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An integral member of the Arsenal squad could be open to leaving north London, and it would be a real blow for manager Mikel Arteta if the Spaniard lost him.

Who are Arsenal's most important players?

The Premier League title hopefuls boast many star men in their blockbuster squad, which is testament to both Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar’s exceptional work in the transfer windows over these past few year

"Most underrated" £23m Arsenal star working tirelessly to prove himself

Fabrizio Romano says he doesn’t stop.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 26, 2024

Arteta first joined Arsenal from Man City when the club were a shadow of their former selves, but the tactician has since transformed them into genuine title contenders and one of England’s most elite sides once again.

Their star front quartet of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard can take a lot of the plaudits for this – having scored a combined total of 59 goals in all competitions last season – as Arsenal finished 2023/2024 with 89 top flight points on the board.

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Club captain and chief creator Martin Odegaard is sidelined through injury right now, but the Norwegian has been pivotal as well these last few seasons. Club record-signing Declan Rice, who played in all of Arsenal’s 38 games last season as a general in Arteta’s midfield, is also a shining light in the team.

Further back, star defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed an exceptional partnership at the heart of Arteta’s defence since the former was introduced into the first-team fold in 2022.

Saliba has been linked with a move to Real Madrid as a result, with Carlo Ancelotti’s European champions in the market for an elite-level centre-back.

Saliba could be open to joining Real Madrid from Arsenal

According to reports out of Spain this week, Saliba could be open to joining Real from Arsenal one day, but the Galacticos will run into a brick wall considering the north Londoners have adopted a firm not-for-sale stance at this moment in time.

The France international, if he were to make his interest in joining more formal in the future, may have to twist Arsenal’s arm for it to happen – as Edu and Arteta deem him untouchable and rightly so.

Arsenal will command a price tag north of £100 million to even consider selling their “superstar” defender, according to some reports, and it isn’t something that supporters could have to seriously worry about at this moment in time.

“Whether it’s PSG, Real Madrid or another top European club, it’s very hard to see them being able to prise Saliba away from Arsenal,” said CBS reporter Jonathan Johnson to CaughtOffside recently.

“He’s one of their top talents at the moment, and one of the best defenders in world football, and after a strong showing at the Euros he’s shown he’s in that world class bracket. I think now that Mikel Arteta’s future has also been cleared up, I think Saliba will be looked at as a player that the Gunners hope to keep as a key cornerstone for the team.

“For the moment, I can’t see anyone going in for Saliba while he remains such a key part of that Arsenal project, but, depending on what happens this season, who knows, perhaps a scenario could develop that presents an opportunity for one of these top European clubs to sound out his situation.”

Englishman keen to push for a BBL title after missing out last season but his availability will depend on England selection

Alex Malcolm06-Sep-2021Sydney Thunder are putting the band back together with England batter Sam Billings re-signing for another stint in the BBL, this time under new coach and former England mentor Trevor Bayliss.Billings’ return comes hot on the heels of Alex Hales, with the England duo to be reunited with Bayliss after playing previously at Thunder under Shane Bond.Billings was a popular edition at Thunder last season, having been encouraged to sign by his friend and former Thunder captain Shane Watson. He made 260 runs at a strike-rate of 142.85 in 10 innings for the Thunder last season, including two half-centuries. One of those was a stunning 48-ball 83 that threatened to single-handedly steal a game off Perth Scorchers in Perth.Billings said he was keen to push for a title this season after the Thunder lost the Knockout last season to Brisbane Heat.”I think the most exciting thing about coming back to the Thunder is the group of young players that complement the older, experienced heads,” Billings said. “Hales is obviously a high-quality player and we have all seen what he can do.”In my first experiences with Sydney Thunder last season there were obviously positive signs but we didn’t finish where we wanted to, or could finish. There is no reason we can’t take another step forward and go close to the title.”Billings’ availability for Thunder will likely be dictated by his England duties. Although he is yet to play a Test match he has been called into England’s Test squad this summer and with England set to bring an extended squad to Australia for the Ashes and coinciding England Lions fixture he could well be unavailable until late in the BBL season. England also have a one-day series against West Indies in late January.

