Tag Futebol

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.

Man Utd have unseen teenager who "looks better than half their first team"

Carrington has produced another gem.

By
Tom 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.

Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar part of ODI squad but has been demoted to reserves in the T20I side

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025

Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and allrounders Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat have been left out of Afghanistan’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh in the UAE.Bashir Ahmad, the tall left-arm seamer, has made both the white-ball squads as a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi. Bashir, 20, is uncapped in international cricket and has 14 T20s so far, taking 12 wickets at an economy rate of 9.06. Top-order batter Wafiullah Tarakhil is the other new face – the 18-year-old has been picked only for the T20Is.In the recent Shpageeza Cricket League, Tarakhil emerged as the third-highest scorer, with 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and strike rate of 155.20.Seamer Abdullah Ahmadzai, meanwhile returned to the main T20I side. Both Ahmadzai and Tarakhil were among the reserves for the Asia Cup, where Afghanistan failed to make it out of the league phase.Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar is part of the main ODI side, but has been named as a reserve player for the T20Is along with batter Rahmat Shah.”After a long six-month break from international cricket following the ICC Champions Trophy, we are now entering a packed season with many T20I games scheduled,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said in a statement. “This provides the team with an incredible opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next year.”The performances in the Asia Cup 2025 were not as expected, but ups and downs are part of the game. As always, we remain hopeful that AfghanAtalan will bounce back strongly and make our nation proud in the upcoming events.”Despite the absence of Ghazanfar for the T20Is, Afghanistan have plenty of spin depth in the form of captain Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.Nangeyalia Kharote has been included in Afghanistan’s ODI squad•ICC/Getty Images

Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue to lead the ODI team, which is also similarly spin-heavy. Rashid, Nabi, Ghazanfar and Nangeyalia Kharote could prove effective in Abu Dhabi as well. Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai were named as reserves for the ODIs.Sharjah will host the three T20Is on October 2, 3 and 5 before the teams shift to Abu Dhabi for the three-match T20I series, which will run from October 8 to October 14. This white-ball series will complete the second part of what was originally supposed to be an all-format engagement in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was initially revised to include only white-ball matches, but that series, due to be played in Greater Noida, was postponed with weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule in mind. The teams played the three-match ODI leg of the tour in November 2024, with Afghanistan winning 2-1.Afghanistan had lost their most recent international fixture against Bangladesh – a T20I in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi – by eight runs.Afghanistan T20I squadRashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohamamad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.Reserves: AM Ghazanfar and Rahmat ShahAfghanistan ODI squadHashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem SafiReserves: Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai

Arsenal look set to go the distance as they fight it out for a Premier League title, though they may now need to fend off interest from Barcelona in captain Martin Ødegaard.

The Gunners made some bold moves in the summer to drastically improve their squad depth, though Mikel Arteta has still had his fair share of injury frustration to contend with.

Nevertheless, good news is in the post for the Arsenal boss after he confirmed Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Ødegaard could be set to return before the North London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur on the other side of the international break.

Norway international Ødegaard’s injury problems have been frequent over the last few years, forcing the Spaniard into a tactical rethink, with Eberechi Eze featuring as a right-sided midfielder at times despite being a central player by trade.

Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice offer plenty of control in the engine room, which will prompt many to kickstart conversations over the direction Arteta’s side are heading.

Should the Gunners maintain their Premier League form, they will be on course to claim a first title since 2004. Momentum is likely to carry them through that pursuit, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see as few changes made as possible domestically to ensure there is continuity in roles across the pitch.

That could be bad news for Ødegaard, who may take time to get up to speed after his injury, and he could now have a totally different proposition to factor in as he navigates a potentially momentous campaign.

Arsenal set monster demand amid Barcelona interest in Ødegaard

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona are looking to convince Martin Ødegaard to leave Arsenal, though

Andrea Berta is set to demand a ‘significant’ sum that could squeeze La Blaugrana’s transfer and wage budget.

Labelled “phenomenal” by Arteta, the 26-year-old is viewed as someone who could revolutionise the La Liga giants’ midfield, which isn’t surprising due to his contribution of 41 goals and 40 assists in 205 appearances for the North Londoners.

Barcelona will need to weigh up where else they can spend and, as a result, are most likely to try and sign the former Real Madrid prodigy in the summer of 2026, given they have no intention of dipping into the January window for reinforcements.

