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Mitchell Marsh will retire from the Sheffield Shield at the end of this season, meaning in all likelihood he has played his final first-class match for Western Australia, but the door is ajar to add to his 46 Test caps in the Ashes.Marsh made a rare Shield appearance for WA last week against Victoria at the MCG where he scored 4 and 9. But his involvement in the T20 World Cup, where he will captain Australia through February and the start of March, will overlap with the resumption of the competition after the BBL, then he will be part of the IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.”It has been an honour to play Sheffield Shield cricket for WA,” Marsh, who made his Shield debut as an 18-year-old said in a statement. “Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the [Perth] Scorchers. Playing for WA has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future.”Marsh was an outside chance of featuring in the Ashes if there had been injuries or loss of form, particularly if things had started badly for Australia, on the back of an impressive run of performances in recent ODI and T20I series with the selectors valuing his skills against pace bowling.The final part of the WA Cricket statement said: “The Australian white-ball captain remains open to the prospect of playing Test cricket.”Australia coach Andrew McDonald has previously said they would be willing to pick Marsh for Tests without him playing red-ball cricket and confirmed on Tuesday that Marsh remained available for this season although suggested it would not be the case beyond that.”He is available for Test match selection, which is exciting for us,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to put words in Mitch’s mouth, but I assume that if he’s retired from first-class cricket, that he would potentially look at Test cricket retirement, also at the end of the season. But as I said, I can’t speak for him, but that would be my assumption.”Having been out of Test cricket for four years, Marsh made an outstanding return during the 2023 Ashes when he scored a century in his comeback match at Headingley and went on to average 46.87 in a 10-game stretch, during which he won the Allan Border Medal.However, he lost form during last summer’s series against India and was dropped for the final match at the SCG. His bowling has also taken a backseat as he manages his body.In the Sheffield Shield for WA, Marsh has scored 2744 runs at 29.50 and claimed 82 wickets at 29.48.”Mitch embodies everything about what it means to be a Sheffield Shield player for Western Australia,” WA head coach Adam Voges said. “From playing alongside him to coaching him in more recent times, he’s given his all for his state.”It’s been a privilege to watch him progress from Sheffield Shield to being a very successful player at international level for Australia. He’s an outstanding character on and off the field and it’s been a pleasure to play a part in his journey.”Marsh is currently only full-time captain of Australia’s T20I side, but has led the ODI team in their last two series against South Africa and India since the Champions Trophy in the absence of Pat Cummins.

The Premier League is finally back tomorrow, and Arsenal continue their campaign with the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon.

However, it could be a more challenging game than last year, as even with Martin Odegaard back in training, Mikel Arteta’s side could be without several key players.

The manager wouldn’t say whether the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz or Gabriel Martinelli were back in contention, for example, but one player who is sure to be out is Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Brazilian centre-back is set to be out for at least a few weeks, and while that’s a massive blow, the solution could be to move another defender into a different position.

Arsenal's record against Spurs

Arsenal’s game against Spurs on Sunday afternoon will be the 212th competitive meeting between the rivals.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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Their first encounter came all the way back in November 1896, when the Gunners were still south of the River, and ended in a 2-1 Arsenal victory.

Since then, while the Lilywhites have had periods of dominance, it’s the red side of North London that have had the better of the rivalry, winning 89 games, drawing 55 and losing 67.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta’s side have been even more dominant than that in recent years, losing just two of the last ten meetings, drawing one and winning the other seven.

Moreover, the title chasers are undefeated in their last six games against their old enemy and, despite being in a spot of bother form-wise at the time, won the most recent meeting 2-1.

Arsenal’s recent record v Spurs

Season

Home/Away

Result

22/23

Away

2-0 (W)

23/24

Home

2-2 (D)

23/24

Away

3-2 (W)

24/25

Away

1-0 (W)

24/25

Home

2-1 (W)

What makes that win all the more impressive is that Son Heung-min actually opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute.

