Category Uncategorized

Eden Carson, part of the new generation, had taken out West Indies’ top order before the team’s most experienced figured closed it out

Valkerie Baynes19-Oct-2024West Indies needed 15 runs off the last over with seven wickets down and Suzie Bates wanted the ball.With the backing of captain Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr – with whom Bates forms an impressive White Ferns triumvirate – she took it.Zaida James, in the middle of a crucial cameo for West Indies with a place in the T20 World Cup final on the line, crunched Bates’ first ball through the covers for four. New Zealand were only allowed three fielders out due to an over-rate penalty. But this wasn’t the first time Bates had been here, and it showed.Related

• 'We are breaking barriers every day' – Bates proud to fly the flag against ageism

• The Soph and Suze show – New Zealand's hit sitcom seeks one last high

• Eden Carson – NZ's reel sensation who clicked at the biggest stage

• New Zealand overcome Dottin's all-round brilliance for first T20 World Cup final since 2010

A dot ball followed by a fuller one that angled in and pegged back James’ leg stump meant New Zealand were almost there. A single to Ashmini Munisar left Bates’ fellow 37-year-old Afy Fletcher with 10 to get off the last two balls. When she managed just a single off the last, Bates was there to collect the ball, fired in by Kerr from deep midwicket, and slammed it into the stumps in triumph.Some 14 years of waiting for another shot at the title was over.”I looked at Suzie and said, ‘Suzie I think you should bowl,’ and she said to Sophie, ‘bowl me, I want to bowl it,’ Kerr said of that last over. “That’s huge from your leader, your most capped player, to step up again in that moment.”She’s done it before for us, she’s a bit of a last-over specialist and she likes to call herself Michael Jordan. I think that was a Michael Jordan moment.”It was reminiscent of Bates’ over against England in March, the final one of the match in which she defended eight runs and took 2 for 4 to win it and keep their five-game series alive after two defeats.Playing her 333rd international match, equalling Mithali Raj’s record for appearances, in what could be her final campaign for New Zealand, Bates’ solitary over against West Indies in Sharjah on Friday night was the ultimate complement to Eden Carson’s efforts in the powerplay.Carson, the 23-year-old offspinner, was Player of the Match for a second consecutive time at this tournament with 3 for 29 as New Zealand defended a modest total of 128 for 9.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ESPNcricinfo (@espncricinfo)

She removed Qiana Joseph, star of West Indies’ upset against England in their final group game, and Shemaine Campbell inside the first five overs. After six overs, New Zealand had sent down 19 dot balls between Carson, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Fran Jonas and seamer Rosemary Mair.When Carson rearranged Stafanie Taylor’s stumps in the ninth over with one that ripped past the bat to end a laboured innings of 13 off 20, West Indies were left with too much to do, despite Deandra Dottin’s best efforts to chase down the target with her 33 off 22 balls.It was Kerr who removed Dottin via a top edge to Jonas, who held on at short fine leg on a night when New Zealand put down five catches and missed two reviews that would have yielded wickets.So there it was, Bates representing the old guard with Devine, Carson representing the future, and 25-year-old Kerr with 158 caps the bridge between two generations of White Ferns.That all three came together at the perfect time following a difficult period since the last T20 World Cup was something no one on the outside saw coming at the start of the tournament but those on the inside believed in.Since New Zealand crashed out in the group stages of the 2023 edition in South Africa, Devine has spoken of wanting to protect the likes of Carson, Jonas and Izzy Gaze, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who scored a vital 20 not out off 14 balls on Friday, from any pressure.That theme continued through series defeats to England at home and away and a 3-0 series defeat in Australia immediately before this tournament and now New Zealand, young and old(er), are seeing the benefits.Eden Carson celebrates dismissing Qiana Joseph•ICC/Getty Images”It’s been a tough year but I think it speaks volumes of the character and the people in the group,” Kerr said of her side’s achievement. “Those series were tough and they were against England and Australia, who are both two world-class teams.”Losses can dent your confidence but coming to a World Cup you want to stay positive and believe that you can win any game and hopefully those losses made us better, which I think they 100% have. To stay upbeat and together just shows the character this group has.”While it’s been almost impossible to completely shield the youngsters, as Carson revealed, they have been able to thrive.Georgia Plimmer, the 20-year-old opener, is another example of New Zealand keeping the faith with a young player. After struggling through their tour of England, she rewarded them with a half-century against Sri Lanka in the group stage then top scoring in their eight-run win over West Indies with 33 off 31. That Plimmer’s innings came as Bates battled her way to 26 off 28 was another sign that the future is bright for New Zealand.”As a team we could have fallen into a bit of a hole with each other and getting a bit of stick from people online, but I think that just built us as a team,” Carson said. “We’ve been a lot closer over the past year. We don’t try speaking too much about the losses, we just speak about the learnings that come from that.”The more experienced group, it has been tough on them as well. I know mentally and emotionally it has been draining for them but to be able to show up every day to training, to camps back in New Zealand, to now the World Cup on the big stage. Anything can happen at a tournament like this. In a series we can go 3-0 down like we did against the Aussies but I think those games, we took a lot out of those.”With England and Australia making shock exits in the group stage and semi-finals respectively, New Zealand now face South Africa in Sunday’s title decider, guaranteeing a new champion. That seems apt for a side unearthing new champions within.