Convincing Ødegaard to move back to La Liga will be difficult, though the player is aware that his career could be in need of a next step later down the line, making for an intriguing potential saga.

Arsenal's next Martin Odegaard could already be at the club

Either way, Berta has the bit between his teeth on this one and if the Gunners’ captain is eventually allowed to leave the club, he will go for an absolute premium.

Tanvir’s five-for helped Bangladesh break an eight-game losing streak in the format

Mohammad Isam06-Jul-2025Encouraging words from the captain and reverting to his original bowling action helped Tanvir Islam take the five-for against Sri Lanka in the second ODI in Colombo. Tanvir’s 5 for 39, in only his second ODI, proved decisive as Bangladesh roared back into the series with the 16-run win.It also helped break Bangladesh’s eight-match losing streak in the format, dating back to eight months. They had faulted on many junctures of this match, even repeating a bit of their batting collapse from the first game, but one or two players got them out of the jam. Tanvir made the biggest contribution with his five wickets, although he started off poorly in the powerplay. Kusal Mendis had struck him for two fours and a six in a 17-run over that nearly derailed Bangladesh.Related

Parvez 'guilty' of missing a hundred, but eyes 'big innings' in decider against SL

Rain in the way as Bangladesh look for first ODI series win in Sri Lanka

Tanvir five-for spins Bangladesh to series-levelling win

Liyanage rues not taking Sri Lanka over the finish line

“When I conceded 22 runs in the first two overs, the captain stood next to me and said something,” Tanvir said. “He said that a bowler is bound to get hit. He told me I don’t have to bowl defensively. I have to do wicket-taking bowling. Thankfully, I listened to my captain. He kept telling us that we can defend the (248-run) total.”Taking inspiration from his captain’s words, Tanvir bowled more into the stumps in his third over. He removed Nishan Madushka in his next over, caught at point trying to slam him over the covers, before the left-arm spinner removed Kusal in the following over. Bangladesh need the DRS to get the lbw decision in their favour, a telling moment in the game given how Sri Lanka slowed down for the following 30-odd overs.Tanvir said that he tried a new bowling action against the UAE during the T20I series in May, but it wasn’t a successful move. He was dropped after two outings, both times he was quite expensive. He didn’t play against Pakistan, and was almost a non-starter in this ODI series before legspinner Rishad Hossain fell sick on the eve of the first ODI on July 2. Tanvir said that he returned to his original action after speaking to teammate Towhid Hridoy.”I was working on my bowling action during the T20I series against Pakistan. I got a lot of negative feedback for it. I was bowling with the same action since 2013. I was speaking to Towhid Hridoy who told me to return to my old action. He said that the old action made me who I am. That’s why I returned to my old action,” he said.Tanvir also said that he had to wait a long time for a Bangladesh selection. He made his debut at the age of 28, which is well advanced, to say it nicely, in Bangladesh’s context. “I don’t consider age to be a factor. I always considered performance as the key. I never played age-level cricket. I kicked things off from the Dhaka league. I always believed I could take my career forward through this route. I kept trying and finally Allah has smiled at me. I have a five-wicket haul at the international level,” he said.Tanvir also earned his captain’s praise as Mehidy Hasan Miraz said that Tanvir was one of four players who turned things around for Bangladesh.”Every time the momentum shifted, it was a turning point for us,” Mehidy said. “Tanvir made regular breakthroughs. He bowled really well. Shamim gave us the advantage with those crucial nine overs. I thought the way he batted and bowled in his return to the team, was just unbelievable. Emon also contributed with quick runs at the top.”I also want to give credit to Tanzim’s batting towards the end. The way he attacked Hasaranga, those were important runs that made the difference for us. 220 and 250 are two different scenarios.”He however remained guarded about Bangladesh’s overall performance in the game. Mehidy said that they couldn’t bat the 50 overs in both ODIs so far, which also had two run-outs that hurt Bangladesh at crucial stages. Bangladesh also dropped four catches in this game, which could have been costly.”We can now focus on which areas to improve, before the third match,” Mehidy said. “We haven’t been able to bat fifty overs in the first two ODIs. There were couple of run-outs, which definitely shifted the momentum from us. We also lost a cluster of wickets in the last few ten overs. I hope everyone is looking for improvement.”

Manchester City are now circling to sign a £70m Premier League forward, who has made a fantastic start to the new season.