However, Arsenal were back in front just 19 minutes later, thanks to a Dominic Solanke own goal and a brilliant effort from Leandro Trossard.

With all that said, even though Arteta has consistently gotten the better of Spurs, the game on Sunday will be a tough one, but he might already have a solution to Gabriel’s injury.

Arteta's solution to Gabriel's injury

The good news for Arsenal is that there are a few ways Arteta can go about replacing Gabriel.

For example, he could bring Cristhian Mosquera back into the side, play Ben White there or even hand a start to Piero Hincapie.

However, the former is right-footed, White hasn’t played at centre-back in a long time, and the Ecuadorian is still unproven in this team, so throwing him into a derby might be unwise.

Therefore, while it might not be the most popular decision, Arteta should move Riccardo Calafiori from left-back into the Brazilian’s position.

Now, there are a few reasons for this, and the first is that, like the injured star, the Italian international is left-footed, and while that might not seem all that important at first, it really is.

It gives the defence some real balance and makes it easier for him to play out from the back when going up the left-hand side of the pitch.

The second reason the dynamic defender should be moved into the back two is that he’s already got plenty of experience playing there.

For example, during his time with Bologna, he made 29 appearances at centre-back and only six as a full-back. Moreover, during pre-season, he once again played there when Gabriel was out with the injury he picked up against Fulham last season.

Finally, the 23-year-old “wild horse,” as dubbed by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, has already played plenty of football this season, so he should be far more familiar with the tactics than one of the other options. And while he did return early from international duty, there is a good chance he is ready to play.

Ultimately, while Arteta has several options to replace Gabriel on Sunday, he should go with the £120k-per-week Calafiori.

Related Arsenal handed another injury doubt for Tottenham clash after twist and Gabriel blow

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A Conmebol irá adotar a mesma postura de casos anteriores e investigará os atos de racismo direcionados à torcida do Palmeiras na partida contra o San Lorenzo, no Estádio Nuevo Gasómetro, pela estreia das equipes na atual edição da Copa Libertadores.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Relatos, vídeos, fotos e demais provas serão encaminhadas à Unidade Disciplinar da Federação que, em geral, necessita de 48 horas após a apresentação do material para abrir um expediente disciplinar, ou seja, indiciar os acusados.

O artigo 15 do Código Disciplinar da Conmebol prevê uma punição de 100 mil dólares (aproximadamente R$500 mil) para esta ocorrência. Em casos de reincidência, a multa chega a 400 mil dólares (cerca de R$ 2 milhões). Sanções como fechamento total ou parcial do estádio também podem ser impostas ao clube argentino.

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A Unidade não se manifestará sobre o caso antes do julgamento, o que leva em média 20 dias. Assim que a Confederação tiver uma posição definitiva, a mesma será publicada no portal oficial da instituição.

– Qualquer Associação Membro ou clube cujos torcedores insultarem ou atentarem contra a dignidade humana de outra pessoa ou grupo de pessoas, por qualquer meio, tendo como motivo a cor da pele, raça, sexo ou orientação sexual, etnia, idioma, credo ou origem, será sancionado com uma multa de pelo menos CEM MIL DÓLARES AMERICANOS (USD. 100.000). Em caso de reincidência, o infrator poderá ser punido com multa de DÓLARES AMERICANOS QUATROCENTOS MIL (USD 400.000) – diz um trecho do código disciplinar da Conmebol.

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Em contato com a reportagem, a Conmebol afirmou que considera qualquer manifestação de racismo ou outras formas de descriminação em seus torneios inaceitável. Vale lembrar que Alejandro Domínguez, presidente da Confederação, garantiu em entrevista que a atual edição – da Libertadores e Sul-Americana – terá “tolerância zero” com casos de racismo.

– Tolerância zero para nós. Essa é uma questão muito importante para nós, que falamos na FIFA, porque não é só os jogadores daqui da América que sofrem com a discriminação – disse Domínguez.

