At age 33, Aaron Judge is elevating himself above the highest standard of hitting in the game today: himself. He is better than ever. He is redefining his legacy. So good has Judge been this month that we must begin talking about him not just as an all-time-great slugger but as an all-time-great pure hitter.

The New York Yankees right fielder is slashing .406/.500/.717. He has reached base 63 times in 28 games. Only Mookie Betts (72 in 2024), Cody Bellinger (67 in 2019), Albert Pujols (67 in 2008) and Barry Bonds (64 in 2004) reached base more times in March/April.

He is just the 20th player in his team’s first 28 games to reach base 63 times and drive in 27 runs, only the second in the past 23 years (Bryce Harper in 2017).

Judge is well known as the single season American League home run record holder and the fastest player to 300 home runs. But more and more, the best ways to define Judge as a hitter go beyond home runs. His chase rate, his strikeout rate and his two-strike batting average are all at career-best levels. 

Judge is not having a “hot” month. He is continuing an amazing evolution that has been going on for years that is catapulting him from slugger into the best pure hitter in baseball. This snapshot tells his story better than his March/April slash line:

Judge by Age

Age

G

Avg.

OBP

SLG

KRate

Contact Rate

20s

572

.276

.386

.554

28.7%

65.7%

30s

449

.311

.437

.677

25.3%

68.3%

Such growth charts may have been common in the Steroid Era, but they are much more unusual in the Testing Era. So why is this happening? Judge always has had the foundation of very good plate discipline. At 6' 7" and 282 pounds, he is a physical outlier with no real historical comps. Like taller, long-levered pitchers, he has needed time to hone his swing and approach, starting with famously overhauling his swing after hitting .179 in his first year in the big leagues.

Judge was once vulnerable to spin (.226 through 2020) but closed that hole (.261 since). When teams watched him rip fastballs into the short porch of Yankee Stadium, they began to pound him in with power sinkers. He responded by pulling the ball more.

What we’re witnessing now is the result of years of craftsmanship combined with the wisdom learned from knowing how pitchers attack him—while losing nothing from his extraordinary physical tools. Judge is the oldest of the only three players in MLB who have top-10 bat speed while also having one of the 10 longest swings. The others are Shohei Ohtani, 30, and Junior Caminero, 21.

This season Judge has closed the last obvious hole in his hitting game, small though it may be. It’s that tiny imaginary rectangle that is down and away, one-ninth of the strike zone. For someone of Judge’s height, that rectangle measures 5.66 inches by 6.98 inches. It is a bit smaller than one of those tablets in the dugout.

Until this year, if pitchers could slip a pitch into that small box, they would A) force Judge to make a swing decision and B) turn him into a .206 career hitter with almost no power. But now look how Judge has closed that hole: Pitchers are going to that spot more than ever and Judge is beating them there more than ever.

Judge vs. Down and Away Strikes

Year

Pct.

Avg.

SLG

2016–24

8.1%

.206

.329

2025

10.7%*

.381*

.524*

*Career high

Judge’s evolution into closing the last hole in his offensive game deserves a closer look. Below you see four down and away fastballs to Judge, one from each year between 2022 and 2025. The first three are all swings and misses. The one this year is a single. All are at the moment of ball release.

The main difference is where he hovers that front foot as he reads the ball out of the pitcher’s hand. I’ve added a line from his toes to the ground to highlight the gradual adjustment. His foot has moved from well inside the inner chalk of the batter’s box to over the line (closer to the plate). You can see how as he loads on his back hip the front hip stays more closed.

Now let’s look at the moment the barrel meets the ball (2025) or misses it (2022–23). Pay attention to his spine angle. You can see how it becomes less severe over the years. Why? Look at his front foot. The open position years ago causes him to reach with his hands for the ball away, a weakened position. By maintaining a neutral stride, he is more upright and more balanced, eliminating the need to reach with his hands.

Judge has long been among the two or three best hitters against elevated pitches. That has prompted pitchers to keep the ball down against him. Almost half the pitches Judge sees are no higher than 27 inches off the ground—the bottom six inches of his strike zone and below.

Until this year, Judge hit .181 on all pitches that low. This year he has improved to .250. You still want to pitch Judge down in order to reduce his power. He does not have an extra-base hit this year on such low pitches. He has not hit a home run off a low fastball since September 2023. But Judge is better equipped than ever to get his hits when pitchers stay low against him.

Judge vs. Low Pitches (2.25 inches and below)

Year

Pct.

Avg.

