Former Juventus defender Danilo believes the club’s clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday could serve as the catalyst for the Bianconeri to turn their season around. Currently sitting seventh in the Serie A table and still winless in the Champions League, Juventus find themselves in a difficult spell. However, Danilo noted that there is a growing chemistry within the squad that hadn’t been seen before, and urged patience as the team continues to develop.

• Juventus winless in six games after brilliant start

  Juventus suffered their first loss of the season against Como, inspired by a brilliant individual performance from the 2024-25 Serie A Young Player of the Season, Nico Paz. The Argentine midfielder’s precise cross to the far post was met by defender Marc-Oliver Kempf, who tapped it home in the third minute to give Como an early lead. Despite Juventus goalkeeper Michele De Gregorio making several key saves, Paz sealed the win in the 79th minute with a curling strike beyond De Gregorio’s reach to make it 2-0.

  The defeat saw Juventus slip to seventh place in the Serie A table after what had been a strong start to the campaign with three consecutive wins, including a thrilling 4-3 triumph over Inter in the Derby d’Italia. Since then, however, the Bianconeri have gone six games without a win, drawing five times against Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Villarreal Atalanta and Hellas Verona.

  However, former Juventus defender Danilo believes the match against Real Madrid could serve as a springboard for the Bianconeri to turn their season around.

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• Real Madrid clash could spark change for struggling side

  In an interview with , Danilo called for unity and urged Juventus to view their upcoming match against Real Madrid as an opportunity to turn things around. He said: “In these moments, we need unity; everyone needs to help each other. Now there's the Champions League, a different story, and the match against Madrid could be an opportunity. Juventus never gives up in difficult times.”

  While Danilo admitted he is not aware of the day-to-day dynamics within the squad, he noted that there appears to be greater chemistry between the players and the coach compared to previous seasons. “I'm not involved in the day-to-day dynamics, and giving an opinion on the spot would be disrespectful to the group, the coach, and the club. From the outside, however, it seems to me that compared to a year ago, the spirit is different, the attitude different: there's a chemistry between the players and the coach that wasn't there before.”

  Acknowledging the challenge of facing Real Madrid, Danilo emphasized that getting a positive result at the Bernabeu could serve as a turning point for Juventus. “The Bernabeu is a very important test; Madrid are clearly in a much better moment, top of La Liga, six points in the Champions League, but if Juve get a result, and they can, it could be the match that changes the season.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Danilo pleads for more time to be given to Tudor

  Igor Tudor was appointed interim coach of Juventus last season following the sacking of Thiago Motta. After unsuccessful attempts to bring in Gian Piero Gasperini or Antonio Conte, Juventus confirmed Tudor as the permanent head coach. However, with results currently poor, Tudor has come under mounting pressure. While the club have publicly backed him, they have quietly explored two other managerial options as potential replacements. Sacking Tudor and appointing a new coach could prove difficult, as Juventus are still paying Motta, and adding a third coach to the payroll could further complicate the club’s ongoing issues with UEFA Financial Fair Play compliance.

  Danilo stressed the importance of patience and reaffirmed his trust in Tudor. “Patience is needed. They've changed several players, and the transfer window has been delayed, which has affected our preparations. It won't be an easy year for Juve, but I have faith in Tudor.”

  He also drew a comparison with Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, suggesting that even the most promising managers face early challenges in conveying their ideas. “Xabi Alonso has a modern, different vision of football, and he's also struggling to convey it to his players. But obviously, it's much easier to work when the results come in, and we always end up back there.”

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  Juventus' Champions League test and Mbappe challenge

  Juventus and Tudor will look to strengthen a defence that has conceded 10 goals in their last six games. In attack, the team has managed just eight goals over the same period and will look to improve. However, their biggest challenge will be containing Kylian Mbappe, who has scored five goals in his last two matches.

Glasgow Rangers have decided that they will not wield their axe to part ways with Russell Martin this early into his tenure after the 2-0 defeat to Hearts on Saturday.

A brace from Lawrence Shankland condemned the Light Blues to their first loss in the Scottish Premiership this season, after they had drawn their first four matches.

RangersReview journalist Chris Jack has reported that the manager has the support of the board, for now, and that there are no plans to hold talks over his position at Ibrox.

Why Russell Martin is under pressure at Rangers

Four points from five matches is the worst start to a top-flight season by the Light Blues in 47 years, which is part of the reason why the head coach’s position is under pressure.