Fast bowler promises caution in comeback but plans to commit to all international formats

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Nov-2022″A small day but still a big day,” was how Jofra Archer described day one of this three-day match between the Test squad and the England Lions.Wednesday was the first time since March 2021 that Archer had bowled in an England shirt, even if he was doing so for the Lions, and his first proper run-out since July 2021. Those nine overs of 0 for 38, split across spells of five and four, are a small aside in the context of this week, as England focus in on a three-Test tour of Pakistan. For Archer, however, it was the first of a number of calculated steps on the horizon.The next will come in January in the SA20 where Archer has signed for MI Cape Town. He will play two games for the franchise before joining up with England for their three-match series against South Africa. A limited-overs tour of Bangladesh will follow before moving onto the IPL with Mumbai Indians.And then, come June, England will be gearing up for the Ashes before switching their focus to the defence of their 50-over crown in the ODI World Cup in India later that winter. Whether Archer will be involved in each phase of this itinerary will depend on how he makes it through the plan that he has concocted with the ECB physios and director of men’s cricket Rob Key.”The absolute key for Jofra is that we don’t want him to have to go through what he has been through for the last year and a half ever again,” Key said. “There is no perfect scenario [in recovery], but this bit now is so crucial to make sure that [his] bone density and all the other things I don’t understand are strong, so he is robust enough for the rigours of being a multi-format cricketer, who is going to have franchise deals and stuff like that, so we can get the best out of him when it really matters.”This is not simply an Archer comeback crescendo-ing to Australia’s visit next summer. This is about building long-term durability after almost two years out of action, due to stress fractures of his elbow and then back. Simply, it is about Jofra Archer.”This is probably the first time I’ve been so close to umpires in about 18 months as well,” Archer said with a smile. “It’s really good to be back and being here with all the guys is probably the best way to do it as well.”He had been out in Dubai with the Lions since the start of November before moving to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening ahead of this match. Preparation has been tapered with match situations at close to match intensity, which is how he was able to crank up to speeds of 90mph – as per the ECB’s on-site speed gun – and pin opener Zak Crawley in the head with the sixth ball of the match. “I wasn’t even trying to hit him, I was just trying to get out of the over!”Of course, the most important aspect of what he did on Wednesday was how he felt on Thursday. Thankfully for all concerned, the aches Archer does feel give him comfort.Jofra Archer trained with England in Barbados as part of his rehabilitation earlier this year, until a stress fracture of his back•Getty Images”I feel sore – the usual when you bowl. Nothing to worry about at all. It’s weird feeling this way again. This is probably the best soreness I’ve ever had after bowling. I’ll take this!”Hopefully it stays like this, as I play some more cricket and it goes on. It was really nice, yesterday was a really really big day. It was a small day but still a big day.”To Archer’s mind, he is “fully back”, but in the sense that he is bowling sharply and is around the team in a meaningful way. He believes that this is the beginning of the end of what has been a period of deep frustration and torment.”I think getting on the plane and coming here was the start,” he