SLG

2016–24

49.8%

.181

.293

2025

48.0%

.250

.250

Judge saw a career high 47.9% pitches in the strike zone last year, when Juan Soto seemed to be on base all the time in front of him. Judge took 350 plate appearances with a runner on, a career high by 30. His rate of turns at bat with traffic has gone down this season, but incredibly, Judge is seeing even more pitches in the zone (50.2%). It makes you wonder when managers will start being more careful with Judge.

It’s only April. Judge is not going to hit .400 this year, so there is an inevitable correction over the grind of a season. His OPS+ is 246, a place where only the hitting gods live. Only three players ever posted an OPS+ of 225 or better over at least 502 plate appearances: Ted Williams (twice), Barry Bonds (four times; all the bigger, enhanced version of Bonds) and Babe Ruth (five times). The record for any right-handed hitter already belongs to Judge (222 last year) and Rogers Hornsby (222 in 1924).

Factor in his age and steroid testing, and Judge may be heading toward more history. Only Ruth, Willliams and Honus Wagner have exceeded 200 OPS+ at age 33 or older without a connection to steroids. Those are long-dead relics of the ancient past. This kind of head-and-shoulders above one’s peers is not supposed to happen in modern times with the depth of talent and wide access to training.

But here is Judge, continuing to get better, and making it possible, hitting .400 when the major league average is .240. He looks so polished and pure at the plate it’s time to regard him in a new light.

“There will be more miracles going forward,” Abhishek Sharma says of the India T20I team

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-2025

Abhishek Sharma was named the Player of the Tournament for his 314 runs in seven innings•AFP/Getty Images

India opener Abhishek Sharma is happy he took the stairs and not the elevator to the national team like some of his 2018 Under-19 World Cup team-mates – Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, for example – had, saying he wouldn’t have “learned some things” if that had been the case.”There have been ups and downs,” Abhishek said at the end of the Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament. “Some players get in easily. Some come in after some difficulty. But I feel this [domestic grind] was necessary. If I had made it quicker as a [national team] player, I wouldn’t have learned some things.”While Shaw was fast-tracked to the national team, making his Test debut in 2018 itself, Gill broke through in early 2019. For Abhishek, the turning point came only after the pandemic, in 2021, by which time he had refined his game. With Yuvraj Singh’s guidance, he transformed from a middle-order finisher and part-time left-arm spinner into an opener with an enhanced power-hitting game.Related

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Abhishek ended the Asia Cup as the top run-getter – 314 in seven innings, including a run of three straight half-centuries leading into the final. Pathum Nissanka was a distant second, with 261 runs.Abhishek’s robust powerplay approach, and his takedown of Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive games against Pakistan, earned him a lot of plaudits, which he attributed to the freedom given to him by the team management. This run of form more or less guarantees him a spot as India’s first-choice opener as they build towards their T20 World Cup title defence.”Since the time I have been in the [national] team, I have not felt is a pressure match. We prepared for every match in the same way,” he said. “Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] and GG [Gautam Gambhir] have given me confidence. When you want to play a high-risk game, failures do come. But the way they handled me, I am able to play like this because of that.”Abhishek stressed that the template of aggressive batting he had adopted was something the entire team had bought into, and would look to carry forward.”It is very important to get such support from the team,” he said. “We have been wanting to play this brand of cricket with intent from the start. Irrespective of the opposition, we will continue playing like this.”I’ve had more time to work on a few things. So I’ve worked a lot on those things. I feel this is the start for the team. There will be more miracles going forward.”

كشفت صحيفة موندو ديبورتيفو صباح اليوم الأحد، كواليس الطرد الذي تعرض له لاعب نادي أتلتيك بلباو أمس السبت أمام برشلونة بالدوري الإسباني.

برشلونة استطاع اكتساح نظيره أتلتيك بلباو بأربعة أهداف نظيفة على ملعب “كامب نو”، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من عمر البطولة المحلية.

لكن المباراة شهدت طرد لاعب أتلتيك بلباو، أوهيان سانسيت، في شوط المباراة الثاني عقب تدخل عنيف على فيرمين لوبيز، نجم برشلونة.

وكان حكم المباراة خوسيه ماريا سانشيز مارتينيز، قد أعطى البطاقة الصفراء في البداية إلى سانسيت، قبل العودة إلى تقنية الفار ومنح اللاعب البطاقة الحمراء بعد ذلك.

ونقلت صحيفة موندو الحديث الذي جمع بين سانشيز وحكم تقنية الفيديو، دانيال تروخيو سواريز.