The former Southampton manager’s style of play is also yet to resonate with supporters, who have seen just three goals in five league games with the possession-heavy style.

Crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers with a 9-1 loss to Club Brugge on aggregate did little to help Martin’s relationship with the fanbase, as some supporters decided to call for him to be sacked after the 6-0 defeat in the second leg.

However, the team’s problems on the pitch this season are not solely Martin or the coaching staff’s fault. The players have to take some accountability for the performances, as Nasser Djiga has been as much of a problem as the manager.

Why Nasser Djiga has been a problem for Rangers this season

The Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee made an impressive start to life at Ibrox in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in the Champions League, helping his team to keep a clean sheet with four out of five duels won, per Sofascore.

Unfortunately, that performance was not a sign of things to come from the Burkina Faso international. Instead, the Premier League loanee has been too much of a liability in recent weeks.

There have been too many questionable lapses in concentration defensively. Michael Stewart criticised the defender’s failure to get back and help his teammates out defensively against Alloa.

Stewart said: “He has not helped his team out one little bit. He was lying on the ground as if he had been pole-axed, and whether it’s a foul or not, he needs to get back and help his team out. They were left short of numbers at the back, brutally exposed, and he’s on the ground rolling about.”

As you can see in the clip above, Djiga also had a nightmare in the opening minutes of the first leg against Club Brugge, as he inexplicably allowed their forward to race clear through on goal.

25/26 season	Nasser Djiga
Appearances	10
Clean sheets	3
Wins	3
Goals conceded	16
Error led to goal	1
Red cards	1
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Light Blues have conceded 16 goals in the ten matches that he has played for the club to date, which is a woeful defensive record.

His latest performance did little to change the narrative because Shankland got the run across him to score the first goal for Hearts in the match, and the Wolves loanee was substituted at half-time.

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As is also the case with Martin, not every problem or defensive problem has been Djiga’s fault this season, but both the manager and the centre-back have to be accountable for the consistently poor defensive displays up to this point.

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاء، عن قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين للحصول على جائزة أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم، لعام 2025.

واعتاد الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاء على مسألة إجراء التصويت السنوي، من أجل منح الجوائز في مختلف الفئات، بناءً على الأداء من يناير إلى ديسمبر، وليس بناءً على الموسم.

وتتألف لجنة التحكيم الدولية من أعضاء الاتحاد الدولي لتاريخ وإحصاءات كرة القدم (صحفيين رياضيين وخبراء كرة قدم) من 120 دولة من جميع قارات العالم.

اقرأ أيضًا | المرشحون لجائزة أفضل لاعب في العالم 2025.. موقف محمد صلاح

وتضمن الجوائز: أفضل هدافي العالم، تصنيف الأندية العالمية، أفضل الدوريات العالمية، وسيتم الإعلان عنها بعد 15 يناير 2026.

أما بالنسبة للفئات الأخرى، فهناك أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم، أفضل حكم في العالم، أفضل لاعب شاب في العالم، أفضل لاعب في العالم، أفضل صانع ألعاب في العالم، أفضل مدرب أندية في العالم، أفضل مدرب وطني في العالم (للسيدات والرجال).

ومن المقرر أن يعلن الاتحاد الدولي للتاريخ والإحصاءعن المرشحين لعام 2025 من الفئات المختلفة للتصويت بشكل يومي، في حين سيتم نشر النتائج بعد 10 ديسمبر 2025.

وفيما يخص المرشحين لجائزة أفضل حارس مرمى، يتواجد العديد من الأسماء البارزة على رأسها العربي ياسين بونو، حارس الهلال ومنتخب المغرب. المرشحون لجائزة أفضل حارس مرمى في العالم 2025

بارت فيربروجن: هولندا، برايتون.

ديفيد رايا: إسبانيا، آرسنال.

ديوجو كوستا: البرتغال، بورتو.

جيانلويجي دوناروما: إيطاليا، باريس سان جيرمان / مانشستر سيتي.

جيورجي مامارداشفيلي: جورجيا، فالنسيا / ليفربول.

جريجور كوبيل: سويسرا، بوروسيا دورتموند.

يان أوبلاك: سلوفينيا، أتلتيكو مدريد.

جوردان بيكفورد: إنجلترا، إيفرتون.

لوكاس شوفالييه: فرنسا ليل / باريس سان جيرمان.

مانويل نوير: ألمانيا، بايرن ميونخ.

