and I’m hopefully starting to sit back a little bit more. It’s now a case of saying, we’ve got the right captains, we’ve got the right coaches, we’ve got the right support staff. The pitches are playing brilliantly. Now I can sit back a little bit and just keep nudging people in the right direction and make sure we keep that momentum going, and not feel as I’ve got to be at the front of it. It wasn’t about me, per se – it was just about someone just giving the place a bit of a shake. Saying, ‘Come on. Let’s compete. Let’s have some fun taking people on.’ And if it doesn’t work, I take full responsibility.”He admits, however, that things might have turned out differently had Sussex not sneaked their way to a two-wicket win over eventual Division Two-winners, Durham, in his first game in charge. “I’ll always be indebted to Oli Carter for the innings that he played to get us over the line against Durham. Because beating a strong Durham team here, in that first game, everyone started thinking: actually, maybe that idiot knows what he’s doing.”Faith in the group that Farbrace has assembled means there have been few changes at Sussex over the winter, with rookie contracts for George Thomas, the former England U19 batter released by Somerset, Nantes Oosthuizen and ACE academy graduate Troy Henry the only additions. Simpson will again lead the red-ball side after a stunning first summer down on the south coast in which he averaged 74.81 with the bat – and he has counselled his players that they will “need to be better for longer” in Division One as they seek to avoid a battle for survival.For the first time in four seasons, there is no Cheteshwar Pujara to act as batting bulwark – but Australian Daniel Hughes is back for a full campaign after impressing last year. West Indies quick Jayden Seales also returns to lead the attack alongside Ollie Robinson during the first block of Championship games. Robinson, who is expected to be fit after hernia surgery, opted not to speak to the media, presumably in anticipation of his bowling doing the talking as he aims to nudge the selectors more than a year on from his last England cap.And while incipient plans to nurture Jofra Archer’s Test comeback via a few appearances in the opening rounds of the Championship season were shelved after he was a late entrant in the IPL mega-auction, Sussex could still benefit from his services later in the summer. Could Archer tune up for involvement in the Ashes by firing Sussex’s Division One challenge? Down Hove way recently, stranger things have happened.