أقرأ أيضًا .. فالفيردي معلقًا على الخسارة أمام برشلونة: الطرد أثر كثيرًا على مستوانا

وأخبر سواريز سانشيز في البداية: “خوسيه ماريا، أوصى بمراجعة لتحليل خطأ خطير محتمل، عندما تكون على الشاشة من فضلك أخبرني”.

ثم سمع سانسيت حديث الحكيم سويًا، ورد: “لا بد أنك تمزح، إنه مجرد تدخل عادي”.

وبعد ذلك طلب سانشيز من تقنية الفار أن يرى إعادة اللقطة، حيث أوضح: “حسنًا، أرى نقطة التلامس، حسنًا، أريد الآن أن أشاهدها بتسديدة أوسع وبكامل قوتها”.

واستكمل سانشيز: “القوة وهذا هو المفتاح، سرعة عادية، هكذا، حسنًا، ممتاز، سأشهر البطاقة الحمراء وألغي البطاقة الصفراء”.

وبعد مشاهدة اللعبة توجه سانشيز إلى سانسيت ليسحب البطاقة الصفراء ويشهر البطاقة الحمراء مباشرًة.

وأفادت الصحيفة، أن تقرير سانشيز كتب فيه عن طرد سانسيت ضد برشلونة: “لركله الخصم بقوة مفرطة أثناء اللعب، ولكن دون أي إمكانية للعب على الكرة”.

Dhruv Jurel, the wicketkeeper-batter, is now a regular in India’s Test squad. But before India A’s ongoing four-day series against Australia A, he had only one first-class century to his name, that too from December 2022, when he scored 249 against Nagaland. And – guess what? – the lack of really big scores doesn’t even bother him.”Honestly, earlier it did matter to me whether my score was 100 or 150. But now I understand that the team’s victory is more important,” Jurel said after scoring 140 in 197 balls in India A’s only innings in the drawn first game in Lucknow. “In first-class cricket, I have seven-eight (he has four) scores in the 90s, which could have been centuries.”One of them was in the Ranchi Test [against England in February 2024], where I became Player of the Match and the team won the match. Cricket is a team game, and we play cricket so that the team wins. Now I think more about the team’s win than about my scores.”Related

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In Ranchi, playing only his second Test, Jurel batted at No. 7 in India’s first innings and scored 90, before scoring 39 not out in the second as India won by five wickets.Jurel, 24, first got into the India A set-up in December 2023 on the tour of South Africa. There, in the second four-day game in Benoni, he scored 69 in India A’s only innings, and was in the Test squad for India’s next home series against England. Just one-and-a-half months later, he had a Test cap to his name in Rajkot. So far, he has played five Tests – usually when Rishabh Pant hasn’t been around – including in Australia and in England, and has 255 runs and 11 dismissals to show for it.”Staying with or around the [India] team definitely gives you confidence,” he said. “I consider myself very lucky and privileged that I got the chance to play Tests for India and to be with the team. Even if you are not playing, when seniors are around. you learn so many things from them. In a country of billions, how many people get this opportunity?”Curiously, Jurel’s overall numbers with the bat have improved since he started playing Test cricket (he has also played four T20Is). Before his Test debut, Jurel averaged 46 in first-class cricket, and had one century and five half-centuries from 19 innings. Since then, his average has gone up to 54-plus, and he has one century and seven half-centuries in 18 innings. These include valuable innings for India A, and the 93 he scored for Rest of India against Mumbai in last season’s Irani Cup.”Everyone dreams of playing for India. When I got the Test cap, I realised, ‘yes, this can happen’,” Jurel said. “I come from a small city, Agra. It feels really good that I could make my parents and the people there proud. Where I come from, there wasn’t even a proper wicket. I practiced on a cement wicket. So people there should feel that no matter where you come from, you can still make it, as long as you work hard with a true heart.”India will start their home Test season next month, and play two Tests each against West Indies and South Africa. Jurel will most likely be in the squad, whether or not he gets a chance to play, which will be dependent on Pant’s fitness.”I take it one match at a time, and don’t think too far ahead,” he said. “The more you think, the more pressure you put on yourself. Right now, I played a match today, and three days later, the next match [against Australia A] is there. So, I am only thinking about the next match, and only after that will I look further.”

Glasgow Rangers are currently enjoying the last international break of the year before their season runs through until March 2026, which means that Danny Rohl has two weeks to assess his start to life at Ibrox.

The German head coach came in to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, after the Scottish boss endured a dismal tenure in Glasgow, and was thrust straight into action with a Europa League clash against Brann within a couple of days.