روبرت سانشيز: إسبانيا، تشيلسي.

تيبو كورتوا: بلجيكا، ريال مدريد.

أوناي سيمون: إسبانيا، أتلتيك بلباو.

يان سومر: سويسرا، إنتر ميلان.

أليسون: البرازيل، ليفربول.

إيميليانو مارتينيز: الأرجنتين أستون فيلا.

ياسين بونو: المغرب، الهلال.

أندريه أونانا: الكاميرون، مانشستر يونايتد / طرابزون سبور.

صهيون سوزوكي: اليابان، بارما.

لويس مالاجون: المكسيك، كلوب أمريكا.

Rahul also completed 8000 runs in T20 cricket and became the first batter to score hundreds for three different IPL teams

Hemant Brar18-May-2025

KL Rahul toasts a majestic IPL hundred•BCCI

KL Rahul’s fifth IPL hundred took Delhi Capitals (DC) to 199 for 3 against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Opening the innings, Rahul scored 112 not out off 65 balls, studded with 14 fours and four sixes, and became the first batter to score hundreds for three different IPL teams. Previously, he has scored hundreds for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.DC had a slow start, though, after being sent in. Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan stuck to good length and gave little room with the new ball. In the first four overs, there were 15 dot balls. Faf du Plessis, who tried to break the shackles and charged at Arshad, was caught at mid-on by Siraj. He made 5 off ten balls.After five overs, DC were 28 for 1. Rahul then injected momentum into the innings by hitting Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in the last over of the powerplay. During that over, Rahul also completed 8000 runs in T20 cricket. Reaching there in 224 innings, he was the third-fastest, behind only Chris Gayle (213) and Babar Azam (218).With a four off Rashid Khan, Rahul brought up his fifty, his fourth of the season and coming off 35 balls. As a result, DC reached 81 for 1 after ten overs.R Sai Kishore had Abishek Porel caught behind for 30 off 19, after being hit for a six previous ball. That brought an end to a 90-run stand in 8.4 overs. But luck was on DC’s side, especially Rahul’s. In the 14th over, he got three fours off R Sai Kishore’s first three balls, all through luck. The first one was drilled back and went through Sai Kishore’s hand. Rabada misfielded the next and then an outside edge sped past short third.Axar took apart Sai Kishore in the 16th over, a strange call on Shubman Gill’s behalf to give Sai Kishore that over given Axar’s excellent record against spin this season. That over went for 15. Prasidh Krishna returned in the next over and dismissed Axar with his second ball.But Rahul and Stubbs added 48 off 22 balls in an unbroken stand to set GT a target of 200. With no dew so far, GT has their task cut out for them.

After the dismissal of Erik ten Hag nearly 12 months ago, Manchester United fans will have been excited by the appointment of Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP.

The 40-year-old won two league titles back in his homeland, even beating Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League just a couple of weeks before his appointment at Old Trafford.

However, his stint in charge of the Red Devils has been nothing short of a disaster, with the manager achieving a win percentage of just 39% in his 49 outings.

His latest defeat against Brentford has once again cranked up the pressure on his shoulders, with his £200m attacking additions still struggling to have the desired impact.

His future at the Theatre of Dreams remains hugely up in the air, with the INEOS hierarchy already seemingly targeting other alternatives to replace him should he be handed his marching orders.

The Man Utd shortlist to replace Amorim

Over the last couple of days, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has emerged as a potential option to replace Amorim at United should he be given the boot in the near future.

Whilst the Cherries want to keep hold of the Spaniard, they could have no choice in allowing him to depart, with the 43-year-old’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season.

However, he’s not the only name currently on their shortlist, with former England boss Gareth Southgate once again emerging on the INEOS radar, as relayed by FootballTransfers.

They claim that the 55-year-old could be open to returning to management and moving to Manchester after taking time out of the game following his departure from the national team in July last year.

It remains unclear if he will be the club’s main target for the role should Amorim depart, but the board have been impressed with his ability to get the best out of his players at international level.

Why United’s latest manager target would revive Mainoo

United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has endured somewhat of a frustrating last 12 months on the pitch, with boss Amorim often looking past him for selection in his midfield.

The Englishman only registered 20 league starts out of a possible 38 last season, with the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro ahead of him in the manager’s pecking order.

However, he has previously nailed down his place in the starting eleven, with Ten Hag often relying upon the 20-year-old to produce the goods during his tenure in charge.

