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Well, after a couple of weeks that suggested things were finally on the up and up, Arsenal managed to drop yet more points in the Premier League yesterday afternoon.

Mikel Arteta’s side made the relatively short trip to West London in the knowledge that a win over Fulham would see them move within four points of league leaders Liverpool thanks to their game being suspended courtesy of storm Darragh.

However, with Raúl Jiménez scoring for the home side within the first 15 minutes, the Gunners were left scrambling, and while they managed to claw one back early in the second half, they had to settle for a single point.

34%

Possession

66%

0.16

Expected Goals

2.03

1

Goals

1

0

Big Chances

4

2

Total Shots

12

0

Corners

6

10

Fouls

9

302

Passes

587

There were disappointing displays from Arteta’s side across the board, but there was one player who was notably poor and must now be seriously testing his manager’s patience.

Arsenal's poor performers

So, before we get to the chief offender, it’s only fair to talk about a few other players who looked significantly off the pace at Craven Cottage, starting with Kai Havertz.

The German international had a game to forget, as he offered practically nothing in attack, taking three shots off target, taking just 26 touches and only picking up an assist because he failed to get his attempt on target from Declan Rice’s corner.

Unsurprisingly, football.london’s Chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, was left unimpressed and awarded the former Chelsea man a 5/10 at full-time.

Another particularly disappointing performance came from one of the heroes from mid-week, Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish international was sensational against Manchester United and looked more than capable of being Arsenal’s third-choice centre-back.

However, yesterday afternoon, his poor positioning led to the host’s goal early on in the encounter.

It might sound harsh considering the angle Jimenez eventually scored from, but small mistakes are punished at the top level, and it’s a mistake that will only create doubt in the minds of fans over Kiwior’s suitability to stand in for William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhães going forward.

That said, even though his mistake resulted in a goal and Havertz was blunt in attack, neither have received as much negative attention following the result as their teammate, who put in yet another poor performance and must be testing Arteta’s patience.

The Arsenal star playing himself out of the team

Unfortunately for him, there’s been one Arsenal star under the spotlight following yesterday’s draw, and it’s undoubtedly Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian wasn’t selected in the starting lineup following his underwhelming display against United on Wednesday, and his impact, or lack thereof, off the bench yesterday afternoon more than justified Arteta’s decision.

The former Ituano gem was only on the pitch at Craven Cottage for around 30 minutes but managed to perform so poorly that we’d be surprised to see him anywhere near the starting lineup for some time.

Minutes

30′

Expected Goals

0.00

Expected Assists

0.01

Shots

0

Dribbles (Successful)

4 (1)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

6 (1)

Duels (Won)

10 (2)

Touches

25

Lost Possession

12

It’s an opinion backed up by the stats, as in his 30 minutes of action the 23-year-old amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.01, took zero shots, failed in 75% of his dribbles, failed to play a key pass, misplaced five of six crosses, lost eight of ten duels, took 25 touches and lost the ball 12 times, or practically every two touches.

That’s not all, though, as he somehow managed to stray offside for what should have been the Gunners’ late winner in a moment that saw journalist Con Harrison slam him for being “lazy.”

To top it all off, he also picked up a stupid yellow card for an argument in the 82nd minute and was incredibly lucky not to receive another one a few minutes later for petulantly throwing the ball at Kenny Tete.

Now, if the Guarulhos-born dynamo was in scintillating form and scoring for fun, this sort of performance could be ignored and put down to a bad day at the office, but in 20 appearances this season, he’s only scored four goals and provided three assists, which is hardly earth-shattering.

Ultimately, while Martinelli possesses undeniable talent, he has continued to underwhelm this season, and yesterday’s cameo against Fulham was so dire that we wouldn’t be surprised if Arteta was beginning to lose his trust in the young Brazilian.

Arteta must sell Arsenal flop who's not scored a league goal all season

Arsenal need to move on from a few of their underperforming players.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 9, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Autor do segundo gol do Palmeiras na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Ituano, na quarta-feira (23), no Allianz Parque, o atacante Rony disse que o grupo está preparado para fazer história mais uma vez pelo clube, desta vez no Campeonato Paulista.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasJailson diz estar à disposição para atuar na zaga do Palmeiras e fala sobre AbelPalmeiras24/03/2022PalmeirasSem descanso! Palmeiras já volta aos trabalhos após classificação à semifinal do PaulistãoPalmeiras24/03/2022VídeoVÍDEO: Abel não poupa elogios a Danilo no Palmeiras vê o volante como um ‘fora da caixa’Vídeo24/03/2022

O resultado, além de manter o Verdão invicto no Estadual, classificou a equipe para a semifinal pela nona vez seguida.