Rohl has already managed six matches as the Gers head coach, winning three of them, and this international break is his first chance to settle down and take time to plan for the future.

The January transfer window is less than two months away and it will be interesting to see what moves the former Sheffield Wednesday boss wants to make with the squad.

It has already been reported that Genk central defender Mujaid Sadick is a target for the Scottish giants, with an enquiry having been made, which suggests that Rohl wants a new centre-back to bolster his backline.

Whilst incoming signings will be on the agenda, it will also be interesting to see who the head coach decides to part ways with when the January transfer window opens for business.

Rangers players whose futures may be in doubt

There are several players in the first-team squad whose futures at Ibrox are in doubt because of their lack of minutes on the pitch in the 2025/26 campaign.

Per Transfermarkt, Clinton Nsiala has not played a single minute of football under Martin, Stevie Smith, or Rohl, and that may put his future into doubt unless that changes in the next few weeks.

Football FanCast recently published an article suggesting that the 21-year-old centre-back should be given an opportunity to shine, after the Gers won seven of the 11 matches that he played in the Scottish Premiership last season.

So, whilst his future may be in doubt, Rohl should look to provide the French talent with an opportunity to impress before making a final decision on his situation.

Attacking midfielder Nedim Bajrami is another player who may be considering his future at Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window, due to his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.

The Albania international, who was signed from Sassuolo in the summer of 2024, has only played 170 minutes across ten appearances in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

Dundee

Unused substitute

Hibernian

Not in matchday squad

Kilmarnock

Not in matchday squad

Dundee United

Unused substitute

Falkirk

7

Livingston

8

Hearts

13

Celtic

14

St Mirren

Not in matchday squad

Dundee

Not in matchday squad

Motherwell

17

As you can see in the table above, the former Serie A playmaker has rarely been used in the Premiership this season, with zero minutes under his belt under Rohl in the division.

It was reported that there were offers on the table for Bajrami in the summer transfer window, which suggests that there may be enough interest in January to finally cash in on him.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Whilst rarely-seen players like Nsiala and Bajrami may be moved on in January, rightly or wrongly, Rohl and Thelwell should also look to cash in on a player who is currently considered a first-team star, Mohamed Diomande.

The central midfielder was compared to Zidane by Turkish legend and TV pundit Nihat after the 3-1 win against Fenerbahce in the Europa League in March of last season.

After an assist in the win for the Gers, Nihat said: “Mohamed Diomande was brilliant – like the best of Zinedine Zidane – thank God they substituted him.”

However, eight months on from that incredible comparison to the Real Madrid and France legend, Rangers should ruthlessly cash in on the midfielder in January.

Why Rangers should cash in on Mohamed Diomande

Turkish side Besiktas reportedly made an offer of £10m to sign the Ivorian midfielder from the Light Blues during the summer transfer window, but that was not enough to tempt them into selling. He was also linked with a possible move to Premier League side Everton.

This suggests that there are teams who are interested in signing the left-footed star from the Gers, which means that there could be an opportunity to cash in on him when the January transfer window opens for business.

If a team are willing to pay £10m or more for the central midfielder in January, it would represent a great deal for the Light Blues because they only paid £4.3m to sign him from FC Nordsjaelland in the summer of 2024.

The 24-year-old star did impress in the 2024/25 campaign, with six goals and nine assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt), including a goal against Celtic at Parkhead in March.

However, the central midfielder’s form has taken a nosedive in the current season, unfortunately, and it may be the right time to cash in on him at the start of next year.

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

As you can see in the table above, Diomande’s performances in and out of possession in the Premiership have declined significantly, as he has struggled in all phases of play in the league this term.

On top of his struggles domestically, the central midfielder has started one match in the league phase of the Europa League this season and was sent off for a challenge on Genk’s El Ouahdi.

Because of his inconsistency, from last season to the current one, and his dismal performances in the Premiership, it could be the right move for Thelwell and Rohl to part ways with the midfielder in January.

Selling Diomande in January could avoid a situation where his performances continue to decline and he is worth even less in the future, and it would provide the new manager with funds to bring in his own players.

Not Gassama: Future "superstar" is Rangers' biggest talent since Tillman

This future superstar is Glasgow Rangers’ biggest talent since Malik Tillman was at Ibrox.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Of course, the risk is that the Ivorian could recapture his best form elsewhere, but this could be the best course of action given what has happened so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

MatériaMais Notícias

O meia Zaracho avaliou bem a decisão da diretoria do Atlético-MG quanto as manutenções para 2024. O argentino é um dos maiks antigos em todo o elenco, e está indo para a sua quinta temporada junto ao Galo.