Mainoo racked up various key goals in 2023/24, from last-minute winners to derby day goals and an FA Cup final strike – it truly was a year to remember for the youngster.

Such performances secured him a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad last summer, further showcasing his remarkable rise over such a short period of time.

He even started four of the nation’s six games in such a tournament, showcasing the faith that Southgate had in the youngster to deliver on the biggest stage for his country.

The appointment of the former England boss would certainly hand Mainoo the chance to regain his place in the side, whilst also instilling the confidence he’s been massively lacking in recent months.

For the Red Devils, the potential decision to hire Southgate may not be many supporters’ first choice, but it is one that could deliver the needed turnaround in form they’ve been craving.

The 55-year-old, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by Scott Parker, achieved a 63% win record in charge of the Three Lions and subsequently took them to two major international finals.

Gareth Southgate – England record

Statistics

Tally

Games managed

102

Wins

64

Draws

20

Losses

18

Goals per game

2.3

Goals conceded

0.8

Points per game

2.1

Win percentage

63%

Stats via Transfermarkt

His side’s also achieved an average of 2.3 goals per game under his guidance, offering the Red Devils the needed attacking quality they’ve lacked in recent weeks under Amorim.

Such numbers are nothing short of remarkable, with the former England boss potentially able to end the club’s decade-long wait for a league title in the years ahead.

Success in the role is one thing, but the development of the players at his disposal would also be a massive part of his task in charge at Old Trafford.

Mainoo could be a huge beneficiary of such an appointment, potentially starring under Southgate’s reign once again and getting back on the trajectory he was once on at the Theatre of Dreams.

Related Arteta 2.0: Man Utd now targeting "best coach in the PL" & it's not Glasner

Manchester United appear to be targeting a manager who could replace Ruben Amorim.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 30, 2025

Despite already having concerns about the depth of their attacking quality, Leeds United could now lose one of their most dangerous stars amid reported interest from Saudi Arabia.

Roy Keane delivers Leeds survival verdict

Leeds and the rest of the promoted sides have so far shocked the rest of the Premier League. Alongside Burnley and Sunderland, those at Elland Road are out to end the curse of the newcomer and become the first side in six to survive at the first time of asking back in the top flight.

As things stand, Leeds are four points above the dropzone and could even push into the top-half if results go their way after the international break. After Daniel Farke spent much of the summer airing concerns that his side lacked enough attacking quality, he will be delighted with how they’ve already secured a number of results.

Leeds now ramping up January move to sign "excellent" Serie A attacker

He could solve their attacking problems…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 8, 2025

Alas, the German’s work is far from done. Leeds must get back to winning ways after losing against Tottenham Hotspur last time out and continue what has been a solid start. Then, when January arrives, it will be all about keeping hold of their best players and, if reports are anything to go by, fending off interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Saudi billionaires readying Gnonto move

As reported by MOT Leeds News, Saudi billionaires Neom and Al-Ittihad are readying January moves to sign Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds. Backed by the riches of PIF, the two clubs could hand all parties a difficult offer to turn down, but those in Yorkshire must remain firm on their transfer stance.

With just less than three years remaining on Gnonto’s current deal, Leeds should be in no rush to cash-in on their talented winger midway through the current campaign. What’s more, when considering Farke’s attacking concerns, it’s clear that the Italian still has a role to play.

After featuring from the start in three of the four Premier League appearances to his name before a calf injury disrupted his season, Gnonto should have all eyes on returning to full fitness with a bang following the international break.

At 21 years old, he remains one of Leeds’ brightest attacking sparks and someone who has already earned praise from the likes of Jermaine Beckford, who once said: “He’s very direct, I’m a huge admirer of him.”

That said, not many have rejected the riches of Saudi Arabia in European football and Leeds may face an uphill battle to stand in the way of Gnonto when January arrives.

MatériaMais Notícias

Mirassol e CRB se enfrentamnesta quinta-feira (28) às 19h, no Estádio Campos Maia, em Mirassol (SP) A partida é válida pela 30ª rodada doBrasileiro Série B e terá transmissão do Sportv e do Premiere (pay-per-view).

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ONDE ASSISTIR / TRANSMISSÃO: SporTV e Premiere (pay-per-view).

O time paulista ocupa a 10ª posição da Segundona, com 43 pontos somados em 29 jogos. Na última rodada, o Mirassol venceu a Ponte Preta, em Campinas, por 3 a 0.