said. “Obviously to get back to the first team is my number one priority at the minute. But also getting back there as safely as possible.”Resisting the temptation to rush to the end is paramount. “You’d be crazy not to say you want to go to Pakistan,” he admitted, wide-eyed, clearly desperate to add to 13 Test caps and 42 wickets. ” But that might not be the best move.” He will also not be considered for selection for March’s two-Test series in New Zealand.”I’d rather take these last few months very seriously, more serious than probably all of the rehab. Because once this phase goes right, then it can set me up for the next three to four years injury-free. That’s the goal right now.”Underpinning the meticulous planning, medical expertise and diligence from those working with Archer is a clear maturity from the man himself. It is evident when he recalls the timeline of events that kept him out of action for this long. The clarity of thought, the appreciation of misfortune, no resenting the universe or the cricketing gods. And acceptance that, particularly in the case of stress fractures, they can happen again but he should not live in fear of that.”It wasn’t 18 months continuously. First time, I was getting ready to play the Hundred that summer [2021] and the results of the scan came in and said I had a stressy [elbow]. I literally had my kit bag packed and everything was ready to go. Then I got that call saying I had a stressy so then I took some time off and rehabbed.”And then when the Tests were in Barbados [March 2022] I was in Barbados as well and it was probably about 80 percent then. And then my back went. So, I don’t feel I was out for that long doing nothing, because I was training, then had to stop, then built up training again and then had to stop.”You’re still a little bit wary because I’ve done it twice and it’s happened. It’s in the back of your mind. But I think I’ve just about got past it… and yesterday was probably the first time I could let it go. If it happens, it happens, but you can’t just keep taking a back step.”Jofra Archer hasn’t featured in an England international since the tour of India in March 2021•Getty ImagesIt helped that Archer was away from England – spending, he reckons, 80 percent of his time at home in Barbados. “It hurt but not that bad: I was already home with my family and my friends and my dogs, so it was a bit easier to deal with.”He was also away from prying eyes during his various stints of recovery and, equally helpful, was a bit of distance between him and the team to which he had previously been integral.”Luckily being in Barbados, the time difference helped a lot with not being able to watch a lot of cricket. Obviously I watched the semi-final in Dubai, the T20 one [2021]. I watched that, but a lot of the games I tried my best not to watch.”I watched some of the Ashes because it would come on just as I was going to bed. So I watched a little bit, but you don’t watch as intently because the wickets were really good in Oz this year, I’m not going to lie. It was a little bit painful to watch it on TV.”You’ve just got to take yourself away a little bit. It’s not that you’re not supporting the lads or anything like that, but you’ve got a long time away and you’re no help to the lads or yourself if you’re just droning in the background feeling down.”At the same time, Archer has been able to appreciate the glory without feeling a sense of FOMO. The T20 World Cup earlier this month “wasn’t painful at all”, because at no point did he feel Jos Buttler needed him – in the best way possible.Related

Jofra Archer ruled out for summer after suffering back stress fracture

Rehan Ahmed could become youngest man to play a Test for England after call-up for Pakistan tour

Jofra Archer makes encouraging return to England colours after long injury lay-off