– Estou muito feliz de estar mais uma vez em uma semifinal com o Palmeiras. O clube briga por títulos e a gente sabe da importância de se vencer o Paulista, esta todo mundo motivado e confiante para mais uma vez conquistar esse campeonato. A motivação vem dentro de cada um de nós. Somos vencedores e a cada competição queremos brigar por ela, e no Paulista não esta sendo diferente. Está todo mundo focado e dedicado para mais uma vez fazer historia pelo clube – afirmou.

O Alviverde agora espera pelo jogo entre Corinthians e Guarani, logo mais nesta quinta-feira, para descobrir seu adversário no duelo do final de semana. Caso o Bugre surpreenda o rival alvinegro, enfrentará o Palmeiras. Senão, o adversário será o Bragantino. O confronto será no Allianz Parque e a data ainda será definida pela FPF (Federação Paulista de Futebol). Independentemente do adversário, Rony projeta dificuldades.

-O Paulista não tem jogo fácil, as equipes são qualificadas, têm grandes treinadores que também querem mostrar seu valor. É uma das competições estaduais mais disputadas, sabemos que não vai ser fácil. A determinação e a garra que temos dentro de campo é que faz a diferença. A família que criamos é fundamental para ganharmos títulos e fazermos história no clube – disse.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2022 clicando aqui
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Mikel Arteta has been dealt another blow in his pursuit of the Premier League title, with a key Arsenal star set to miss the rest of this year through injury.

Arsenal injury list as concerns mount up for Arteta

The north Londoners currently have a plethora of first team players on the treatment table, and this has been a reoccurring theme of their early season.

"Really intelligent" Arsenal player could push to quit the club in January

These may be his final months in north London.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 13, 2024

So far, club captain Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are just some of the names who’ve been injured at some point, dealing Arteta real selection headaches in what is a crucial campaign for the Spaniard.

Arsenal are chasing their first domestic crown in over two decades, but the Gunners have been forced to cope without a plethora of key options on a regular basis in these opening months.

Right now, summer signing and Italy international Calafiori is sidelined with a knee injury, and has been since Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last month.

Tomiyasu has been particularly unlucky, playing just six minutes all season due to a serious knee problem of his own, while Tierney is apparently close to returning from a hamstring injury which has kept him on the sidelines since Euro 2024.

Arteta’s arguable two biggest misses, Saka and Rice, were forced to withdraw from England’s squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

It is unclear right now whether they will be fit and available right after the international break, but Arteta is “praying” for the star duo to be fit and ready for their first game back at home to Nottingham Forest on November 26.

“What I’m praying for is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped,” said Arteta on Rice and Saka. “That they are available and that they are fit, because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.”

Amid this torrid run of luck, Arteta has now been dealt yet another major concern in the form of Ben White.

Ben White out for the rest of this year after Arsenal surgery

The £150,000-per-week right-back, according to the national press, has undergone surgery on his knee.

White was nursing a problem which had been affecting him for quite a while, so the club used this international break as an opportunity to rectify it, but his lay-off time really doesn’t spell good news.

The Mirror and reliable journalist John Cross report that White is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this year at Arsenal, meaning Arteta will be without the star defender for crucial games against Forest, West Ham, Man United, Sporting Lisbon and Monaco in the Champions League.

His absence will be a very sore one to take, as Arsenal also attempt to find their best form again and keep their title hopes alive.

GOAL US writers discuss Messi missing Miami's game with Houston, and whether opposing MLS teams are right to make amends to fans

Lionel Messi made headlines last week when Inter Miami announced that he would not travel to Houston for their Sunday night MLS fixture with the Dynamo. Cue the panic from the soccer world. Social media lost its collective mind. Reddit got all petty.

And then, there were the Dynamo themselves, who released an official statement, acknowledging disappointed fans and giving away free tickets to fans for upcoming games to make amends.

Messi was not injured but was rather held out by Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano due to Miami’s "congested schedule" – in NBA terms, it would be considered "load management." The team had played at midweek and on the weekend for each of the past two weeks, both in MLS and CONCACAF Champions Cup matches. Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi has occasionally been rested during congested periods of play. 