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O Atlético-MG apostou em poucos reforços para 2024, buscando fortalecer posições específicas. Até o momento, o único jogador anunciado foi Gustavo Scarpa. Zaracho elogiou a decisão da diretoria, e também a permanência de Felipão como técnico da equipe.

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

– É muito importante, porque a gente se conhece, conhece o Felipão, é fundamental começar de uma boa maneira. Temos que trabalhar – comentou o argentino.

continua após a publicidade

Um dos principais objetivo de Zaracho para a temporada é se manter constante e sem lesões. Em 2023, o meia sofreu com uma séria lesão no tornozelo ao início do ano, e três problemas no músculo posterior da coxa direita entre julho e dezembro. Nos últimos dois anos, o argentino ficou fora de 17 jogos.

– Estou feliz de voltar. Estava com vontade de retornar e de fazer uma grande pré-temporada, de cumprir objetivos novos que vamos colocar – afirmou Zaracho sobre o retorno aos campos.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Atlético-MG tem interesse em atacante do futebol francês, diz site

Zaracho atuou pelo Galo 44 vezes, sendo 34 como titular. O argentino já balançou as redes três vezes, e deu duas assistências.

Tudo sobre

Atlético-MGZaracho

Barcelona are growing increasingly anxious over Ansu Fati’s situation at Monaco, with the French side now reconsidering their €11 million purchase option. After exploding under Adi Hutter, Fati’s minutes and influence have collapsed since Sebastien Pocognoli’s arrival. With the winger goalless in six games, his long-term future has suddenly been thrown wide open.

Fati's form collapse sparks €11m fears

Fati’s loan spell at Monaco has swung dramatically from a story of revival to a worrying decline, prompting serious concern at Barcelona. The winger, who arrived in the summer hoping to reboot his career after limited minutes in Catalonia, initially needed time to integrate. Monaco worked carefully on his physical conditioning to ensure he would not aggravate previous injuries that have repeatedly derailed his development.

Under recently sacked coach Hutter, that patience paid off spectacularly, Fati delivered one of the most explosive starts of his senior career, enjoying a record-breaking debut and going on to score six goals in five matches. His confidence soared, his movements sharpened, and Monaco appeared ready to commit long-term by activating their €11m buy option at the end of the season.

But according to the situation shifted abruptly when Monaco dismissed Hutter despite his positive work and appointed Belgian coach Pocognoli. The new manager’s tactical approach has not suited Fati, who has struggled to replicate his earlier rhythm. Since Pocognoli took charge, Fati has not scored in six matches and has seen his prominence shrink sharply. He has played just 55 minutes across Monaco’s last three fixtures, a level of involvement that has alarmed Barcelona as they monitor his progress.

The Catalan club now fears that the sudden dip in form and reduced playing time could cause Monaco to retreat from the purchase option that once looked almost certain to be exercised.

AdvertisementAFPSystem change under Pocognoli derails momentum

The crux of Fati’s decline has centred on the change in system and the style imposed by Pocognoli. While Hutter’s dynamic, transition-driven football allowed the teenager to thrive in open spaces and arrive in scoring zones, Pocognoli has demanded more structural discipline and off-ball organisation from his wide players.

The shift has been immediate and severe, and Fati has not scored once under the new coach, despite participating in six matches. The club’s internal recalibration has left him on the periphery, eroding the momentum he had built during his most promising run since his breakout at Barca. 

Monaco’s coaching transition has had a cascading effect on squad hierarchy. With the Belgian manager favouring different profiles in attack and placing greater emphasis on direct ball-carrying wingers, Fati has found himself misaligned with the new tactical demand. His confidence, which tends to be closely tied to continuity and game rhythm, appears to have taken a hit.

Wait-and-watch only option

Barca had hoped this loan would become a turning point after a difficult year in which Fati struggled to earn minutes, but the club still believes the forward can regain the form that once made him one of the most promising talents in Europe, but the sudden stagnation in Monaco complicates planning for the future.

Fati’s situation has placed him and the Catalan club in a holding pattern, and both parties must now observe what happens between now and the Christmas break. If the winger manages to recover his place and return to scoring form, the path toward a permanent transfer could reopen. If not, a January change of direction would be required.

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AFPHow's future of Fati looking from here

The next few weeks will be decisive for Fati’s futur with Monaco’s upcoming league fixtures will test whether Pocognoli intends to reintegrate him into the starting XI or continue utilising him sparingly. While, Barca will watch closely, aware that the January transfer window provides an escape route if the situation remains stagnant.