Jofra Archer is MI Cape Town's wildcard signing for SA20

“To be honest, I don’t think I really wanted to be there because obviously the guys at the tournament I had absolute faith that they were going to do it, so there was no need for me to go.”I spoke to CJ [Chris Jordan] everyday, he even called me just after the game [final] finished and you still felt like you were part of the team and part of the celebrations. Hopefully when he gets back I get to see his medal. We’ve got a World Cup coming up next year as well so hopefully get a chance to help defend that.”It’s worth reiterating, even on behalf of Archer, that he never entertained the idea of playing exclusively white-ball cricket upon returning. He himself is bemused at just how often it comes up.”I’m actually surprised that I actually hear it that often. Everyone, from the very first week I was off, up until the last few weeks of rehab, you know?”Test cricket is his passion, and the Ashes could represent a milestone in his journey so far, after the manner in which he impressed in his maiden international season. “I’m more than prepared to do some extra bowling and stuff in and around some other cricket, just to put my name in the hat [for that series].”But there’s plenty of love on offer for the other formats. The depth of players and the tailored plans around selection (specifially, rotation) gives him the belief that players can get their fill of all codes without doing themselves mischief.”Given the strength of our squad, you can do it because you don’t have to play every single game,” he said. “The squad is strong enough that we can rotate players. I would love to play every game, but I don’t think the physio would let me.”Amid the interest in his return to match bowling this week came a wave of goodwill messages across social media. “My phone kept going off a long time after,” he said of the reaction to photos of him with whites and a red ball in his hand. One of his friends commented on the scale of the reaction on Twitter. His Instagram account was just as full of love.He smiles at the mention of the umpteen tags on his own Instagram after he had reposted some of those well-wishes. At the same time, he is taking nothing for granted.”It’s a practice game, and it’s been very good to get some cobwebs off. I’ve probably got a few, maybe 50 or 60 days, before the next set of white-ball stuff, so after this I’m going to continue training because for me now, I can’t relax. I can’t take it particularly easy because I want to be ready for when the opportunity comes.”

He ended his innings on Friday with 1001 maximums to his name, 311 ahead of second-placed Kieron Pollard

Bharath Seervi30-Oct-2020When Chris Gayle tonked young Kartik Tyagi over the lengthy leg-side boundary for his seventh six of the night, for the Kings XI Punjab against the Rajasthan Royals, it took him up to an incredible 1000 career sixes in T20 cricket, the first to get to the mark. Already more than 3000 runs in front of Kieron Pollard when it comes to most runs in T20s, Gayle has – again – gone where no man has in the shortest format, stretching his lead at the top of the sixes’ chart to 311 by the time he finished up, with Pollard second at 690.”A thousand maximums – another record? Oh, man,” he joked when asked about the achievement on Star Sports. “I don’t know, I just have to give thanks. Have to give thanks for hitting it well at age 41. A lot of dedication and hard work has paid off over the years. Still here, still doing it, same way. Very grateful.”ESPNcricinfo LtdHere’s a look at Gayle’s incredible achievement, through numbers.1001 – Sixes for Gayle in T20s. His first six came playing for Jamaica against Bermuda in the Stanford 20/20 in 2006. He has 1041 fours in the format too, just 40 more than his number of sixes.349 – Number of sixes by Gayle in the IPL, which are the most by a batsman in any T20 league. He also has the most sixes in the CPL (162), Bangladesh Premier League (132) and T20 World Cup (60).263 – Sixes by Gayle for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the most he has hit for a single team, followed by 124 for the Jamaica Tallawahs, and 105 sixes for West Indies (in T20Is).61 – Sixes Gayle has hit against the Kings XI Punjab, his most against a single opposition. He has also smashed 84 sixes for Kings XI since he joined them in 2018.135 – Sixes hit by Gayle in 2015, his most in a calendar year. He next best is 121 in 2012. Overall, he has hit 100-plus sixes in six different years – 2011 to 2017, barring 2014.18 – Most sixes by Gayle in a T20 match, for the Rangpur Riders against the Dhaka Dynamites in the BPL final in 2017. He hit 17 sixes in his knock of 175* for the Royal Challengers in 2013. No other batsman has hit more than 16 sixes in a T20 match.17 – Sixes for Gayle against Dwayne Bravo in T20s, his most against a single bowler. He has hit 12 sixes against Imran Tahir and 11 each against Piyush Chawla, Rashid Khan and Shahid Afridi.18 – Number of times Gayle has hit ten or more sixes in a T20 match. No other batsman has done it more than three times – Evin Lewis, Andre Russell and Shreyas Iyer.

اختتم منتخب العراق مشواره في مرحلة المجموعات ببطولة كأس العرب بهزيمة صعبة أمام الجزائر بنتيجة 2-0، بالمواجهة التي جمعت بينهما مساء اليوم.