Haaland setting the pace in the goal-scoring charts

Erling Haaland will have his sights set on winning the Premier League Golden Boot for the third time, after finishing top of the goal-scoring charts in each of his first two seasons, and the Man City star is setting the pace in the early stages of the campaign.

Remarkably, the Norway international is averaging 1.42 goals per 90, having found the back of the net eight times in his opening six games, which places the centre-forward way out in front as the leading goalscorer.

Pep Guardiola has a number of top-quality attacking options to choose from, with Phil Foden proving he may be getting back to his best by picking up two goals and two assists in all competitions this season, while Jeremy Doku also has four goal contributions to his name.

However, according to a report from The Boot Room, Pep could now look to enhance his forward options even further, with Man City circling to sign AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, after the winger’s fantastic start to the campaign.

Previously, Semenyo has been valued at £70m by the Cherries, and the forward’s stock is only likely to have risen after amassing six goal contributions in his opening six Premier League games this season.

In light of his performances, the Ghana international has now attracted the attention of a number of English clubs, namely Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, with Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid also keen.

The 25-year-old has admitted that his dream is to play for a Champions League club, which means a move to the Etihad Stadium should appeal, although Bournemouth are reluctant to sanction a winter departure.

Man City prepare bid to beat PSG to "dominant" £43m+ midfielder in January

The Citizens are looking to make a statement in the market.

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 29, 2025 "Unbelievable" Semenyo could excel at the Etihad

Lauded as “unbelievable” by reporter Lewis Cox, the Bournemouth star has established himself as one of the best forwards in the Premier League over the past three seasons, having shown consistent signs of improvement.

Season

PL appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

33

11

2024-25

37

17

2025-26

6

6

Perhaps the former Bristol City man’s most impressive individual performance this term came against Liverpool, scoring a brace to claw his side back into the game, although they did eventually go on to lose the game 4-2.

The Ghanaian is clearly a talented player, given his exploits across the past three seasons, but there are doubts whether he would be a necessary signing for Man City, with Savinho in line for a new contract.

Pep already has plenty of options in wide areas, with Doku and Omar Marmoush also on the books, so it may not be wise to shell out around £70m on Semenyo.

Australia batter available to play in two County Championship games from mid-May

ESPNcricinfo staff08-May-2025Marnus Labuschagne will be available for Glamorgan’s two County Championship fixtures in the second half of the May, as part of the Australia batter’s preparations for the World Test Championship final in June.Labuschagne was expected to return to Glamorgan for a fifth consecutive season and has now been confirmed for the home games against Northamptonshire and Middlesex, when he will replace Colin Ingram as one of the two overseas players in the XI (Asitha Fernando being the other).”It’s great to have Marnus returning to the club again,” Mark Wallace, Glamorgan’s director of cricket, said. “He’s very much part of the furniture here and we’re looking forward to welcoming back to Wales for a couple of games.Related

Five openers in 12 Tests? Australia's revolving door could continue

Labuschagne to reset after leanest run-scoring summer

Green's return brings into focus Australia's big selection calls

Kellaway turns game Glamorgan's way but Derbyshire cling on nine down

“Although it’s only for a short period, it will allow Colin to have a break and recharge before the Blast.”Labuschagne has emerged as a candidate to open for Australia in the WTC final, with Travis Head set to move back down the order after opening in Sri Lanka and uncertainty around whether the selectors will go back to Sam Konstas, who debuted to startling effect during the Border Gavaskar Trophy but has little experience of English conditions.Labuschagne has opened previously for Queensland and did the job in one game for Glamorgan last season, scoring 23 and 111 against Middlesex at Cardiff.

Every batter who takes the field in the IPL is now having to go through a bat-gauge test. Here is why

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Apr-20255:00

Rayudu: Bat checks done on the field can affect batters’ focus

Why has the IPL started measuring bats all of a sudden during IPL 2025? That has become a significant question ever since April 13, when match officials began using a gauge to measure bats.While the IPL has not put out an official statement on the reasons, ESPNcricinfo has learned the move has been made with an eye on maintaining the balance between bat and ball and ensuring that batters do not derive an undue advantage from using bigger bats.Related