Should the winger fail to regain prominence, Barcelona are expected to push for a new loan or even explore a fresh permanent destination, prioritising clubs capable of guaranteeing consistent minutes. The Catalans still would see the 23-year-old as an asset who must maintain regular competitive action to preserve both his value and long-term trajectory. For now, Fati’s future lies in a delicate balance, a once-promising revival halted abruptly by a managerial shif.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is poised to be without a big-name forward for the North London Derby against Tottenham on November 23, and he’ll be the last out of their long line of attackers to return from injury.

The Gunners’ majestic run of eight consecutive wins in all competitions without conceding a single goal came to an abrupt end at the Stadium of Light last weekend, with newly-promoted Sunderland dampening Arsenal’s air of invincibility and continuing their unbelievable start to 2025/2026.

Dan Ballard gave the hosts a surprise lead around 10 minutes before half-time, finally putting an end to David Raya’s run of clean sheets which stretched all the way back to September.

Bukayo Saka’s neat finish and Leandro Trossard’s piledriver did spark a fightback from Arsenal with Arteta’s side battling their way into the ascendency, much like they did at Sunderland’s North East rivals Newcastle nearly two months prior.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

However, an acrobatic, last-gasp equaliser from Brian Brobbery ensured that the Black Cats would maintain their unbeaten run at home and break Arsenal hearts in the process.

Man City, who put Liverpool to the sword at Eastlands the next day, will be given some real encouragement as Pep Guardiola’s side now close the gap to four points.

The north Londoners had a few other golden chances in the match with Martin Zubimendi striking the crossbar for good measure, but they arguably ran out of steam creatively and couldn’t kill the game off at 2-1.

This is largely owing to Arsenal’s plethora of injury absentees in the final third.

Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres were all forced to miss the clash, with some being unavailable for weeks as Arteta’s squad depth is seriously tested akin to last season.

Havertz has impressed Arsenal rehab specialists with his recovery from a knee problem, while Madueke is in line for an earlier than expected return to the fold after working hard behind-the-scenes.

In a boost for Arteta, journalist Simon Collings of Standard Sport has revealed that the aforementioned duo, Martinelli, Odegaard and Gyokeres are all racing to be fit for Arsenal’s looming clash with Tottenham right after the international break.

However, the same cannot be said for Jesus.

Gabriel Jesus poised to miss North London derby and last to return from Arsenal injury

Collings reports that, while the others could be available for Tottenham, Jesus “will be the last to return” from his Arsenal injury despite resuming full training last week.

The £265,000-per-week star ruptured his ACL in an FA Cup defeat to Man United in January and hasn’t played since then, with Jesus since stating that it is the worst injury of his career.

The Brazil international has also been heavily linked with a January exit in the last two months, but Arteta moved to quash these rumours by expressing his delight over Jesus’ imminent comeback.

The 28-year-old has missed a total of 54 games for Arsenal since that injury against United, so he’ll now be relishing the prospect of contributing towards their potential first Premier League title in 22 years.

Arsenal have been to Old Trafford, to Anfield and to St James’ Park this season. Mikel Arteta’s men have faced Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at home but it was a newly promoted side who gave them their toughest test yet.

The Gunners headed to Sunderland and the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Spurred on by former Arsenal captain, Granit Xhaka, the Londoners conceded for the first time in over eight matches.

The end result? A 2-2 draw and just the third time all campaign that Arteta’s side had dropped points.

Arsenal were not at the races, far from it, although their second-half dominance should have been enough to see them across the line. During those 45 minutes, two players really stood up for the visitors.

Arsenal's best performers vs Sunderland

This was not the finest of evenings for a host of Arsenal’s usually ever-reliable performers. It’s rare they don’t defend well but under pressure from a buoyant Sunderland crowd, they wilted a bit in the north east on Saturday.

Gabriel and David Raya, two stalwarts of the current squad, were at fault for Brian Brobbey’s late goal.

Dan Ballard had scored a rasping opener in the first half but far more could have been done about the late equaliser. Gabriel wasn’t strong enough in his attempts to beat Brobbey to the ball and Raya didn’t seem to know the Black Cats striker was even in the frame. Both came for the ball but were beaten by the Sunderland centre-forward. Cue bedlam inside the Stadium of Light.

Before that, however, Arsenal had responded remarkably well to Arteta’s half-time team talk. Their domination in the second period proved that they are no mugs from open play. There were no set-play goals on this occasion, just two brilliantly worked strikes.