ECB release centrally-contracted allrounder to play second consecutive Championship game

Matt Roller20-Sep-2021Warwickshire have been boosted by the news that Chris Woakes will be available for their must-win fixture against Somerset this week as they push for a first County Championship title since 2012.Woakes, who is on an all-format England contract, pulled out of his IPL deal with Delhi Capitals last week to keep himself fresh ahead of the T20 World Cup and the Ashes this winter. He was initially due to play in only one of Warwickshire’s final two Championship games after the postponement of the Old Trafford Test, but the ECB have released him to play for the second week in a row following discussions with the club.”Chris is playing and is raring to go,” Will Rhodes, Warwickshire’s captain, said on Monday. “I think we had to push the ECB quite hard but Woakesy wanted to play. It’s not often, for him especially, that you get to push your home county over the line in the Championship. You don’t get that opportunity very often so he’s desperate to play.”From what I gather, I think he was [due to be] available for one of the two games, but once you win a game and you’re sat second, a couple of points behind the leaders, it’s a no-brainer for me.”Obviously we’re not going to bowl him into the ground and bowl him 100 overs in the game – that would be silly with the World Cup around the corner. He’s got his best interests as well, winning a game for us but also it would be silly for him not to have one eye on the T20 World Cup because he could play a massive part for England in that. It’s about managing him but also winning a game as well.”Warwickshire’s title ambitions will rely in part on results elsewhere. They are second in the table heading into the final round of fixtures with 55 points, sandwiched between Hampshire (58.5) and Lancashire (54.5) who play each other at Liverpool, with Nottinghamshire (52) also in the race ahead of their game against Yorkshire.Related

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Rhodes admitted he would keep “half an eye” on scores elsewhere throughout the week in order to know the precise permutations for Warwickshire’s title bid. “You’d be silly not to,” he said. “The people who say they won’t be looking at the scores would be just lying. You always know what is going on – it’s hard to avoid it. After every day’s play it’s all over social media, it will be on the ECB app and ESPNcricinfo – whatever you’re looking at.”We’ve got to concentrate and not let that hamper us too much. We need to win and win well, especially if Hampshire win as well. Somerset aren’t going to come here and give us 24 points. We’ve played some very good cricket here at home but we lost our last game here. It’s given us a lot of motivation.”There’s a lot of stuff about winning a Championship in front of your own fans, so first and foremost we have to win a game of cricket and let the games at Liverpool and Trent Bridge hopefully help us out. If other games go our way and we don’t do our job, I think we’ll be kicking ourselves.”Dom Sibley lost his England place during the India series•Getty ImagesWarwickshire will also welcome Rob Yates (self-isolation) and Danny Briggs (stiff neck) back into their squad after both players missed the win against Yorkshire at Headingley last week, while Rhodes said that Dom Sibley, dropped by England after a run of low scores this summer, would be “dying for the opportunity” to make a big score to put himself into contention for Ashes selection.”He’s been brilliant since he’s come back,” Rhodes said. “He’s got that goal to get back in the England squad and when someone like Dom is hungry for success, they’re always generally going to perform. His innings in the second innings at Yorkshire was magnificent – it was the old Sibley that we all know, 45 off a lot of balls [117].”He looks like he’s hitting the ball lovely in the nets as well and he’s just ticking for that big score. Individuals win you games at this stage of the season and he’ll be dying to get that opportunity. You always want your guys to go off and play for England. Knowing Dom and growing up with him, that’s what he wants to achieve: he wants to play in the Ashes and quite rightly so, he’s a fantastic player.”He might not have had the year that he wanted but his hunger and desire are definitely there to get on that plane to Australia. If he can perform in this game and we get another fixture [the Bob Willis Trophy final] at Lord’s, a couple of scores of 50+ or 100+ or even just the time that he takes to get his runs will show that he’s back in form and it would be nice for him to do that on the big stage.”

After missing Saturday's match vs. Juventus in Serie A, the U.S. star could be held out midweek if he's not 100 percent

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Christian Pulisic dealing with injury for AC MilanRossoneri play in UCL on WednesdayAmerican won't be "risked" if he is not ready to playFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Christian Pulisic could miss a second consecutive game for AC Milan, manager Sergio Conceicao said. The USMNT star missed Saturday's match against Juventus in Serie A, as the defeated the 2-0 thanks to a match-winning goal from fellow American Tim Weah.

Last week, Pulisic suffered a muscle injury in Milan's victory over Como in Serie A, and was removed at halftime of the contest. He underwent a scan shortly after, and it revealed no serious injury. But the Italian club are not going to rush him back.