Essex hit out at 'stupid' ECB after club is docked points for illegal bat

Narine and Nortje's bats fail the gauge test in PBKS vs KKR game

It is understood that the move was initially discussed by key decision-makers of the IPL before it was ratified by the tournament governing council and formally introduced on April 13. While the IPL has checked bat dimensions in previous seasons, the process involved the fourth umpire measuring the bat dimensions on the day before the match, with players chosen at random. It did not matter, then, if the player would be part of the team on match day. And not all bats of the player were checked, which meant that a batter could have one bat tested and walk in with another on match day.Why now?To plug that loophole, the IPL decided during discussions at the start of the 2025 season that it would be better check bats during the match rather than during training. It is understood that some match officials had privately expressed concern over the size of some bats players had been using. So instead of being subjective and selective in their assessment, it was decided a better approach would be to uniformly check the legality of the bats of all players during a live match.Girish TS/ESPNcricinfo LtdIt is understood that the IPL decided to adopt a rule that was originally used by the ECB. In 2018, the ECB introduced, as part of its domestic playing conditions, checks on bat sizes to make sure they conformed to Law 5 of the MCC’s Laws of Cricket, which restricts the thickness of bat edges to 4cm (1.56 inches), the overall depth of bats to 6.7cm (2.64 inches), and their width to 10.8cm (4.25 inches).How does the bat gauge work?The guage is a rectangular implement with a house-shaped cut-out through which the bottom part of the bat is inserted. The cut-out conforms to the bat dimensions permitted under Law 5, which is also part of the IPL playing conditions. To be deemed legal to use, the bat must be able to pass through the gauge, even if it has been fitted with “[p]ermitted coverings, repair material and toe guards, not exceeding their specified thicknesses”The gauge in use at the IPL to test bat sizes•ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen do the checks happen?It is understood that the IPL informed all teams before mandating the bat checks from April 13. Teams were also given bat gauges so their players could themselves check their bats before the match.On matchdays, on-field umpires carry a bat gauge each to assess the bat of the incoming batter. The fourth umpire is tasked with checking both openers’ bats at the start of each innings. Any bat was found exceeding the specified dimensions is marked and cannot be used during a match. In case a batter asks for a bat change, the new bat is also checked.So far, only two bats have failed the gauge test: they belonged to the Kolkata Knight Riders pair of Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje.What are the sanctions?Just like the ECB has done, the IPL too has put the onus on players to ensure that their bats comply with Law 5. However, there is a significant difference when it comes to sanctions. The ECB has imposed severe sanctions for any breach, as Essex bitterly experienced during the 2024 County Championship season when they were docked 12 points after one of their batters used an oversized bat during the opening match of their season.The IPL has decided not to impose any sanction other than disallowing bats that have failed the gauge test. While the ECB’s bat checks are random, the IPL checks every bat that enters the field of play.It is understood that batters have been caught off-guard by the move. A tailender at a title-winning team was left in a spot when his entire set of bats, numbering seven or eight, failed to pass through the gauge. Such a situation could prove particularly tricky for overseas batters, particularly those whose bat manufacturers are based outside India.Specialist batters usually request manufacturers to design bespoke bats with custom measurements. In the past, since bat checks were only carried out at random by match officials, and usually only on the eve of the match, there was a certain amount of leeway for players to get away with measurements that exceeded permissible limits. Even if a bat or set of bats was rejected on training day, a player could still use a matchday bat that had never gone through the gauge.The IPL has decided to discourage such actions in the quest to maintain the balance between bat and ball.