Bukayo Saka has struggled with injury and form this term but he’s still their main man and proved as such this weekend.

Saka’s second-half display was inspiring and a true captain’s performance. It was the winger who got Arsenal back into things, darting onto Mikel Merino’s ball before firing past Robin Roefs with his weaker foot. It was a phenomenal finish.

Speaking of world-class finishes. Step forward Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian ended last season with his Emirates Stadium future in doubt. The club knew they needed to reinforce the attack and it was likely the winger would be moved on as a result.

However, there is a reason that he’s featured more than other player under Arteta since he arrived from Brighton in January 2023.

Handed a pay rise over the summer to stay, he has undeniably been Arsenal’s best attacker this season and has taken advantage of a plethora of injuries across the front line, notably to the likes of fellow wingers Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke.

Across the 30-year-old’s last seven games in all competitions, he has scored three goals and registered two assists. Not bad indeed.

His goal at Sunderland was perhaps his best in Arsenal colours yet. The winger received the ball from Martin Zubimendi about 25 yards from goal. He advanced a little bit towards the edge of the penalty area before shifting the ball away from Mackems midfielder Noah Sadiki and unleashing a fizzing effort that crashed home. It was vintage Trossard. It was the Belgian at his very very best.

While Arsenal’s attack came alive, question marks do have to be raised about the defensive efforts. Perhaps it’s time for a little change in the starting lineup.

Where Arsenal can improve after Sunderland

While Arteta won’t want to rip up the blueprints overnight, there are a few changes the Spaniard must make for the north London derby in a couple of weeks.

By then, Viktor Gyokeres could be back to full health, while Gabriel Jesus was spotted in first-team training for the first time after his horrific ACL injury back in January. While the Brazilian won’t be starting games just yet, Gyokeres is expected to swiftly replace Merino despite his brace in the Champions League in midweek.

David Raya

5/10

Jurrien Timber

6/10

William Saliba

6/10

Gabriel Magalhaes

5/10

Riccardo Calafiori

5/10

Martin Zubimendi

6/10

Declan Rice

7/10

Eberechi Eze

5/10

Bukayo Saka

7/10

Leandro Trossard

8/10

Mikel Merino

6/10

Merino did register the assist for Saka’s goal on Saturday but he’s not quite as good at leading the press, something that plays an imperative role in how Arsenal defend.

There could be a change just behind the striker too. After all, Eberechi Eze certainly struggled this weekend, with GOAL noted that he was withdrawn late on after “a subdued display”.

But, it’s at left-back once again where a position could be up for grabs. Earlier in the campaign, Riccardo Calafiori was described by some as Arsenal’s “player of the season” so far. It was hard to disagree with that too.

The Italian had started the campaign in brilliant form, scoring a vital goal against Manchester United on the opening weekend and registering two assists in the 5-0 win over Leeds.

Most importantly, Calafiori has spent the early months of the season injury-free. It’s his best run of game time since he moved to the club in the summer of 2024.

Yet, every player has their dips and the Italy international is arguably having his now. While he didn’t make any colossal errors on Saturday, it was a frustrating performance from the 23-year-old.

Football.London reporter Tom Canton wrote at full-time that he was ‘somewhat erratic in the first half, but not in the usual way.’

Indeed, since joining the club, he has resembled something of a “wild horse” in the words of journalist Sam Dean. He’s everywhere, whether it was rampaging forward, inverting into midfield or appearing as an extra striker inside the box during attacking phases of play.

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Sadly, his impact against Sunderland was not as great. He failed to have a shot or make a key pass, while that aforementioned erratic nature was summed up by the fact that he made a whopping five fouls.

Calafiori alarmingly also only won two of his six duels to compound what was a frustrating night at the office.

Minutes played

90

Touches

50

Possession lost

7x

Accurate passes

23/27 (85%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

1/2

Successful dribbles

2/2

Ground duels won

2/6

Aerial duels won

4/7

Tackles

0

Fouls made

5

Interceptions

1

Clearances

4

So, ahead of the north London derby in a couple of weeks, Arteta has a decision to make. While new signing Piero Hincapie got the nod on the left of the defence in Prague in midweek, perhaps this is the time for Myles Lewis-Skelly to start for the first time in the Premier League this season.

The talented teenager has only played 86 minutes in the top flight this season and was subsequently excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the latest round of international fixtures.

That wasn’t because Lewis-Skelly is a bad player, far from it. The full-back issued a reminder of his qualities against Atletico in the Champions League a few weeks ago.