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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Conceicao said that no definitive decision has been made yet on Pulisic's status for Milan's Champions League match vs. Girona on Wednesday, but if he were to feature, it would be off the bench. However, he hinted that he might not play at all.

"We have training tomorrow morning, let’s see how it goes," Conceicao said. "I don’t want to risk losing him for a month or two. If he’s 100 percent and can help, I’ll bring him to the bench – otherwise, I won’t."

Pulisic leads Milan in both scoring and assists in 2024, with 10 goals and seven assists in all competitions this season.

DID YOU KNOW?

Girona have suffered two consecutive defeats in UCL competition heading into their clash with Milan, including a 4-0 hammering at the hands of PSV and U.S. internationals Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi.

Milan, meanwhile, have won four-straight matches in the competition after losing their opener to Liverpool 1-0 in September. The highlight of their stretch was a 3-1 victory over reigning champions Real Madrid in November, as the stunned the Santiago Bernabeu.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MILAN AND PULISIC?

The will search for a crucial three points in the European competition as they look to move up the standings ahead of the final stretch of the initial opening round in the new format. As things stand, they sit on 12 points in 12th place. A victory could potentially move them into the top eight of the competition, which would see them avoid the playoffs draw on Jan. 30.

Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are believed to have tabled an offer for a “frightening” Manchester City player, but his decision is already known.

Man City transfer news

The future of Pep Guardiola at the Etihad is a major talking point at the moment, with some fearful that he will copy his old rival Jurgen Klopp and depart at the end of this season. The Spaniard is out of contract at that point, but there is also hope that he will end up extending his stay beyond 2025.

Meanwhile, City continue to be linked with new signings, with Lille ace Angel Gomes emerging as a rumoured target for the reigning Premier League champions. The former Manchester United midfielder recently made his debut for England and could be seen as a long-term replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who he is similar in style.

Rodri’s ACL injury has rocked Guardiola, given the Spaniard’s reputation as the best No.6 in world football, and it could be that a January replacement is eyed up. Porto ace Alan Varela has been backed to a seal a move to the Etihad, filling a huge void in the process.

Long-term signings are also important for City, not least when it comes to finding an eventual successor to Ederson in goal, and Lille youngster Lucas Chevalier is said to be a target for the Premier League giants.

PSG table offer for Man City superstar

Now, a big Etihad exit rumour has emerged, with a report from Spain claiming that PSG have tabled a ‘multi-million’ offer to Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, looking to entice him to the club.

It appears as though the Norwegian has no interest in joining the French giants, however, rejecting their advances and not entertaining the idea of a move there in 2025.

This will come as a huge relief to City, with Haaland undoubtedly one of world football’s leading players currently, producing extraordinary numbers ever since joining from Borussia Dortmund. The 24-year-old has scored 101 goals in 108 appearances for the Citizens, while pundit Perry Groves recently called him “frightening”, saying of him:

“Frightening. His numbers are up there with [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo. And to be fair, La Liga isn’t as competitive as the Premier League. I didn’t think anybody would get anywhere near a goal a game in the Premier League. I know this is like all games, but even in the Premier League, he’s virtually a goal a game.”

City fans will hope that Haaland spends the rest of his career at the club, although there is always the threat of him moving to Real Madrid hovering ominously on the horizon.

A move to PSG could feel like a step down, as would be the case with the vast majority of clubs, but the prestige of Real Madrid, especially in the Champions League, makes them a huge drawer for many players.

Man City confident on new Guardiola contract and signing Gundogan successor

Man City re-signed Ilkay Gundogan in the summer, but they may have already found his long-term replacement.

ByBrett Worthington Oct 9, 2024

It wouldn’t be a shock to see the £375,000-a-week Haaland eventually eye a move away from Manchester, once he feels like he has nothing more to prove in a City shirt, but for now, he appears to be happier than ever there.