واحتل منتخب العراق المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب المجموعة الرابعة بـ كأس العرب بعدما حصد 6 نقاط من الفوز على البحرين والسودان.

وتترقب الجماهير العربية مواجهة قوية بين منتخبي العراق والأردن، في إطار مباريات ربع نهائي بطولة كأس العرب 2025 المقامة في قطر، في صدام حاسم على بطاقة التأهل إلى المربع الذهبي.​

طالع.. بالمواعيد | مواجهات دور الـ 8 من كأس العرب 2025 

يدخل المنتخبان اللقاء بعد تأهلهما رسميًا من دور المجموعات، حيث حسم الأردن الصدارة في مجموعته، بينما صعد العراق من المجموعة الرابعة، ليتجدد الصدام العربي القوي على بطاقة العبور إلى نصف نهائي كأس العرب 2025. موعد مباراة العراق والأردن في ربع نهائي كأس العرب

وتقام مباراة العراق والأردن يوم الجمعة 12 ديسمبر 2025 على استاد المدينة التعليمية، في تمام الساعة 4:30 عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، و5:30 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية وقطر والعراق والأردن.​

Throughout the years, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been truly blessed with the chance to watch numerous elite-level attackers feature for the club.

Players such as Heung-min Son, Teddy Sheringham and Harry Kane all managed to make themselves club-legends in North London, with the latter breaking nearly every record in sight.

The 32-year-old currently sits at the top of the Lilywhites’ all-time scoring charts on 280, which saw 208 of his efforts come in the Premier League – with only Alan Shearer scoring more.

However, Spurs’ lack of success on the pitch ultimately led to his departure in 2023, which has left boss Thomas Frank unable to have the chance to work alongside the talisman.

He will no doubt want his own elite-level talent within the final third, potentially landing a player of that calibre during the upcoming January transfer window.

Spurs’ hunt for new attackers in January

Over the last couple of months, Spurs have been just one Premier League side linked with a potential deal for Porto star Sami Aghehowa in the winter window.

The Spaniard has been in tremendous goalscoring form during the early stages of 2025/26, as seen by his remarkable tally of 13 goals in his first 22 appearances across all competitions.

However, the Portuguese outfit don’t want to lose their star man anytime soon, subsequently slapping an €80m (£70m) asking price onto the 21-year-old’s head.

He’s not the only centre-forward in their sights ahead of the upcoming window, with Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta another player being considered by Fabio Paratici.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Lilywhites are seriously considering tabling a bid for the Frenchman in January, as his contract talks at Selhurst Park look to have stalled in recent weeks.

It also states that the Eagles may be forced to offload the 28-year-old in the near future to avoid losing him for nothing, with his current deal set to expire in June 2027.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s next Mbeumo

During Frank’s time in charge at Brentford before taking the Spurs job, he often had numerous top-level attackers at his disposal, which helped make the Bees an established top-flight club.

The Dane mainly relied on forward Bryan Mbeumo during the latter years of his spell at the GTEC, with the Cameroonian international providing a constant source of goals in the Premier League.

During the 2024/25 season, the 26-year-old netted a career-best 20 league goals, ending the campaign as just one of five players to achieve the feat in the division.

He no doubt thrived under the 52-year-old across the capital, so much so that the manager made a fierce attempt to land his signature after taking the reins in North London.

However, a reunion just wasn’t meant to be, as Mbeumo opted for a move to join Manchester United during the summer, subsequently leading Frank to hunt for a new talisman.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison have often provided the goods in attacking areas for Spurs this campaign, but Frank could get his new star forward with a move for Mateta this winter.

The Palace star has registered 30 goals in the last two full seasons in England’s top-flight, whilst already making huge waves during the first 15 games of the new campaign.

Mateta already has seven goals in 2025/26, but it’s his underlying stats from his outings at Selhurst Park that would make him Frank’s next star attacker in the capital.

The French international, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has registered 1.6 shots on target per 90 this season, which such a tally ranking him in the top 7% of all players in the league.