Champions turn contest in favour as visitors drop their guard in the sun

Vithushan Ehantharajah12-Apr-2025

Surrey 253 (Sibley 100*, Wheal 4-65) and 136 for 1 (Pope 56*, Sibley 55*) lead Hampshire 219 (Prest 44, Gubbins 43, Worrall 3-37) by 170 runsYou can get caught out on Saturdays like these at the Kia Oval.The sun shines scorchingly bright to start, enticing you to take it easy, as you lounge through the opening hours without a care in the world. And then, without warning or even a goodbye, it ducks out leaving you exposed to the chill, scrabbling for the security of layers to cover up that newly acquired farmers’ tan.Of course, many of the 4,132 who started their weekend here will have been wise to all that, taking jumpers and nothing for granted. But 11 not included in that tally – who all happened to be donning a Rose and Crown crest – were given a stark reminder of how sharply things can shift against you on an April day in south London, even when the odds had started in your favour.At about 12.04pm, Hampshire were coasting at 84 for 1, Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins steady and unperturbed, even if they were still 169 behind Surrey’s first innings. By 6.26pm, when the floodlights were doing too much of the illuminating, the visitors were now trailing by 170, Surrey’s second innings not just going, but flying.Over six hours of play, and Hampshire were more or less back where they had begun, with far less control. If anything sums up the kind of folly the County Championship can occasionally throw up, this was it. But there were no cricketing gods to curse, and not even the early lure of the sun could be blamed. The lack of progress was very much on Hampshire.Their confusingly slow morning of 42 runs in 29 overs played into Surrey’s hands, particularly given a wicketless first half of day two’s opening session. Then came a collapse of three for six that laid waste to Hampshire’s drudgery, as unnecessary as it may have been. The error of their ways was eventually shoved all the way down their throats by a 36-over evening session in which Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope skipped along to half-centuries with Surrey closing on 136 for 1.The risk of Hampshire’s impasse was clear for all to see. This is a Surrey attack that does not let up. Even Matthew Fisher, freshly down south, got in on the squeeze, straddling midday with an impressive six-over spell – four of them maidens – that went for just seven runs, occasionally beating the edge of both Stoneman and Gubbins.It was while Fisher was operating from the Vauxhall End that Dan Lawrence profited in front of the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion. Gubbins inexplicably guided a delivery from wide on the crease around the corner to leg slip, having survived an appeal for an identical dismissal the ball before.Gubbins’ misjudgement turned the focus on the preceding 64 minutes, in which he and Stoneman added just 29 runs. Three overs later, Stoneman had been trapped in front by a suitably rested Dan Worrall, tagging back in for Fisher, before a torturous 1 off 27 from Toby Albert was ended by Jordan Clark to make it 90 for 4.With the top four back in the changing-room, and the innings moored, the onus was back on Tom Prest to take the initiative, as he had done last week with 57 in the successful chase against Yorkshire. A flashed edge over third slip ahead of the lunch break – Hampshire’s first boundary in 26 overs – at least hinted at impetus to come after the interval.The 22-year-old ended the first over of the afternoon session with back-to-back straight drives for four. And when Dawson responded with successive fours of his own – driven through cover, then flicked around the corner – Hampshire had already bettered the morning boundary count (three) in the space of six deliveries.Greater ambition came with greater risk, of course, though Dawson felt aggrieved when given out lbw, seemingly certain of an inside-edge. However contentious, it was a deserved first wicket at the Kia Oval for Fisher. Skipper Ben Brown followed him back not long after with a nine-ball duck that included a life when Sibley shelled a simple chase at first slip.It was from this point that Prest was backed up by Brett Hampton for the best part of 10 overs. The New Zealander was happy to play the aggressor, swinging his huge forearms at anything and everything in his half, bringing about one novel boundary in front of square leg when he was aiming for cover.The only plus point for Hampshire was their first innings seemed in terminal decline when Hampton and Prest were seen off in the space of 11 deliveries, particularly given the modes. The former squeezed out a Clark inducker between bat and pad, stifling the ensuing lbw appeal, but inadvertently sending the ball towards Pope at first slip. England’s vice-captain broke forward and flung himself low to complete the catch. Prest, having negotiated the best part of Worrall’s bumper spell against him, aimed a lazy flinch at one that did not get up as much and found Ryan Patel at short leg for 44.Then came Abbott’s late dash to 37, 13 of them taken off Fisher’s 16th and final over, as a short-ball ploy was met with three step-away-and-carves through the off side, which also happened to be the shorter hit. By the time Abbott was done – bowled by Lawrence defending down the wrong line – Hampshire had closed the first-innings gap to 34.With a bumper 42-session to come after tea, there was an opportunity for wickets to turn this match into a second-innings shootout. But Abbott was the only bowler to register a dismissal, nailing Rory Burns in front, only after he and Sibley had brought up 56 between them in the 13th over. Having carried his bat the day before, Sibley went on, for another 55 unbeaten runs, with the only point of alarm coming when he almost ran himself out on 47.Pope best exemplified the shifting scenario, contorting it further with a breezy half-century brought up with consecutive sixes off Sonny Baker – the first carved over point, the second uppercut over third. No other side have been as chastened by Pope’s shot-making as Hampshire, and this was a ninth fifty-plus score against them in 11 first-class matches against them.They had kept him quiet in five previous innings, including seeing him off for 14 on Friday. But his average against them has ticked back up to 96.30, and it is not unreasonable to expect that to be higher by the time he and Surrey finish batting.Few sides are quite so ruthless as the defending champions when in such a commanding position. And while Hampshire will learn from how this match has been switched upon them by their own apprehensive approach, maybe they should have been wiser given how relentless their opponents have been over the last three years.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano welcomed a bounceback 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders after back-to-back shutout defeats, with Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba each producing a goal and an assist while Rodrigo De Paul impressed. Still, Mascherano admitted the squad lacks depth amid absences and missed signings, calling the last seven games ‘finals.’