Opener enjoys a near-perfect night with the bat and in the field as England defeat Sri Lanka

Matt Roller01-Nov-20212:31

Jayawardene: Staying low key to Buttler’s success

Jos Buttler’s six-hitting clinic against Australia on Saturday night prompted a question: what’s the best innings an Englishman has played in a T20 World Cup? Then, 48 hours later, Buttler provided an unequivocal answer.There will be nights when English batters have found run-scoring much easier than Buttler did against Sri Lanka in Sharjah but none has paced an innings better, nor executed such a calculated takedown of an opposing attack. The majority of games to date in the Super 12 stage had been decided by the toss; this was decided by the Jos.To comprehend Buttler’s innings requires an understanding of conditions in Sharjah. Ever since the pitch block at this intimate venue was relaid earlier this year, pitches have played slow, with low bounce from a good length its defining feature. This was the third time that this strip had been used in eight days and its skiddy nature rendered timing near-impossible before the dew took over.Related

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Buttler’s innings had started with a shot that has quietly became a trademark since his promotion to open in T20 cricket, a compact back-foot punch through the covers off Dushmantha Chameera which earned him three runs, he struggled early on, inside-edging Lahiru Kumara for four past short fine leg.When England lost three wickets in the powerplay, Buttler recognised that he would have to soak up some pressure. He hardly played a shot in anger against Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka’s emerging superstar, and their mystery spinner, Maheesh Theekshana, content to nudge singles into gaps. After 10 overs, Buttler had just 24 runs off 30 balls.An undervalued skill for T20 openers is the ability to judge conditions early on. It has proved particularly tricky in this tournament, with teams batting first regularly losing their openers early due to movement off the seam and often undershooting as a result – particularly given the advantages chasing teams have enjoyed after dew has taken over.”You’re trying to get a read of the wicket, and looking for a number or a score,” Buttler explained in an interview with the last week. “After an over or two, you get a bit of a feeling of what the wicket might be like. The skill is you’re trying to work that out as you’re going along and still trying to put pressure on the opposition and play well.”Jos Buttler’s record as a T20I opener•ESPNcricinfo LtdPerhaps that was the one area of the evening where Buttler fell short of his usual standards. “We were in a bit of trouble [but] the guys were relaying back to the dressing room that 110 might be a good score,” Paul Collingwood, England’s assistant coach, said at the interval; Buttler managed 101 on his own.The second half of his innings was a devastating assault on Sri Lanka’s seamers, with Charith Karunaratne and Dasun Shanaka’s medium pace – splitting the fifth-bowler allocation between them – coming in for particularly rough treatment. Buttler spotted the weak links in the attack and pounced, punishing anything full or short.Karunaratne was thumped through and over midwicket with a strong bottom hand and Shanaka, left to bowl the 18th over after going in for an early kill with his main bowlers, came in for particularly harsh treatment: a length ball at 81mph/131kph disappeared over midwicket; his response, a late-dipping slower ball, was bludgeoned back over his head and into the stands with a whip of the bottom hand.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the US. Match highlights of England vs Sri Lanka is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

Buttler made a rare misjudgement in Chameera’s final over, top-edging a pull to deep square leg. But Pathum Nissanka put down the catch, charging in off the rope, and after two mistimed shots, Buttler rolled his wrists to clip a full toss off his pads for six, joining Heather Knight as the second England player to hit international hundreds in all three formats.All told, Buttler managed 12 runs off 24 balls against spin, but 89 off 43 against seam; after taking 45 balls over his first 50 runs, his next 51 took just 22. His average as an opener in T20 internationals is now 60.50 with a strike rate of 149.17, a remarkable cocktail of dependability and destruction.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I found it tough early on, the spinners especially tricky with the low bounce and they were hard to get away,” Buttler told Sky. “So I’m really pleased to keep a calm head and work through it, back myself to come good at the end and start to target certain bowlers and at certain ends with a shorter side on one side.”I felt like I used a lot of experience. I remember saying a while ago, if I can put both parts of my game together then I think I’ll be getting in a really good place with my T20 batting: I’ve had a lot of experience batting in the middle and to put that together with the top, I can back myself to catch up at certain times and [rely on] the death hitting of my game which is a strength.”His near-perfect night even extended into the field: in the first over of Sri Lanka’s chase he effected the run-out of Nissanka, whipping the bails off after Morgan’s clean throw; in the 18th, his direct hit left Shanaka short of his ground to effectively seal England’s successful defence. “The run-out was the best feeling on the field today,” he smiled after.The brevity of T20 World Cups means that certain factors can have a huge impact on outcomes: a streak of consecutive toss wins, or several tight decisions going in a team’s favour. Equally, it allows a purple patch of career-best form by one of the world’s best players to lift a team to a trophy: England might be two nights of Buttler brilliance away from the World Cup.