It all felt a bit silly, really. After all, it was one athlete, missing one game, for a fairly rational reason. But it does also raise natural questions. Messi probably can't play 40+ games per season stay fit.

Should fans expect him to – especially opposing fans who want to see the 37-year-old superstar play in their stadium? Is it fair to him? Should the best player to ever do it spend what could be his last season worrying about injury?

And then there are the clubs. The Dynamo won't be the last away team that Messi "cancels" on this season. Do they then owe their fans if he doesn't show, a decision controlled by Miami, not the host club? Should MLS intervene, as the NBA did when load management got out of control and multiple superstars missed games, launching a new Player Participation Policy for the 2023-24 season?

These are all interesting questions, simmering in the background since Messi first came to MLS .

GOAL US writers debate them all in a load management edition of… The Rondo.

• Getty
  

  Is Miami right to rest Messi for some away games?

  Tom Hindle: For the vibes? No. But for reality? Yes. They have a championship to win. Messi can't play 40+ games for his club, and then international friendlies and other competitions such as the Champions Cup and Club World Cup. Some have got to go, and if that means he misses a fixture against a Houston team, then so be it. Honestly? Get over it, lads.

  Jacob Schneider: We are one week into the season. Rest? It's nothing short of pathetic. One week.

  Ryan Tolmich: From a purely Miami perspective, absolutely. The Herons are spread thin across multiple competitions but, ultimately, will only be judged on how they handle the one at the very end of the year. If they don't win MLS Cup, they will have failed. Knowing that, they have to do whatever it takes to build Messi towards that, even if that means dropping some points or disappointing some opposing fans along the way. It stinks, but it's reality: Miami's interests are furthered by keeping Messi healthy for the course of the season, and that means he can't play 90 minutes every single game.

  Alex Labidou: Match congestion and rotation aren't exclusive to MLS – there are plenty of managers in the Premier League or Europe's top leagues who bemoan the fixture list and criticize and leagues for being more accommodating to continental competitions. It's also not exclusive to soccer. NBA fans shudder over the phrase "load management." While it hurts the fans and overall interest in MLS when Messi does not play, ultimately Mascherano has to do what is best for his top player – and team. Last year, Messi looked out of gas in the postseason. With Miami wanting to go for multiple trophies this season, this is necessary.

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• IMAGN
  

  Is this all a bad look for the league?

  TH: Well, it's not great, but that's football. Yes, this is Messi's league at the moment, but he is still a footballer who needs protecting. If it's missing a game here and there vs overuse leading to a hamstring tear that rules him out for the season, you'd bet the powerbrokers here would choose the former. Of course, there's a massive drop off for the club, and revenue lost for the league – but that isn't Miami's problem whatsoever.

  JS: It's a mark on the rest of the league. There are expectations – with his salary partially being paid by every club, given the MLS structure – that he competes. He's more than just a player in MLS – he's the face of the league. If he can just be rested whenever Miami's decides it's time, it opens the league up to criticism. If this were July or August, and he'd just gone on the CCC run, played in the CWC and then started Leagues Cup, on top of domestic action – well then a case could absolutely be made and there would be zero argument against it. But we're one week into the campaign. It's a joke.

  RT: This is where MLS is in a unique place compared to other leagues. If Liverpool, say, give Mo Salah a game off, there is no discussion. That's partly because of squad depth, as the dropoff isn't nearly as big in Europe, but also partly because of how leagues are set up. The Designated Player system makes a team like Miami look like "Messi and friends" while Liverpool are a team that just so happens to include a great player in Salah. Liverpool and Miami have the same goals – winning – but the way they get there is perceived differently because of the way MLS is both structured and marketed.

  AL: It's not great. The issue is the uniqueness of what brought Lionel Messi to MLS in the first place. Miami doesn't exclusively pay his compensation – partners contribute to his overall package as well. So when he's rested when Apple TV is trying to get its new Sunday Night Football franchise off the ground, it directly impacts the streaming network's ability to generate revenue. Remember, MLS doesn't directly benefit from the Champions Cup in the way it does with the Leagues Cup, for example.