Games played

15

Goals scored

7

Shots on target

1.6

Dribbles completed

53%

Crosses completed

75%

Aerials won

2.5

Touches in opposition box

4.1

Recoveries made

3.5

Such a figure showcases his relentless nature in front of goal, handing the Spurs side the constant nuisance and goal threat they have lacked since Kane’s departure.

He’s also completed 53% of his attempted dribbles to date, whilst achieving a 75% cross completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature within the final third.

His biggest asset is his hold-up play, which could allow the Lilywhites to have the needed focal point they’ve craved, with the striker winning 2.5 aerials per 90 so far this season.

It could hand Frank the aerial presence needed to dominate in the 18-yard box, but also an option to help link the play and create intricate moves off a direct ball into the striker.

Whilst he operates in a different role to Mbeumo, the pair have both demonstrated their goalscoring prowess in recent times, with clinical goalscorers often hard to come by in the modern game.

Mateta could provide Frank with exactly what he wants in the January window, with such a move handing the Dane the perfect attacking option to kickstart his career in charge of the Lilywhites.

Their new Son: Spurs have held advanced talks to sign a future £100m player

Tottenham are looking to add fresh quality to their attacking flanks in 2026.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 8, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur will feel hard done by after salvaging a draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, having come unstuck after Anthony Gordon dispatched a controversially won penalty for the home side.

There’s a case to be made that Rodrigo Bentancur had infringed play in the box, but the tussle was waged between two players – one of whom was the 6 foot 7 Dan Burn – and there’s also a case to be made that Bentancur was pulled to the floor by the Newcastle defender.

Even as Cristian Romero’s brace rescued his side, Thomas Frank will know the pressure valve has not been released, and he still has much to prove if he is to cement his managerial berth in north London.

Frank's struggles at the Spurs helm

Tottenham have been something of a mixed bag in the Premier League this season. Their home performance woes have spilt from last year into the current term, with the defeat to Fulham meaning three have been lost on the bounce in the top flight.

Tactically, Tottenham are not creating enough. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are sidelined, have been since the summer, but this is no excuse for the stunted playmaking quality that has been on show. Spurs’ players are not maximising their own skillsets.

Frank is a more pragmatic manager than Ange Postecoglou before him, but his Brentford side still produced clinical and concise attacking play.

Now, much has been left to be desired in his Lilywhites team, and ENIC Group could be forced into cutting off their new manager and replacing him with a summer target.

Indeed, Daniel Levy (remember him?) interviewed Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirm that he has his sights set on a move up the ladder, albeit with a preference to see out the season.

Given the depth of Tottenham’s interest, this could be a deal revisited. And anyway, it’s not like the Spanish tactician has done anything to deter suitors this year.

Why Iraola is a better stylistic fit

Iraola is a young manager, but he has taken to the Premier League with ease, inculcating his aggressive, attack-focused football at the Vitality Stadium and recording Bournemouth’s highest-ever points total (56) last year.

He has transformed Bournemouth from a band of hard-batting, relegation-contending troops to an easy-on-the-eye attacking force, so intense and energetic. The fact he boasts a superior points-per-game record to Frank in the Premier League only adds fuel to the argument.

It’s a style of football that feels tailor-made for a club like Spurs. To dare is to do, after all, and one of the biggest criticisms of Frank’s tactics has been a pragmatism and lack of creative ambition.

The Spaniard has even been generously named “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle for his impact on the south coast, and though the Cherries are struggling for form right now, with four losses from five outings, there’s little question that he has laid out his credentials at the top.

Talented players like Xavi Simons are struggling. Tottenham are in a rut. Could Iraola provide the solution? His ability to adapt – evidenced after a summer exodus – could also play favourably into a north London outfit who have undergone a fair amount of chopping and changing in recent years.

It is not yet time for ENIC chiefs to push for a managerial change, but Frank will know that he will soon be on borrowed time if unable to prove that his tactical vision is slowly taking root at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should push come to shove, Iraola may well prove the perfect replacement, his self-defined “rock and roll” brand of football aligning with Spurs’ free-flowing identity.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 3, 2025

The domestic 2025 MLB season kicked off on Thursday and the very first game of Opening Day took place in the Bronx. The defending AL champion New York Yankees hosted the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium, and it didn't take long for the fireworks to start for the home side.