Em texto publicado nas redes sociais, o Verdão afirma que está “enraizada” na história da instituição a luta contra todo tipo de preconceito.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

CONFIRA O HISTÓRICO DE PUNIÇÕES

Segundo levantamento realizado pelo Lance!, baseado em informações do Observatório da Discrminação Racial no Futebol Brasileiro, foram realizadas 48 denúncias ou flagrantes de racismo em partidas de competições organizadas pela Conmebol entre 2014 e maio de 2022.

No entanto, apenas 11 casos renderam alguma forma de punição aos acusados. Em 32 ocorrências, os autores sequer foram identificados pelas autoridades responsáveis.

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ConmebolFutebol NacionalLibertadoresPalmeirasRacismo

With Arsenal flying high in the Premier League and looking imperious in the Champions League, the narrative from rival fans has been that the North Londoners are boring to watch.

Now, it’s undoubtedly true that set-pieces have been an essential source of goals for Mikel Arteta’s side so far, but the suggestions that the Gunners are unusually dull fall apart when properly scrutinised.

For example, according to FBref, they take the second most shots in the league, play the second most passes into the penalty area, play the most through balls, and take the most touches in the opposition’s penalty area, all per 90 minutes.

Moreover, while Arteta has his fair share of physical monsters in the side, he also has an abundance of brilliant technicians, including one player who’s showing shades of Santi Cazorla in his game.

Why Arsenal fans love Santi Cazorla

Being the massive club they are, Arsenal have had plenty of brilliant midfielders play for them over the years, many who went on to win far more at the club than Cazorla did.

So, why is the Spaniard still one of the most beloved to wear red and white?

Well, there was that free-kick that started the side’s fightback in the 2014 FA Cup final.

There is also the fact that he played for the side during a rather barren spell, and so fans were desperate to see some genuine quality in the team.

However, while both of these factors certainly contribute to the high esteem in which the fans hold him, they remain secondary to the primary reason: his style of play.

The former Malaga gem was the epitome of an Arsene Wenger-type player, someone who was brilliantly effective yet also a crowd pleaser and a genuine magician on the ball.

The 40-year-old was seemingly able to do it all with a ball at his feet.

Ping a ball from one side of the pitch to the other? He could do it. Carry the ball through the middle of the park, beating four players in the process? Easy. Play the perfect defence-splitting pass to set up his striker with a one-on-one? Piece of cake.

Cazorla might not get the respect he deserves from rivals, but Arsenal fans correctly hold him up as one of the most entertaining players to grace the Emirates.

So it’s undoubtedly exciting to see one of Arteta’s signings begin to show shades of the Spaniard in his game this season.

The Arsenal star with shades of Cazorla

When considering who in the current Arsenal squad could be compared to Cazorla, most might look to Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, or perhaps even Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while there are certainly arguments to be made for those three sharing some traits with the Spaniard, it’s Riccardo Calafiori who is showing shades of him in his game this season.

Now, the Italian obviously plays a totally different position to the former Gunners ace, but he still shares several similarities with him.

For example, and this is a negative one, the former Bologna star has had terrible luck with injuries since his move last summer.

In fact, he ended up dealing with six injuries last season, which resulted in him spending 175 days on the sideline and missing 30 games for both club and country.

Fortunately, the 23-year-old also shares a couple of extremely positive characteristics with the 40-year-old, including the freedom he is allowed on the football pitch and the incredible entertainment he brings.

While Arteta can often be quite regimented in his tactics and instructions with the rest of the team, it has become increasingly clear that he wants and allows the Italian to maraud all over and cause as much chaos for the opposition as possible.

This has become obvious from simply watching him play, but it’s even more evident when examining his heatmap from this season, which shows him popping up all over the place.

Crucially, though, the Rome-born “wild horse,” as dubbed by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, is making excellent use of this freedom, helping out attacks by stretching the opposition’s backline, popping up in the box and interchanging with his own attackers.