  Furthermore, it speaks to a growing sentiment that MLS is too reliant on one star again to market itself, like it did when David Beckham played in the league. And at least he played against a star who might have been more talented in Thierry Henry. MLS at times seems make or break when Messi isn't involved – and that's a recipe for disaster for any sports league. It's time to add more stars who are at least in Messi's orbit to help lessen the burden on the Argentine needing to play every away game to help opposing teams with revenue.

• IMAGN
  

  Should opposing teams compensate fans when Messi doesn't play?

  TH: Maybe? It's not clear what this offers other than a pretty empty gesture. Sure, Messi is a serious revenue driver, but giving away a ticket doesn't help you much next time. Then again, sports without having to pay is probably a good thing? The real fans will keep coming back. The casuals will find another footballer to get excited about.

  JS: There's a bigger picture here that the general public overlooks. Teams are relying on revenue from his participation in their home ground. That's just where MLS is at the moment. He is the hottest ticket in town, and prices surge as a result. If he doesn't play and the club builds up anticipation to the match by showcasing him, of course the club needs to say something – they're ultimately responsible for their marketing and their stadium. Free tickets? It's whatever. Find a way to keep the public happy while making things right.

  RT: If that's best for their business, sure, why not? Teams are in business of generating revenue, and for many, the business of Messi brings in big bucks. Losing out on that stings and, ultimately, damages reputations with fans. If giving away tickets or discounts helps keep those fans and, more importantly, gets them back in on another day, then go for it. Soccer isn't yet at a place in which it can afford to exclude anyone, so the more the merrier – with or without Messi.

  AL: Perhaps? It's seems the right thing to do when you see social videos of fans driving six hours just to watch their icon on the pitch – and he doesn't play. As a team, you need to find ways to drive interest in other ways, and that's one way to do it. But it does feel desperate. MLS and its teams are far too reliant on whether or not Messi shows. For example, a NBA team wouldn't do that, if say, Joel Embiid or LeBron James missed a game. They're confident enough in their own product and experience for their audience.

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• Imagn
  

  Are there too many games, and should MLS intervene?

  TH: Yes. There are far, far, far, far too many. The discourse here is a little confusing. Technically, the CONCACAF Champions Cup isn't run by MLS, and is therefore out of the league's jurisdiction. But there can be cuts elsewhere. Shorten the playoffs. You do not need a wildcard or a best-of-three series. Does anyone really learn anything from a 34-game regular seasos and a Leagues Cup? This is about money and business interests, but legs simply have to be protected. Soccer should be about who can play the best when it really counts – not whose legs survive longest.

  JS: Of course there are too many games, but that's not an MLS issue – that's the soccer world right now. Too many FIFA windows, a lot of domestic and continental tournaments and of course, regular season play. It's created a hectic calendar that burns everyone out. From Miami's perspective, though, this is what they get for being good. Featuring in CCC this early in the season is a result of being a good soccer team. By being good, they play more games and have a chance to win more trophies. It's why they're in CCC and the Club World Cup on top of two domestic tournaments and regular season MLS. If Mascherano is already worried about congestion one week into the season, maybe coaching isn't the right profession for him.

  RT: The answer remains the same as it always has: spend more money. More squad depth, more names, more talent – it all leads to fans caring more. Messi is a phenomenon but in the bigger picture, he's temporary – and, once he's gone, how will MLS respond? The only way to continue growing the league is to continue to spend money to bring in better players. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter how many or how few games Messi plays.

  AL: Yes, but again it's not exclusive to MLS. It's a worldwide soccer problem. There are too many cup competitions and new ones emerging every year, ranging from friendly tours to the Club World Cup. All of these games devalue leagues – which in theory should be the top priority. There isn't much MLS can do, outside of adding more stars and quality across the league.

“Today I am announcing my decision to stand down as captain of the Australian men’s cricket team. It’s a difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family and cricket.”As a background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough Cricket Australia Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in. That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today.”I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years. However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party.”I’m sorry for the damage that this does to the reputation of our sport. And I believe that it is the right decision for me to stand down as captain, effective immediately. I do not want this to become an unwelcome disruption to the team ahead of what is a huge Ashes series. I have loved my role as captain of the Australian cricket team. It’s been the greatest privilege of my sporting life to lead the Australian men’s test team.”I’m grateful for the support of my teammates and proud of what we’ve been able to achieve together. To them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness. To Australian cricket fans – deeply sorry that my past behaviour has impacted our game on the eve of the Ashes.”For the disappointment I have caused to fans and the entire cricket community, I apologise. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful, loving and supportive family, and it breaks my heart to know how much I’ve let them down. They have always stood by me, been my most loyal fans, and I’m indebted to them for their support.”I will remain a committed member of the Australian cricket team, and look forward with anticipation to what is a huge Ashes tour. Thank you.”