In fact, it took almost no time at all. After the Brewers were retired to complete the first half-inning of the year, catcher Austin Wells got up to bat leadoff for the Yankees. With a 2-0 count Wells mashed a deep ball to right field that flew over the wall to give New York a 1-0 lead and give Wells a leadoff home run. It was the first home run of the 2025 season.

It was also a first in MLB history. With his home run, Wells became the first catcher ever to hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day.

It is always impressive when a player makes sports history but feels all the more so when it's baseball history, given MLB is over 100 years old. It is very hard to accomplish something nobody else has ever accomplished when records have been kept for well over a century.

Yet here we are. Wells's name is now in the history books. What a moment.

Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves on the lookout for a new manager and have been alerted to the availability of a former Liverpool star.

Over the weekend, a chain events happened that could lead some to think that former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is in line for a return to management in the West Midlands.

On Saturday evening, the ex-Premier League star gave an honest verdict on why he didn’t make a return to Scotland following negotiations to take him back to Ibrox breaking down at the last minute.

Speaking on TNT Sports, he admitted that the timing of the offer came at a difficult point in his personal life, while he also made clear that instability at Rangers made him unable to commit to a return.

“I have to analyse, is it right for me? Is the timing right and are things perfect for me to be the best version of myself in that job? Unfortunately the timing, it didn’t feel right to me. I’ve got that much respect for Rangers that I wouldn’t go in there if I was 80-90% ready, but hopefully one day I’ll be more ready and more prepared for it and that chance might come again.”

Despite passing up the opportunity to return to his old club, his availability comes at a time when Wolves are searching for a permanent successor after sacking Vitor Pereira.

An out-of-work boss may well be their preference amid links to Brendan Rodgers and Xavi. Gerrard may not be keen due to Fosun and the new ownership at Rangers being mired in difficulty, but they do have an interest from one of his old teammates.

Robbie Keane applies for Wolves managerial vacancy

According to talkSPORT, Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane has applied for the Wolves managerial vacancy after leading his side to the Hungarian top-flight crown last season.

Formerly a fan favourite at Molineux due to scoring 27 times in 85 appearances during his spell at the club, the 45-year-old also won the Israeli Premier League title and Toto Cup while in charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Keane has also been considered for the Celtic job in light of their search for a permanent successor to Rodgers. His credentials to get teams on winning runs can’t be underestimated, though coming from Hungary into the Premier League would be a major ask.

Wolves are eight points adrift in the top-flight and appear to be knee-deep in a scrap for survival. Seeing a former face would provide some hope to deflated Old Gold supporters, though the Irishman’s return of 13 wins in 22 matches circa 2025/26 hasn’t lived up to the hype of last term.

Find out the latest on Wolves' managerial search

Gary O’Neil could step back into the club after leaving less than a year ago. Either way, there is sure to be plenty of anticipation at Molineux over who will replace Pereira.

Aaron Ramsey’s disappointing tenure in Mexico has come to an end. The Welsh midfielder has officially parted ways with Pumas after terminating his contract, following a muscle injury and a personal ordeal involving the loss of his dog during a vacation in Mexico. The Mexico City club has yet to issue an official statement.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Move in the works for weeks

  According to ESPN, the club was simply waiting for Ramsey to appear at Cantera to complete the termination process. The former Arsenal and Juventus player made just six appearances for the Mexico City side, starting in three of them and totaling only 235 minutes on the field – though he did manage to score once.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The numbers Ramsey left behind in Mexico

  Ramsey’s time in Mexico was marked by inactivity. He arrived already carrying a long-term injury that delayed his debut with the team. And once he was finally fit to play, recurring muscle issues prevented him from maintaining consistency and kept him sidelined for much of the season.

  The situation worsened during the last FIFA window. While preparing to travel with his family to Wales, Ramsey lost his dog, which was staying behind in Mexico. The incident affected the midfielder, who ended up missing the call-up to his national team due to injury – and also failed to report back to Pumas for his rehabilitation.