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mascherano admits his squad lacks depth but vows to fight

  Inter Miami entered Tuesday’s clash carrying the weight of two heavy 3-0 defeats – one in the Leagues Cup final against the Sounders and another against Charlotte. This time, though, Mascherano’s men delivered a strong response in a 3-1 victory over Seattle. Despite the win, the Argentine coach admitted his roster is thin after summer departures and missed signings before the trade deadline. The team is also missing star striker Luis Suarez, who will finish a three-game suspension after Miami face D.C. United on Sept. 20. 

  “We have many absences right now, and of course, I’d love more resources and depth. But I’m the coach, and I will go to the end with the players I have,” said Mascherano in his postgame press conference. “We have seven finals left, and we want to win all seven.”

Advertisement

• Pushing for the top spot

  Although Philadelphia Union remain eight points clear at the top, Inter Miami still hold three games in hand, leaving them with a real chance of climbing to first place. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Night of goals at Chase Stadium

  Messi led the attack alongside Tadeo Allende on the right and Jordi Alba, deployed unusually high on the left. The Spaniard opened the scoring in the 12th minute after linking up with Messi. The Argentine nearly doubled the lead later but hit the post on a one-on-one. He made up for it in the 40th minute, slotting home Alba’s low cross for his 20th MLS goal of the season.

  Shortly after the restart, Ian Fray sealed the result with a powerful header. Seattle grabbed a late consolation through Mexican midfielder Obed Vargas, but the game had already been decided.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  More reactions

  Mascherano highlighted his team's unwavering confidence during its recent slump. 

  “We couldn’t go crazy either. We knew that, above all, we needed to get back to winning. We needed to collect points. And we need to keep collecting points,” Mascherano said. “Nobody likes to be in this position, even if we have three games in hand compared to our rivals, because I truly believe the team doesn’t deserve it.”

Arsenal are believed to still be pursuing Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, despite recently adding Eberechi Eze to their ranks alongside fellow attacking stars Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

The north Londoners also agreed a new deal with Leandro Trossard, which includes a pay rise, so the Belgian won’t be going anywhere this summer with two years remaining on the contract (BBC).

Eze, while viewed as a central playmaker to fill the void left by Kai Havertz’s injury, can also play on the left-wing when required, so it would seem that Arteta has more than enough options on that side with Gabriel Martinelli too.

On the right, Arsenal also have Madueke and star man Bukayo Saka, so any move for Rodrygo at this very late stage of the window would be both a surprise and a real statement of intent from Andrea Berta.

Berta has been linked with a move for the Brazil international all summer, holding exploratory talks as far back as May, and that interest apparently remains.

The 24-year-old, who scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions last season, was left out of Brazil’s latest international squad by Carlo Ancelotti – which has cast further doubt on his future.

While Rodrygo started Los Blancos’ latest La Liga win over Real Oviedo, he was benched for their opening weekend win over Osasuna, and Xabi Alonso’s hesitancy to start the winger regularly appears to be having consequences.

What Real Madrid have told Rodrygo's agents with Arsenal deal on

As per journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, intermediaries are working on a potential Arsenal or Man City deal for Rodrygo behind-the-scenes.

What’s more, Real have sent a clear message to Rodrygo and his reps – that he’s free to leave before the deadline on September 1.

However, when it comes to the ‘right offer’, this still may be too high for Arsenal or City.

According to reliable media sources, the lowest bid Real could entertain for him as we approach deadline day is around £51.5 million, which is still a hefty sum considering Berta is also trying to sign Piero Hincapie to replace the potentially exit-bound Jakub Kiwior.

That being said, a player of Rodrygo’s quality and versatility would add even more dynamism to Arsenal’s attack, and amid serious competition from Liverpool, it could be something worth considering.