Amazingly, the £120k-per-week maverick has taken the second most shots in the league for the Gunners this season, and his underlying numbers only further show his attacking prowess.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in the league for shots, the top 4% for expected goals, the top 7% for goal-creating actions, the top 12% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and more, all per 90.

Shots Total

2.11

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.12

Top 1%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 4%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 4%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.24

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.35

Top 7%

SCA (Shot)

0.35

Top 7%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.59

Top 7%

GCA (Shot)

0.12

Top 7%

npxG + xAG

0.29

Top 9%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.12

Top 12%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.29

Top 12%

Assists

0.24

Top 15%

npxG/Shot

0.11

Top 15%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.35

Top 15%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

29.73

Top 18%

Ultimately, this combination of freedom to express himself and the ability to make the most of it is why journalist James Benge described Calafiori as “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” and why he’s the most Cazorla-esque player in Arteta’s squad.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 4, 2025

West Ham have emerged as contenders to sign Man United sensation Kobbie Mainoo as we slowly approach the January transfer window.

The 10-cap England international, who once burst on to the scene in impressive fashion at Old Trafford, has been starved of impactful minutes under Ruben Amorim.

With his contract still expiring in under two years, speculation understandably remains rife over his long-term future.

Mainoo was heavily linked with a summer window exit from United, with Chelsea previously named as one suitor to take the Stockport-born youngster off Amorim’s hands.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

The west Londoners were even quoted a £70 million asking price when they enquired back in January, according to The Athletic, but the price for a permanent deal dropped to as low as £45 million at the end of last summer.

Since United made the decision not to part company before deadline day on September 1, Mainoo is yet to start a single Premier League game, and it is believed he’s been clamoring for an exit.

According to Sky Sports news in August, Mainoo asked United to green-light a loan move away to gain valuable minutes elsewhere, but Amorim was adamant that he needs the academy graduate and urged him to fight for more game time.

Fast-forward to now, and the only start Mainoo has under his belt this season came during United’s dismal loss to Grimsby Town on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

The midfielder is far from satisfied, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that West Ham are proposing a way out for Mainoo.

West Ham's offer to Kobbie Mainoo with Man United star in 'advanced talks' to leave

Speaking on the Here We Go podcast this week, Romano said that West Ham are “offering guaranteed minutes” to Mainoo in a bid to tempt him down south, but they’re not alone.

Indeed, Serie A champions Napoli are also battling for his signature as Mainoo still aims to leave on a temporary deal.

On the Napoli front, there is a pretty immediate danger to West Ham’s chances of signing Mainoo, with Antonio Conte’s side believed to be in ‘advanced talks’, according to another media source.

West Ham are not completely out of the running yet, it would seem, and he’d certainly add a whole new dimension to Nuno Espírito Santo’s midfield.

It wasn’t too long ago when United legend Paul Scholes claimed that Mainoo was “10 times” the player he was at 19, and the youngster’s breakout 2023/2024 campaign briefly sparked suggestions that he could be England’s next big star.

Mainoo’s match-winning display against Man City in the 2024 FA Cup final was followed by a sublime Euros with England, where he registered an historic 96% passing accuracy at one stage and became the fifth-youngest player to ever feature in a major international final — behind Lamine Yamal, Pele, Giuseppe Bergomi and Renato Sanches.

Mainoo is a gem waiting to be plucked away from United’s bench, and his enthusiasm for minutes could seriously benefit West Ham as he yearns to showcase his true ability.

Well, given the circumstances, that was an exceptional result for Chelsea.

Sure, Enzo Maresca’s side would have gone out there looking for a win, but considering Arsenal are the Premier League leaders, a point is not bad and has kept them within touching distance.

Moreover, when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off in the first half, it felt like only a matter of when, not if, the Gunners would take the lead.