Newcastle United head into their next Premier League fixture looking to get another win on the board, after failing to pick up a win from their last three games in the division before the international break intervened.

Eddie Howe will have had sufficient time on the training pitch – away from games coming thick and fast – with his Magpies players in order to try and get more of a tune out of them for the test of Brighton and Hove Albion up next, which won’t be a walk in the park for the Tyneside hosts by any stretch of the imagination.

Howe’s men will even come up against one of their former players in this clash, which will add some spice to the affair at St James’ Park, who is a sale that could go down as being as big of a blunder as Ivan Toney – who exited in 2018 for just £500k.

Toney since leaving Newcastle

Before his mega money move to Al-Ahli came to fruition, Toney had to prove himself away from the Magpies, having been discarded for that low amount to League One outfit Peterborough United.

The 6 foot 1 attacker more than achieved that, going on to notch up a devastating 49 strikes from 94 games at his new Cambridgeshire outfit, before Brentford then also benefitted from his midas touch in-front of goal.

Away from a controversial betting ban that soured his time with the Bees towards the end, Toney would cement his reputation as an ice-cold finisher in West London, with a mightily impressive return of 72 goals from 141 contests.

In truth, the Magpies were made to look unbelievably foolish for offloading Toney without ever allowing him to realise his full potential at St James’ Park, with the now Saudi League striker only managing a mere four first-team appearances on Tyneside.

Yet, even with how much of an impactful error this was, Newcastle could lament the sale of this former player even more, especially if he dazzles back on his old patch with the Seagulls this coming weekend.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

The sale that Newcastle could live to regret

Yankuba Minteh would be barely known as a Magpies player, having signed for his new club before a ball was kicked on the eve of the 2023/24 season, to then be immediately loaned out to Feyenoord.

You would have anticipated that Newcastle would then be willing to give the Gambian winger a shot in the first-team when he returned from the Netherlands, especially after he tore the Eredivisie to shreds at points, but the Premier League side would just allow Minteh to join their weekend’s opponents for £30m, in the wake of PSR constraints.

Looking at the table above, it’s clear why Fabian Hurzeler’s side forked out such a lavish amount to win Minteh’s services this summer, with a deadly 15 goal contributions registered from the promising attacker in league action last season for Feyenoord.

Described as possessing a “Vinicius quality” on the ball – referring to Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior’s ability to bamboozle defences – by Premier League Panel’s Raj Chohan when the 20-year-old’s future was up in the air at St James’ Park this off-season, Howe and Co will just hope Minteh has a quiet return to Newcastle on Saturday away from further proving those wrong at the Toon.

Unfortunately for the hosts, Minteh will come into this game even more eager to cause the Magpies misery after opening his Brighton account just last match versus Tottenham Hotspur, when firing home a fierce finish to kickstart his side’s dramatic 3-2 comeback.

Whilst it took Toney many years to rise back up to the Premier League, Minteh looks to already be a sound fit for the challenges of the top division, with the ex-Feyenoord man capable of exploding even more in the men’s game over time.

With Newcastle also a little threadbare down the right flank away from Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron, the decision to move the 20-year-old on continues to look more and more baffling, with Minteh wanting to haunt Howe’s men even more when Premier League action resumes very soon.

Forget Wilson: Newcastle could unearth their next Isak in academy sensation

Newcastle United are very excited about this young hotshot.

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Kelan Sarson

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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 Hotspur continued their good form with a win away to Hungarian champions Ferencvaros in the Europa League. It was a professional performance from Ange Postecolgou’s side, who ran out 2-1 winners in the Groupama Arena.

The Lilywhites, sporting an all green kit tonight, scored a goal in each half to ensure they won all three points. Young midfielder Pape Matar Sarr opened the scoring for the visitors, pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty box to fire home and give his side a 1-0 lead.

After some good pressure from the home side, and still only a goal up and far from comfortable, Postecoglou turned to his big guns on the bench.

They certainly had an impact the Australian had hoped for, with James Maddison finding Brennan Johnson just inside the penalty box, who finished well into the bottom left-hand corner for his fifth goal in as many games. The Hungarian side pulled one back in the 90th minute, but could not find an equaliser.