Já os visitantes estão uma colocação acima, em nono, com 45 pontos. O CRB vem de vitória sobre o Guarani, em casa, pelo placar de 1 a 0.

+ Corinthians demite Luxemburgo! Veja técnicos brasileiros livres no mercado para o Timão

FICHA TÉCNICA
MIRASSOL X CRB

30ª rodada do Brasileiro Série B

Data e hora:28 de setembro de 2023, às 19 horas (de Brasília)
Estádio:Estádio Campos Maia, em Mirassol (SP)
Árbitro:Felipe Fernandes de Lima (MG)
Assistentes:Marcia Bezerra Caetano (RO) e Marcyano da Silva Vicente (MG)
VAR:Charly Wendy Straub Deretti (Fifa/SC)
Onde assistir: Sportv e Premiere (pay-per-view).

+ Qual vai ser a capacidade do novo estádio do Santos?

MIRASSOL (Técnico: Mozart Santos)
Alex Muralha; Lucas Ramon, Rodrigo Sam, Luiz Otávio e Guilherme Biro; Neto Moura, Danielzinho, Chico Kim e Gabriel; Negueba e Zé Roberto.

CRB (Técnico: Daniel Paulista)
Diogo Silva; Hereda, Ramon, Fábio Alemão e Guilherme Romão; Falcão, Lucas Lima e João Paulo; Léo Pereira, Renato e Anselmo Ramon.

Jasprit Bumrah is fit and available for the second Test against England, but India are not giving away whether he will play at Edgbaston, given he is likely to feature in only three of the five fixtures in the series.India are also all but certain to play two spinners at Edgbaston, given the patchy grass on the pitch, which is dry underneath. The second spinner, though, could be offspin allrounder Washington Sundar as India seem worried about batting depth.”Bumrah is ready to play,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said two days before the Edgbaston Test. “It’s how we manage these four Tests. So if we feel like there’s value in playing him in this Test, we’ll make that call at the very last minute. I’m talking about weather, how the pitch is going to play, are we better off holding him back for Lord’s and maybe Manchester or The Oval? So it’s all those factors, but you’ve seen him train yesterday, he trained a little bit today. It’s not like he’s not fit to play. It’s just trying to fit those puzzle pieces to get the most out of what we know we do have from him.”The weather forecasts in England are best not taken as gospel, but there is rain predicted on days one, four and five. There is a chance, given the flat nature of pitches in England of late, that the weather might not leave the teams enough time for a result. Keeping that in mind, India could be thinking of preserving Bumrah for later in the series.Related

• Selection in the spotlight as India search for spark at Edgbaston

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• With India trailing, will Jasprit Bumrah play at Edgbaston?

They also believe the dry nature of the pitch brings their slower bowlers into play. “It’s just which two we play,” ten Doeschate said. “And that goes back to juggling the batting depth. All three spinners are bowling very nicely. Washi is batting very nicely. So it’s just which combination do we go with? The allrounder-spinner or the out-and-out spinner? And obviously you have to play the bowling allrounder again.”So there are so many different variables. The wicket has got 11 mils [mm of grass] at the moment, 11 or 12, I can’t remember which of the two, but it’s quite grassy and patchy. It’s quite dry underneath, but there’s also rain forecast for Wednesday, so again trying to weigh up the two options of how we want to go attack-wise, but I’m pretty sure two spinners will play in this Test.”Washington Sundar could be the second spinner•AFP/Getty Images

At the start of the series, captain Shubman Gill had said he was prepared to play four tailenders to go for 20 wickets as cheaply as possible, but ten Doeschate seemed to suggest that was easier said than done. When asked how seriously they considered that option, given the struggles with team balance since the start of the Australia tour, ten Doeschate said: “We have [discussed playing four tailenders]. And when you’re 430 for 3, it’s absolutely fine, but when you’re 200 for 5, it’s a very different ball game.”So, in terms of managing the strategy there, we’re looking at each bowler individually, what we feel they can get wickets wise, and then it’s just trying to balance up and trying to calculate as best you can what the best chance of getting into the Test match, but you need 20 wickets. So the attacking part is obviously finding someone who can get wickets as well, and we are grappling with that. We don’t stop talking about that. We’re trying to figure it out.”