There were sensational displays across the pitch for the hosts, including one monster that saved the Ecuadorian international from becoming the talking point.

Chelsea's standout stars

One of Chelsea’s best players this evening, and all season for that matter, was Robert Sanchez.

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The Spanish shot-stopper has come in for some harsh criticism over recent years, but against the Gunners, he was superb.

On top of his passing generally being on point and his collection of crosses being efficient, he also made several top-quality stops, like the one from Gabriel Martinelli’s shot in the first half.

Another hugely important player for the Blues was captain fantastic, Reece James.

The Englishman once again started the game in the middle of the park and was, in the words of presenter Olivia Buzaglo, “gargantuan.”

In his 94 minutes of action, he provided an assist, played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, and completed 100% of his dribbles.

It was just the sort of performance the team needed from their captain after Caicedo was sent off in the first half.

However, there was another starter who was just as vital to the win, and truly saved the Ecuadorian’s blushes.

The Chelsea player who saved Caicedo

Once Caicedo was sent off, there was an expectation that Arsenal would eventually wrestle control back from Chelsea and stamp their authority over proceedings.

However, the Blues clearly had other ideas.

Just three minutes into the second 45, James delivered an incredible corner into the Gunners’ penalty area, and Trevoh Chalobah rose to meet it and head it home.

It was a well-worked set-piece and a brilliant header that seemed to shock the visitors and gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to cheer about and take their minds off the red card.

However, while that was the most memorable moment of his game, Chalobah did far more than just score, as he was superb at the back and showed some great on-the-ball skill, coming out from the back on multiple occasions.

He unsurprisingly made quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Standard’s Dom Smith awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.

The 26-year-old’s statistics more than justify such a rating as well.

Minutes

94′

Goals

1

Tackles (Won)

1 (1)

Clearances

6

Recoveries

4

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Dribbled Past

0

Touches

52

Shots

1

Fouls Won

1

In his 94 minutes of hard-fought action, the academy graduate won 100% of his tackles, made six clearances, recovered the ball four times, won five of seven duels, didn’t get dribbled past, took 52 touches and won one foul.

It was another performance from the Englishman that proves he’s more than just a stopgap until the club splashes the cash on a new defender.

Or, as Gary Cahill said in an interview that came out a few hours before the game, he is “the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.”

Ultimately, they might not have won, but Chelsea put in a sensational performance to claim a point against Arsenal, and alongside the likes of Sanchez and James, Chalobah saved Caicedo from becoming the talking point.

Chelsea have already signed their own Saka & he's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea are building a team of young superstars, and they have their latest talent waiting in the wings.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2025

Manchester United are fighting to climb up the Premier League table under Ruben Amorim, though they may now have an alternative ready to replace him at Old Trafford.

Man Utd given no excuses by Ruben Amorim

In a campaign where the Red Devils have shown both encouraging signs and vulnerability, it remains to be seen whether Amorim can guide his side to a steady run of results that can land them back in European competition next season.

Nevertheless, he pointed out before his side’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace that whether Manchester United are in continental action or not, winning is the only thing that matters to their supporters.

He said via The Mirror: “In our club it is the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time and we took a lot of criticism because we are not winning.

“So in our club there is no excuses. About Europe, I’ve already talked about Europe and I said the same thing last year when we were still in Europe, and I say the same thing this year, the advantage and disadvantage of being in Europe so there is no excuses. Last year or this year, it’s always to win games.”

Undoubtedly, signings will be necessary to get Manchester United back on that level, and Conor Gallagher could head to Old Trafford for just £26 million in 2026 as they search for a midfield anchor amid Casemiro’s contract getting closer to expiry.

Either way, INEOS appear to have already planned ahead should Manchester United require a change in the dugout, in news that may come as a surprise to many supporters.