Tottenham academy stars Dane Scarlett, Oyindamola Ajayi and Mikey Moore all scored to see off Elfsborg and reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

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Tottenham beat Elfsborg 3-0Scarlett, Ayayi & Moore score in winSpurs into last 16 of Europa LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Spurs dominated the first half but couldn't make the most of their 12 shots on goal, although Moore and Pape Sarr brought good saves out of Elfsborg goalkeeper Isak Pettersson.

Jalal Abdullai nearly gave the visitors a shock lead early in the second half when his bicycle kick narrowly fizzed over the bar as the game became more open.

Lucas Bergvall should have buried a header just before the hour mark but could only find the grateful Pettersson in goal and then Tottenham's injury woes deepened when second-half substitute Radu Dragusin was forced from the field after an innocuous-looking incident.

Just when it looked like it would be one of those days, substitute Scarlett, 20, lit up Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he buried Dejan Kulusevski's pinpoint cross in the 70th minute.

Fellow academy product Ajayi, 19, finished well on his Spurs debut with six minutes remaining and youth player Moore, 17, wrapped up the win with a well-taken goal in second-half stoppage time. The 3-0 victory meant Tottenham finished fourth in the Europa League table to qualify for the last 16 of the competition.

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While Son Heung-min was a real threat, Micky Van de Ven impressed on his return to the team after several months out injured, Ajayi scored on his debut, and Moore bagged his first goal for the club; Scarlett got the opener that proved the difference in the end. The 20-year-old academy product was recalled from his loan spell at Oxford United earlier this month and so far that has proven to be a shrewd move.

AFPTHE BIG LOSER

Ange Postecoglou's side have been ravaged by injuries this season, so much so that Spurs have been without more than 10 players for periods. So to lose substitute Dragusin to injury, when Van de Ven is being eased back in, is tough to take.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Tottenham, who sit 15th in the Premier League, are back in domestic action on Sunday when they travel to London neighbours Brentford.

Newcastle United have truly gone sapped and dour football under the shadow of Mike Ashley to slick and purposeful play with Eddie Howe at the helm, charged by the PIF.

Transfer spending over the past several years has seen St. James’ Park piece itself back together, bit by bit, each move strengthening the buttressing, adding flair to the halls.

Now, it’s a team to be proud of, having competed in the Champions League and reached the Carabao Cup final in recent years. Injuries precluded any real success last year but the Magpies are hoping to take flight once again this term, with the high-class midfield capable of supercharging the efforts.

Eddie Howe's Newcastle midfield

Newcastle might not have had the most inspiring of summer transfer windows but they have welcomed Italian maestro Sandro Tonali back to the fold, with last summer’s £55m acquisition having missed the majority of the past year due to a suspension pertaining to betting breaches.

The stylish ace’s return could bear dividends, adding a dimension to a midfield that already boasts a healthy assortment of qualities. Joelinton, striker-turned-roving-number-eight, offers a brilliant kind of bullishness, while Sean Longstaff counterbalances through his industrious, under-the-radar role.

Joe Willock’s looking to impress too, having missed chunks of last season due to injury – Howe praised the dynamic talent’s “infectious” presence last season.

Matches (starts)

7 (7)

Goals

0

Assists

1

Touches*

72.3

Pass completion

84%

Key passes*

0.6

Dribbles*

1.6 (92%)

Ball recoveries*

4.7

Tackles + interceptions*

4.3

Total duels won*

8.3 (61%)

Ahh, we haven’t even talked about Bruno Guimaraes, the cream of United’s crop. As you can see, he’s utterly breathtaking in his all-encompassing grasp of the midfield craft, and it’s crucial that he continues to ply his trade on Tyneside over the coming years.

It’s a world away from former struggles, with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Henri Saivet and Jack Colback staying put for too long.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

There is one who slipped through Newcastle fingers, however, and his name’s Mikel Merino.

Mikel Merino's market value

Newcastle signed Merino way back in 2017, with the Spaniard completing what was initially a loan move but shaped into a permanent deal in October, just a few months into the campaign.

Merino would complete one lonely season in England’s top flight for the Toon, helping Rafa Benitez’s side to an impressive tenth-placed finish but only featuring 25 times. He wasn’t happy and looked longingly toward his Spanish homeland.

And so it was that Newcastle agreed to a transfer with Real Sociedad, seeing the combative midfielder move away after his reported £10m buyout clause was met.