Reddy ‘very close to getting a game’

After Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped three catches at Headingley, India rejigged their slip cordon during their practice sessions in Birmingham. The first three slips were the same – Karun Nair, KL Rahul and Gill – but Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy alternated at fourth slip and gully. Ten Doeschate said the change had nothing to do with Headingley but was about developing all-round fielders, freeing Jaiswal for short-leg practice. However, he did say Reddy was back in contention. Shardul Thakur, preferred to Reddy in Leeds, ended up bowling only 16 overs and didn’t contribute with the bat.Nitish Kumar Reddy has a chat with Morne Morkel•Getty Images

“He’s [Reddy] very close to getting a game,” ten Doeschate said. “Obviously, he was fantastic in Australia, coming into the team and playing the way he did. We just felt that on balance, for the last game, we wanted to go with the bowling allrounder, which we thought Shardul was slightly ahead on the bowling front. We’re looking at ways of rejigging the puzzle here so we can get a batting allrounder in and obviously Nitish is our premium batting allrounder at the moment. So I would say he’s a very good chance to play this Test.”Not having a proper seam-bowling allrounder has been a headache for India, who have not had success juggling batting depth and bowling penetration. The unfortunate condition of Bumrah playing only three Tests due to workload management complicates the issue. When asked whether there was a temptation to play Bumrah at Edgbaston because 2-0 can be extremely difficult to come back from, ten Doeschate said: “It is, but we also feel we can go 1-1 or keep the score at 1-0 without Jasprit, and then again, that’s putting the eggs in the back end of the series. We’re going to need him at some stage as well. You have got to decide when you’re going to play your strongest suit.”And that’s what I was talking about the weather and all that, but we feel that whatever we put out there, we can compete in this Test match, and you know, we came pretty close without Jasprit in the second innings when he didn’t get any wickets, and you can’t win the Test series with just one bowler in any case, and the bowlers are very well aware they need to chip in with wickets. Sorry, I can’t give you a more firm answer, but we’ll work out in the next 48 or 24 hours how we’re going to manage Jasprit.”

Australia international smites rapid fifty before taking key wickets to undermine Hampshire chase

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-Jun-2025Grace Harris announced herself on the 2025 Vitality Blast with a blistering half-century and three wickets as Surrey made it two from two with a 32-run win over Hampshire at the Kia Oval.Hot off the plane the Australia international smashed 63 in 35 balls with four sixes and five fours. Harris shared half-century stands with Danni Wyatt-Hodge (62 from 41) and Paige Scholfield (49 from 18) – all this after Wyatt-Hodge and skipper Bryony Smith (33) posted 73 for the opening wicket.The fearsome onslaught carried Surrey to 213 for 4, Freya Davies taking 2 for 36 for the visitors, who rued four dropped catches and a bungled run-out attempt of Harris when she’d made just 1.Hampshire’s chase was heroic, led by Ella McCaughan’s classy 81, and supported by 29 from skipper Georgia Adams, but Harris (3-18) dismissed both in the space of three balls to cap a stunning debut as the Hawks finished on 181 for 8.After a sedate start, Smith blasted three sixes in quick succession, while Wyatt-Hodge, following a shaky series against West Indies for England, also cleared the ropes.Wyatt-Hodge was dropped twice on 30 and 35 before Smith holed out at midwicket off opposing skipper Adams. Harris should have gone soon afterwards when confusion left both batters at the same end, but a poor throw was fumbled by wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby and Harris was reprieved.She duly cashed in, raising Surrey’s hundred with six over mid-on, while Wyatt-Hodge was missed for a third time by Mary Taylor – a tough caught and bowled – before reaching 50 from 35 balls. The England opener eventually fell to a catch off Davies, but Harris forged on, two more maximums taking her to 50 from 27 balls.And while her innings ended tamely from a paddle to short fine leg, Schofield took up the baton with three sixes of her own, the last from the final ball of the innings to finish one short of 50.In-form Maia Bouchier began the chase with a straight six before holing out to a catch on the fence before the first over was done. Charlie Knott, too, flickered briefly and although she cut Tilly Corteen-Coleman into the hands of Wyatt-Hodge at cover, the visitors were 64 for 2 after six.Freya Kemp nicked one from Stonehouse through to wicketkeeper Kira Chathli and a maiden from Phoebe Franklin further cranked up the pressure. But McCaughan kept up the breathless chase, crisp driving and sweeping taking her to a polished fifty complete with 10 fours and Franklin spilt a skier to reprieve Adams as the tension mounted.With rain falling the 50-partnership came up in 33 balls and 85 were needed from the last seven.Smith failed to cling on to a tough chance at mid-off with McCaughan on 65, but Harris had her caught and bowled for 81 and when Adams perished two balls later to a stunning catch by Schofield, Hampshire were destined to fall short.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League was always going to be a challenging one for Leeds United after they won the second tier title in the 2024/25 campaign.