Remember the rampaging run through the middle of the pitch to supply Martinelli’s goal?

While it was Calafiori’s defensive display that let him down on Saturday, Lewis-Skelly could give Arteta’s side a lot more in possession. His temperament and ball-carrying skills could be key against Spurs.

With less than two months to go before the January transfer window opens for business, there is already speculation about what Leeds United are going to do to their squad.

The Whites have picked up 11 points in 11 Premier League matches and sit one point above the relegation zone as a newly-promoted team, which is a respectable, but not ideal, position to be in.

Daniel Farke may want to bolster his squad with more quality in the offensive areas, because the team has only scored 11 goals in their 11 top-flight matches so far this season.

The lack of goals for the Championship champions has not been because of a lack of creativity, though, as they have missed too many high-quality opportunities in the final third.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been particularly wasteful with the chances that have been created for him in the Premier League.

Former Leeds striker Patrick Bamford signed for Sheffield United earlier this week, and the Whites need to be looking for their next version of the English forward.

Why Leeds need to find their next Patrick Bamford

The experienced marksman left Elland Road on a free transfer in the summer after he failed to score a single goal in 18 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

It is not last season’s Bamford that Leeds need to find a new version of, though. Instead, the 49ers need to find Farke’s own version of Bamford from the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.

After Leeds were last promoted to the Premier League, in the summer of 2020, the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough attacker played a pivotal role in the club’s survival and eventual top-half finish in their first season back in the big time.

The left-footed centre-forward scored 17 goals, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa in the highlights above, and provided seven assists in 38 appearances in the division in that term.

Since that impressive season from the former England international, no Leeds player has scored more than 13 goals in a single Premier League campaign.

25/26

Noah Okafor

Joe Rodon

Lukas Nmecha

2

22/23

Rodrigo

13

21/22

Raphinha

11

20/21

Patrick Bamford

17

As you can see in the table above, the club’s top three scorers in the current term have all managed just two goals, which speaks to the lack of outstanding goalscorers within the squad.

This illustrates how badly the Whites need to find their next version of 2020/21 Bamford, due to their lack of goalscorers, and they are reportedly interested in a star who could be exactly that.

Leeds chasing move for Eredivisie star

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the Premier League new boys are eyeing up a swoop for AZ Alkmaar centre-forward Troy Parrott in the upcoming January transfer window.

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The report claims that the Whites are now looking at signing the Ireland international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch, as they chase a winter deal for the marksman.

It adds that Leeds had scouts in attendance to watch his performance for the Republic of Ireland against Portugal earlier this week, when he netted twice against Roberto Martinez’s side.

The same outlet has posted an update on Farke’s future at Elland Road, explaining that the 49ers are not ready to pull the plug on him yet, but that they could be forced to make a decision if results do not improve.

With this in mind, Leeds could save themselves from having to remove the German head coach from his role by signing Parrott to save his job in January.

Why Leeds should sign Troy Parrott

The Whites should swoop for the Irish centre-forward because his performances in the Netherlands this season suggest that he has the quality to be Bamford 2.0, which would help to push the club up the table.

Per FotMob, Leeds are 10th in the Premier League for xPTS (15) and have underperformed their xG of 13.2 by 2.2, as they have only scored 11 goals. This suggests that Farke and his coaching staff have not been rewarded for the performances that they have coached, due to poor finishing.

These statistics indicate that it is not the German boss who should be under fire for where the team are in the division, and that signing a clinical striker could change the perception of the job that he is doing in the dugout.

Parrott, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed an incredibly prolific first season with AZ Alkmaar in the 2024/25 campaign, netting 20 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions.

The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, once dubbed “phenomenal” by former boss Ryan Lowe, has proven that his form last term was not a flash in the pan, as he has carried his exceptional goalscoring exploits into the current season.

Appearances

7

7

xG

5.56

N/A

Goals

6

7

Minutes per goal

87

59

Conversion rate

25%

N/A

Big chances created

2

3

Assists

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Parrott has scored 13 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar, on top of the two goals that he scored for Ireland against Portugal.

This means that the striker has already scored an eye-catching 15 goals for club and country in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst no Leeds player has scored more than twice in all competitions.

Parrott, per Sofascore, has scored 37 goals from 30.67 xG in the Eredivisie since the start of the 2023/24 season, which suggests that he is the clinical striker that Leeds are crying out for at the moment.

Therefore, the Ireland international could be the next Bamford to fire the Whites to safety with his prolific goalscoring, whilst saving Farke’s job in the process by making the most of his coaching to improve the results picked up by the team.

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