  Reports indicate that Ramsey remained in Guanajuato searching for his pet, a situation that ultimately prevented him from returning to training with the university side.

• AFP
  

  Pumas lose key player ahead of the Liguilla

  Pumas lose Ramsey at a crucial moment in their bid to qualify for the Liguilla, as the team currently sits 14th in the standings and Efraín Juárez will no longer be able to count on one of his key players. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  The Blue and Gold side will host Tijuana this Saturday in a must-win clash in the Apertura 2025.

The last 12 months have been nothing short of a disaster for Manchester United, with the club falling way below the high standards it has set for itself in years prior.

Ruben Amorim led the side to a measly 15th-place finish in 2024/25, with such a position their lowest since the Premier League’s formation way back in 1992.

Despite such a disappointing year last time around, the hierarchy maintained confidence in the 40-year-old to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.

He was subsequently handed a £200m injection into the first-team squad by the board in an attempt to help transform the situation and catapult the side up the table.

However, one player who has so often produced the goods for the Red Devils has fallen way below his own high standards during the early stages of 2025/26.

Bruno Fernandes’ struggles in 2025/26 for United

Last season, Bruno Fernandes was undoubtedly United’s biggest threat within attacking areas, with his contributions saving the club in countless key moments.

The Portuguese international popped up with 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions, undoubtedly preventing the side from an even lower top-flight finish.

However, he was subject to interest from Saudi Arabia during the summer, but he rejected the eye-watering contract in favour of remaining in Manchester.

The 30-year-old has struggled to replicate such form in the last couple of weeks, with the club captain only registering two combined goals and assists in his first outings.

He’s also missed two spot kicks to date, one against Brentford and the other against Fulham – with both misses undoubtedly costing the Red Devils key points.

Amid the big spending in the final third, Fernandes has had to drop into a slightly deeper role, which will have no doubt restricted him from making the desired impact.

As a result, the 30-year-old could well find himself further down the pecking order in the years ahead, with one player potentially inheriting his current squad number.

The Man United player who could steal the #8 from Bruno

A new midfielder was on the agenda for United during the summer transfer window, but they struggled to identify the key fit needed to improve the squad.

Carlos Baleba was one player hugely touted with a switch to Old Trafford, but his £100m asking price saw the Red Devils withdraw from negotiations, subsequently unable to identify an alternative.

Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are just two players who still remain as options at Amorim’s disposal, but are seen by many as players not good enough to take the side back up the table.

However, another option currently on their books is Kobbie Mainoo, but the Englishman has struggled to make a huge impact since Amorim was appointed last November.

The academy graduate managed just 20 starts in the Premier League last campaign, often being selected behind the aforementioned duo and Fernandes.

However, such a decision may come as a surprise, with the youngster enjoying a phenomenal 2023/24 season, scoring in the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City in his breakthrough season. It was during that term that he was labelled as a future “£100m-plus footballer” by United writer Alex Turk

This campaign has been just as tricky for the midfielder, making five league appearances – all of which were off the bench, and only featuring for a total of 113 minutes.

The “incredible” star, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has previously managed to impress, even being compared to Declan Rice by FBref for his performances in the league last campaign.

Games played

25

Minutes played

1656

Pass accuracy

87%

Chances created

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

63%

Duels won

5.9

Interceptions made

1.2

Recoveries made

4.8

He managed to outperform his compatriot in numerous key areas, further highlighting the talent he possesses when given the chance to star on a regular basis.

The Arsenal star cost a staggering £105m back in the summer of 2023, with such a fee being one of the highest in English history – but United could well have their own gem on their hands in Mainoo.

At just 20, he has bags of time to develop further and become a world-class talent, but he desperately needs the manager to put faith in him and give him the game time he needs.

With Bruno’s lack of impact as of late, the manager needs to give him an opportunity to stake his claim, with Mainoo having the tools to replace the Portuguese midfielder long term – subsequently taking his number in the process.

Fewer touches than Lammens: Man Utd star is on borrowed time under Amorim

Manchester United got back to winning ways with a vital win over Sunderland on Saturday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Oct 5, 2025