Man Utd line up former Barcelona manager Xavi

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are seriously considering hiring Xavi to replace Amorim as his experience in managing difficult situations, tactical framework and commitment to develop young talent aligns with their vision at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur are also pursuing the 45-year-old and for both clubs, it is said that the ex-Barcelona boss will be spoken to if results fail to improve in either high-profile environment.

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Carrington has produced another gem.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 29, 2025

Favouring a 4-3-3 formation, Xavi won the La Liga title at Spotify Camp Nou in 2022/23 and was subsequently hailed as “the best manager in the world” by Barca president Joan Laporta. Meanwhile, he has also enjoyed success in Qatar, winning seven domestic trophies at Al-Sadd.

Intriguingly, he is ready for a return to coaching after over a year out of the hot seat, and the revered tactician is set to have his fair share of interest from clubs courting his services over the coming months. Taking notice, it remains to be seen if Manchester United decide he is the man to replace Amorim.

New Zealand 224 for 6 (Mitchell 78*, Bracewell 51, Carse 3-45) beat England 223 (Brook 135, Overton 46, Foulkes 4-41, Duffy 3-66) by four wickets There was a strong westerly wind blowing across the Bay Oval on Sunday afternoon. If you happened to cock your ear to the breeze during the first hour of play, you would have heard – clear as day – the sound of mocking laughter, floating across the Tasman Sea and down through the shires of Hobbiton.In a contest billed as the official start of the Ashes phoney war, England’s Australia-bound top-order produced a stunning false start. Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell – Ashes bankers, bolters and, as the Aussies might now contend, bottlers – all found themselves caught up in a catastrophic collapse of 10 for 4 in 5.1 overs that was precisely as serious as the discourse that it will generate.Related

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Jos Buttler soon joined the procession at 33 for 5, and it was a measure of the nonsensical scenario that – when Sam Curran nicked off at 56 for 6, to become the fourth wicket of Zak Foulkes’ remarkable maiden spell in ODI cricket – the time back home in the UK, thanks to the peculiarities of daylight-saving, was 1.59am: in other words, one minute prior to the contest’s original start-time.New Zealand duly wrapped up victory with time to spare as well, by four wickets and with 80 balls left unused, thanks to Michael Bracewell’s run-a-ball 51 and a 91-ball 78 from Daryl Mitchell that had to surmount its own dicey circumstances at 24 for 3, courtesy of Luke Wood and Brydon Carse’s new-ball breakthroughs – including a first-baller on his return to action for the great Kane Williamson, his first in 15 years of ODIs.Harry Brook carried England’s innings on his shoulders•Getty Images

And yet, the game would scarcely have outlasted one of last week’s rained-off T20Is had it not been for Harry Brook – England’s white-ball captain, Test vice-captain-elect, and a man in no mood to let circumstance dictate his game-plan. His response to his team’s extreme adversity was a startling lone-wolf innings of 135 from 101 balls that turned an impending humiliation into an almost serviceable total of 223 in 35.2 overs.It was Brook’s fourth century in the country, following his three hundreds across two previous Test tours, and – given the circumstances – it was more extraordinary even than his 186 at Wellington in 2023 which, for those who witnessed that onslaught, is saying something.Brook scored each of his first 36 runs in boundaries, en route to a total of nine fours and 11 sixes. The latter included three in a row off Jacob Duffy to reach his hundred from 82 balls, and four more thereafter, as he juiced 80 runs from England’s final two wickets in an innings in which just one other batter scored more than 6.That man was Jamie Overton, who contributed 46 from 54 balls in a seventh-wicket stand of 87 that wrested the momentum back from New Zealand, after Foulkes and Matt Henry had rumbled their way through 15 new-ball overs in a row. His performance had distinct echoes of a previous tussle with New Zealand – on Test debut in 2022, when he had arrived at a near-identical 55 for 6 and partnered Jonny Bairstow with a career-best 97.Once again, Overton fell short of a milestone in this innings, as he chipped a Duffy slower ball to cover, whereupon Carse joined the procession of Ashes-bound players by cutting his first ball straight to the returning Williamson at point. Brook, by then, had had one key let-off on 63, when Rachin Ravindra dropped a fast-travelling slog-sweep at square leg, but the power and clarity of his subsequent onslaught took the breath away.And to think Mitchell Santner hadn’t even been sure whether bowling first was the sensible option. Henry’s first ball of the match immediately laid any doubts to rest as he wrecked Smith’s first outing of the winter with a perfect stump-rattling inducker, one that deserved to rouse a few memories of Rory Burns’ catastrophic start to the 2021-22 Ashes proper.Brydon Carse removed Kane Williamson for his first golden duck in ODIs•Getty Images