There were certainly some impressive individual performances from Spurs, not least from their substitutes. However, one of their standout players on the night was exciting young talent Mikey Moore.

Moore’s stats vs. Ferencvaros

There is lots of hype around Spurs youngster Moore, who has impressed at academy level. After making his debut last term, he has finally managed to break into Postecoglou’s squad this season and is making a real impact.

Before the game, Maddison described his potential as “scary”, and that was certainly on show in Hungary. The youngster is a quick and direct winger, who is not afraid to run at a defender and look to take him on in a one-vs-one situation.

He showed that against Ferencvaros on Thursday night, as his stats from Sofascore reflect. The 17-year-old had 67 touches of the ball, completing 80% of his passes, creating one big chance and winning an impressive four fouls. He also worked hard off the ball, winning six ground duels and one tackle.

His impressive performance in Hungary earned him an 8/10 rating from The Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick. The journalist praised the teenager for an ‘excellent showing’ against the Hungarian side, in which he ‘always looked to take on his man’.

Whilst Moore impressed against the Hungarian outfit, there was arguably one player who outshone the 17-year-old – Archie Gray.

Gray's stats vs. Ferencvaros

It was an impressive performance against the Hungarian outfit from young Gray. He has featured in all but three of Spurs’ games this season, with the trip to Ferencvaros his third start of the new campaign.

The trust that has been shown in the youngster demonstrates just how highly rated he is by Postecoglou, and the England youth international has certainly repaid his faith. He was superb against the Hungarian champions, retaining possession well and working hard off the ball in an unfamiliar position at centre-back, before moving to left-back in the second half.

His impressive contribution was reflected in his post-match stats. The 18-year-old had 82 touches of the ball in Hungary – more than even teammate Yves Bissouma (76), completing 87% of his passes and creating two chances. Off the ball, the youngster performed well, and won three from three tackles.

Gray stats vs. Ferencvaros

Stat

Number

Pass accuracy

87%

Touches

82

Passes completed

47/54

Ground duels won

4/10

Tackles won

3/3

Interceptions

3

Chances created

2

Stats from Sofascore

His performance was enough to earn him a 7/10 rating from Kilpatrick. He explained the summer signing from Leeds showed ‘flashes of real class’ against the Hungarian side, praising him for his versatility.

It is a performance that will bring real confidence to Postecoglou, who will be hoping Moore, Gray and their teammates can continue a good run of form away to Brighton at the weekend.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 2, 2024

Ruben Amorim wants his Manchester United players to follow the example set by new darts world champion and Red Devils supporter Luke Littler.

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Amorim cites Littler example to motivate playersWant squad to channel self-beliefUnited take on Liverpool on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

17-year-old Littler, who is a boyhood United fan, created history on Friday as he became the youngest player to win the PDC World Championship, beating the Netherlands' Michael van Gerwen 7-3 in the final at London's Alexandra Palace.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The youngster's triumph at the World Championship has created quite a stir across the UK and has also reportedly inspired Red Devils boss Amorim. Per , the Portuguese has used Littler's grit and self-belief as an example to motivate his players ahead of Sunday's trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

A source told , "Ruben is well aware of the Herculean task in front of him and his players – not just today [Sunday]. He wants the team to start channelling the same self-belief Luke showed in Friday’s world final. Luke was unstoppable because he was determined to win.

"The players need to show the same courage against Liverpool. They’re all pretty close to Luke and know victory against Liverpool would cap the most memorable weekend for their most famous fan."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After facing their rivals on Sunday, Amorim's men will be next seen in action in the FA Cup on January 12 with a trip to Arsenal.

MatériaMais Notícias

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Saiba quanto vale de premiação terminar em cada posição do Brasileirão

– Estamos lutando muito para que a equipe possa terminar o ano vencendo e fazendo bons jogos. Vamos nos dedicar ao máximo para que isso seja possível nestas próximas semanas. O grupo está focado – disse.

Ainda de acordo com o atleta, a ideia de todos é encerrar o ano com vitória sobre o Athletico-PR.

VEJA TABELA E SIMULE A RODADA FINAL DO BRASILEIRÃO

– Vamos para o último jogo da temporada motivados para vencer o Athletico. Temos que fazer uma grande partida para buscarmos o triunfo – concluiu.