This proved to be an auspicious move for the player, who chalked up 242 appearances and showcased his remarkable duel-heavy personality on the field, earning a place in Spain’s international squad and recently playing a part in winning the 2024 European Championship in Germany.

His performances, which led analyst Ben Mattinson to hail him as a “duel monster” with an “aerially dominant” approach and a progressive edge to his ball-playing, led Arsenal to swoop in and sign him up this summer, with Mikel Arteta viewing his compatriot as perfect to add a final dimension to his thriving unit.

And thus the 28-year-old was signed in a £32m package this summer in what could even prove a shrewd signing as the Gunners chase down the Premier League title.

Deceptively robust and multi-functional, the lanky 6 foot 2 star ranks among the top 3% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 12% for tackles, the top 1% for aerial duels won and the top 18% for progressive passes per 99, as per FBref.

Newcastle only saw the slightest shine of quality from this fully-fledged European phenom, whose value – which actually now stands at €50m (£42m), according to Transfermarkt – has skyrocketed some 320% since he left St. James’ Park.

It’s one that goes down as a what if. That said, with such a high-quality engine room under Howe’s wing, he’s not missed too badly.

£100m+ Newcastle star now a top target for Barcelona as new contract stalls

Troubling times for the Magpies…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 17, 2024

Anwar Ali sees only delivery of game go the distance after replacing injured Hamid Hassan

Aadam Patel21-Nov-2021With five needed off the last ball, Danny Briggs was facing a man who had yet to bowl a ball in the tournament, never mind the innings itself. He duly hit Anwar Ali for six to seal a third consecutive win for Team Abu Dhabi in a nail-biting encounter against Deccan Gladiators at the Zayed Cricket Ground. Yet, that was just the final act of a dramatic contest that went down to the wire.”I was just thinking about getting good contact on the ball and I got a top edge which went high and luckily for me, just long enough,” Briggs said afterwards.Long enough by just a whisker. Hamid Hassan had steamed in to Jamie Overton for the penultimate delivery, before pulling up and having to limp off, leaving Wahab Riaz to turn to his countryman Anwar. It was Anwar’s first ball of this year’s T10 and his length delivery was met with a top edge from Briggs which flew off the bat and towards the fine leg boundary where none other than Andre Russell was placed. Russell had starred with the bat in Deccan’s win on Saturday, but was dismissed for a golden duck earlier and bowled a costly ninth over which went for 17. Yet, perhaps, this was his moment to be a hero again…The ball seemed for all it’s worth to be sailing over the boundary and into the Team Abu Dhabi dugout, but Russell leapt and somehow flicked it back in. The ground held its breath to see whether the West Indian was in contact with the boundary cushion. No one, not even Russell, really had an inkling as to who had won. It was agonisingly tight, before replays indicated that his heel was barely touching the rope at the moment he made contact with the ball. Paul Baldwin, the TV umpire, confirmed to Nigel Llong, the on-field umpire, to raise his arms and confirm that it was six.Related

Liam Livingstone expects T10 format to 'suit my game down to the ground'

Moores vs Russell in Abu Dhabi T10: 'I knew I was gonna lose'