Foulkes then ripped into the contest with the first-over wickets of Duckett, caught flinching outside off for 2, and Root, who stepped into a wild drive and was also bowled by lavish seam movement. Two Foulkes overs later, Bethell too had his off stump plucked out by a jaffa, and there seemed no earthly way for England’s innings to pull out of its death spiral.Brook, though, had other ideas. His 135 out of 223 comprised 60.53% of England’s innings, a new record that outdid Robin Smith’s legendary 167 not out against Australia in 1993 – which, coincidentally was another mighty knock that was unable to stave off ultimate defeat.England gave it a good crack, mind you. Carse, a star of last year’s Test-series win in New Zealand, matched Foulkes with two wickets in his opening over as Will Young was bowled by an inswinging yorker for 5 before Williamson snicked a first-ball snorter through to Buttler behind the stumps.Luke Wood then did for a free-flowing Ravindra, well caught by Overton at second slip as the bowler – remarkably – claimed his first List A wicket since 2019. And when Carse fired a wobble-seam delivery into Tom Latham’s shin for 24, New Zealand were 66 for 4 and in clear danger of frittering away their unbelievable start.Bracewell and Mitchell turned the tide in a fifth-wicket stand of 92, though they needed some luck along the way. Bracewell was dropped at slip on 2 by Root, in Overton’s opening over, while Mitchell had an even more glaring let-off on 33, when Wood at backward point dropped a sitter of a reverse-sweep off the legspin of Adil Rashid.With the requirement under control, however, New Zealand were able to play well within themselves – at least until Bracewell needlessly ran himself out with 66 still needed, whereupon Mitchell ramped New Zealand’s first six over fine leg to signal the final charge. Santner added two more in quick succession off Rashid before holing out to long-on for 27, but Mitchell launched the winning hit over backward square.The fireworks, and the talking points, however, had long since been and gone.

Shea Lacey has been “tearing it up” in Manchester United training, leaving Ruben Amorim impressed, following a behind-the-scenes change from the manager.

Amorim has been blending youth with experience in his starting XI so far this season, with the likes of Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro emerging as regular starters, alongside Casemiro, and the Brazilian midfielder has enjoyed a resurgence.

At the moment, the manager seems to have found the right balance, as United have won three games on the spin in the Premier League, and their summer signings have been particularly impressive, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring a brace against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

Given that Matheus Cunha is also now off the mark, it may be difficult for any other forwards to force their way into starting contention, but a youngster has started impressing in first-team training…

Lacey impressing Amorim in Man Utd training

As reported by GiveMeSport, Amorim has made a behind-the-scenes change by introducing more and more youth players to first-team training, with the manager eager to restore the link between the academy and the senior squad.

The 40-year-old wants youngsters to start pushing for places in the first team, and Lacey, an 18-year-old winger, has been impressing staff and teammates, with one source saying: “He’s been tearing it up – fearless, creative, and always looking to make something happen. He’s really caught the eye.”

Amorim has personally taken notice of the starlet, and there is a feeling he could be introduced to the match-day squad before the end of the campaign if he maintains his current standard.