A chase of 98 should have been straightforward. Especially considering the fact that Liam Livingstone’s outfit had breezed to scores of 145 and 132 in their first two matches of the tournament.But they had yet to deal with the magic of Wanindu Hasaranga. Livingstone, who had seen his England counterparts struggle to pick the Sri Lankan during the T20 World Cup, had breezed to 17 off seven deliveries when Hasaranga came into the attack. Fresh from blasting 30 off 18 with the bat to rescue the Gladiators from 18 for 5, Hasaranga now had the ball in hand.Livingstone was welcomed with a tossed-up delivery that he top-edged into the Abu Dhabi sky. But, the Gladiators wicketkeeper Tom Moores failed to get anywhere near it. Two balls later, Hasaranga tempted the Englishman yet again and Livingstone again tried to hit him out of the ground. Instead he skied it straight to long-on and with the captain, Phil Salt and Paul Stirling all back in the hutch and no Chris Gayle, the Gladiators had every chance of becoming the first side in T10 history to defend a total of fewer than 100.Not least when the very next ball, Colin Ingram was undone by a wrong-un and Team Abu Dhabi were four down for 44. There is no such thing as defending out the hat-trick ball in this format: Overton came to the crease to face the music and was lucky to sneak a bottom-edge to the boundary as he swept at Hasaranga.But Hasaranga wasn’t done yet. He was fortunate to get an lbw decision in his favour against Chris Benjamin, as replays showed a clear inside-edge from the batter, but there was nothing lucky about the next ball, Marchant de Lange utterly bamboozled by a wrong-un which crashed into his stumps. Hasaranga and the Gladiators were going in for the kill.Briggs arrived at the crease for another hat-trick ball and survived, before being beaten by a wrong-un from the Sri Lankan which narrowly missed the stumps. Both he and Overton must have breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Hasaranga had finished. The Sri Lankan ended with figures of 4 for 12 and had left the Abu Dhabi outfit reeling at 53 for 6.Yet, despite all his heroics with the bat and the ball, it was his fielding that would ultimately prove pivotal. In the next over, Overton skied one towards Hasaranga at midwicket for a regulation catch, which the Sri Lankan failed to hold on to.And the allrounder made him pay, as he crashed an unbeaten 33 off 18, combining with Briggs to hit 46 off the last four overs and somehow steal a victory for Team Abu Dhabi to maintain their 100% record.”It’s still T10, you’ve still gotta go [whenever you come in],” Briggs said. “With two overs left, we said to each other that we needed a big one to get ourselves back in.”Overton added: “We were just trying to play our way, play our strong shots, and try to take one good over. We got a good over in the ninth with Dre and then Briggsy got us over the line.”Livingstone was beaming with joy at the way the pair rescued his side. “We were pretty much behind the game for all of our innings but I thought Jamie [Overton] played beautifully and it was great for Briggsy to hit the last one for six,” he said.

Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates tonight, in what is undoubtedly Mikel Arteta’s side’s biggest challenge of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign so far.

The Gunners will be looking to return to winning ways after falling to defeat against Bournemouth last weekend, in another outing ruined by an early dismissal.

Centre-back William Saliba was originally cautioned for dragging down striker Evanilson, but after an on-field VAR review, the Frenchman was given a straight red card.

He will subsequently miss this afternoon’s meeting, making the task a little bit harder for the Gunners if they are to inflict just a second league defeat of the season on Arne Slot’s team.

Numerous big decisions await the Spaniard, including who to replace Saliba with, but he may also be tempted to drop one player after his performances in the last seven days.

Why Arteta must drop Trossard against Liverpool

Leandro Trossard has had a week to forget on the pitch, all starting in the defeat against Andoni Iraola’s side at the Vitality last weekend.

The Belgian was the player who played the poor pass into the path of opposition striker Evanilson, which led to Saliba’s dismissal – undoubtedly costing Arteta’s side all three points in the process.

However, he was included from the off against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but once more failed to justify his selection.

He stepped up to take the penalty during the second 45, but his effort was denied as he failed to get on the scoresheet and help the Gunners secure a more comfortable victory over the Ukrainian outfit.

Minutes played

88

Touches

38

Passes completed

21/26 (81%)

Shots taken

5

Possession lost

7x

Fouls committed

1

Penalties missed

1

Given the nature of the fixture this evening, Arteta can’t be carrying any passengers who are struggling and lacking confidence – something which has been evident in the 29-year-old’s displays over recent weeks.

As a result, he could drop to the substitutes bench once again, handing an opportunity to one player who has deserved a start in recent months after his emergence in North London.

The man to replace Trossard against Liverpool

17-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri has been nothing short of sensational for the club’s first team in recent times after his breakthrough over the last couple of years.

He made his Premier League debut in the 2022/23 campaign as a 15-year-old, making him the youngest player in the competition’s history – showcasing the trust placed in him by Arteta.

Nwaneri has already bagged two goals for the first team this season in the Carabao Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates, earning him increased minutes off the substitutes bench.

The Hale End academy star, who’s previously been dubbed “unplayable” by former Gunners star Jack Wilshere, has also impressed for various youth levels over the last 12 months, scoring ten goals in 13 appearances in the Premier League 2.

Although the game is one of the biggest of the season, Nwaneri would massively relish the opportunity to make his full Premier League debut in such a fixture – potentially adding a different dimension to the Arsenal side.

It will be a tough ask to secure all three points after Liverpool’s start and the current suspension situation at the back, but regardless, Arteta has shown time and time again that he’s able to make the right choice for these decisive moments.

Arsenal wasted £47m on Wenger flop who earned even more than Trossard does

Arsenal were far too eager to hand out massive contracts under the Frenchman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 26, 2024