Bringing through youth players is in United’s DNA, with the ‘Class of 92’ famously going on to play a major role in Man United’s dominance of English football during the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

As such, it is always good to see youngsters progress through the ranks, and the Liverpool-born winger is held in high regard by scout Jacek Kulig, who singled the Englishman out for praise after his debut for the Three Lions U17 side.

Not only has Lacey impressed in first-team training, but he is also off to a flying start in the Premier League 2 this season, picking up two goals and an assist in his opening four games.

With Mbeumo and Cunha impressing, the England U20 international may find it tricky to get into the starting XI in the Premier League, but it would be good to see him get a run out in the FA Cup later this season.

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Manchester City fans who had made the long journey to Swansea City on Wednesday night might well have been fearful that their up-and-down side could be on the receiving end of an EFL Cup upset.

Their fears were beginning to be realised when Gonzalo Franco fired the Championship hosts into the lead after 12 minutes, after the number 17 calmly beat stand-in City stopper James Trafford to send the home masses into raptures.

Thankfully, for City’s sake, that was as good as it got for Alan Sheehan’s home side, as Pep Guardiola’s visitors ended up running away with the clash to secure a comfortable 3-1 win.

City are still on for some silverware; therefore, in the EFL Cup, with Jeremy Doku hopeful that his efforts in Wales mean he is in with a shot of a Premier League start against AFC Bournemouth this approaching Sunday.

Doku's performance in numbers versus Swansea

After all, the Belgian likely stood a good chance at starting against the Cherries on the left flank, anyway, irrespective of what he mustered up on Wednesday night, with Savinho seriously struggling in City sky blue as of late.

Doku has only boosted his already strong chances, though, with his showing against the Swans, as this deflected effort – which came about from the ex-Rennes man’s initially tricky footwork – levelled the scores in the first half, before Omar Marmoush eventually handed the away side a late second-half lead.

The diminutive attacker is well known for his front foot approach in attacking areas, as can be seen looking at his high successful dribble rate per 90 minutes back in the Premier League, and it was on full display throughout in Wales, with seven dribbles attempted in total.

With four key passes under his belt, too, it’s clear that Doku will be able to ramp up the entertainment levels far more on the left flank than Savinho moving forward, meaning the fast-paced number 11 could soon be reinstated into Guardiola’s starting lineup.

Yet, he isn’t alone in banging down the door for more first-team chances, as this other sensational performer against Swansea looked a class above everyone else on the pitch and is now viewed as undroppable.

The undroppable City star who looked "streets ahead"

In the end, even with Guardiola hooking the likes of Erling Haaland and making wholesale changes, City just had too much star power for the hosts to contain.

Rayan Cherki, in particular, bamboozled the Swans all night long, with one City-based content creator stating that the ex-Lyon playmaker “absolutely ran the show”, which is a fair assessment when you dig deeper into his numbers from the 3-1 win.

Cherki’s performance in numbers

Stat

Cherki

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches

119

Shots

5

Accurate passes

74/92 (80%)

Key passes

6

Total duels won

5/11

Stats by Sofascore

Unfortunately, Cherki’s early days at the Etihad have been riddled with injury issues, with the dazzling Frenchman only fit enough for six games so far this season.

Hopefully, he will move past these recurring niggles to become a crucial first-teamer now in Manchester, with Cherki helping himself to a goal and an assist across the duration of his sensational 90 minutes against their in awe EFL opponents.

Cherki would stylishly dictate play by amassing a whopping six key passes from his mammoth 119 touches, while also showing off a fiery edge to his game when winning five ground duels.

With a further goal coming his way against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day, the time is right, surely, for Cherki to be given an extended run in the main side.

Haaland will also be licking his lips at the prospect of working alongside such an entertaining attacking marvel, who was labelled as being “streets ahead” of everyone else on Wednesday night by journalist Amos Murphy for his quick-witted play up top.

Doku and Cherki would love to cause similar havoc together when Premier League action returns, with more wins soon to be added to Guardiola and Co.’s league tally, if they can regularly run rings around top-flight defences together.

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