In the last two seasons, all six of the newly-promoted teams have been instantly relegated from the Premier League after coming up from the Championship, which illustrates how big the gap between the two divisions is.

Daniel Farke and the board knew that the squad would have to undergo some changes during the summer transfer window to give the club a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.

With a haul of eight points after seven matches, it is fair to say that it currently looks like the 49ers did good work in the window by signing the likes of Anton Stach, Sean Longstaff, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Noah Okafor, among others.

Because of the step up in quality and physicality in the Premier League, some of the players who were instrumental for Farke in the Championship have found themselves falling down the pecking order.

One example of that is central midfielder Ao Tanaka, who is currently out of the starting XI and does not look like breaking into it any time soon.

Why Ao Tanaka is not a starter for Leeds

The Japan international was a star for the West Yorkshire outfit in the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign after his permanent move from Fortuna Düsseldorf in the summer of 2024.

Tanaka nailed down a place in the middle of the park, next to Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rothwell, or Ilia Gruev, to end the campaign with 37 starts in 43 appearances, per Sofascore.

The 27-year-old star was a midfield metronome for the Whites. He ranked within the top 2% of central midfielders in the league for pass accuracy (89.2%) and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90 (7.03), per FBref, which shows that he was incredibly reliable and progressive in possession.

Unfortunately, though, the step up in physicality in the Premier League appears to have been too much for the midfielder to deal with, as he has struggled physically and defensively this season.

Tackles

1

Bottom 4%

Duels won

5

Bottom 6%

Duel success rate

23.8%

Bottom 3%

Fouls committed

2

Bottom 24%

Ball recoveries

10

Bottom 32%

Dribbled past

6x

Bottom 10%

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka ranks among the worst midfielders in the division in a host of physical and defensive statistics, losing a whopping 76.2% of his duels.

Per Capology, though, the Japanese whiz is the third-lowest earner in the senior squad on £25k-per-week, which suggests that the Whites can afford to keep him as a back-up option.

Tanaka, who has started two matches in the Premier League this season, may have to settle for being a rotation player for Farke due to his lack of physicality, but his low wages suggest that the club should not be in a rush to move him on from Elland Road.

Meanwhile, there is a Leeds flop who earns more than the Japan international, despite playing fewer minutes, and should be on borrowed time in West Yorkshire.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Illan Meslier has not played a single minute of competitive football in the 2025/26 campaign, and could be on his way out of the club in the not-too-distant future.

Why Leeds need to move on from Illan Meslier

Whilst Tanaka has, at least, started two league games and played in five league matches, the French goalkeeper has not made a single appearance for the club in any competition this season.

Per Capology, Meslier earns £30k-per-week at Elland Road. That is as much as Karl Darlow and Jayden Bogle, and more than Tanaka (£25k-per-week) and Ilia Gruev (£15k-per-week).

The left-footed goalkeeper, per Capology, has earned roughly £7m in wages in his Leeds career, which is due to soar to around £8.5m by the end of the current campaign, on top of the £5m fee that the Whites paid Lorient for his services.

This means that the Leeds flop, who was once dubbed a “massive liability” by journalist David Kent, has rinsed the club for £12m to date, and up to £13.5m by next summer.

The 25-year-old dud was the number one between the sticks for four seasons at Elland Road, including three in the Premier League and one in the Championship, but his underlying data shows that the situation was always heading to where it is now.

23/24 (Championship)

40

-3.1

22/23 (Premier League)

67

-12.4

21/22 (Premier League)

79

-16.2

20/21 (Premier League)

52

-3.4

Meslier consistently underperformed as a shot-stopper for the Whites and it finally cost him when Farke dropped him from the side at the end of the 2024/25 campaign to make Darlow the new number one.

The Wales international started the last seven games of the Championship season, after Meslier made three errors that led to goals (Sofascore), and Leeds won promotion to the Premier League with him in net.

The summer transfer window, as aforementioned, provided the club with an opportunity to bolster their squad and they brought Lucas Perri in from Lyon to start between the sticks.

This meant that Meslier started the current season as the third-choice goalkeeper at Elland Road. Although he is currently on the bench behind Darlow, whilst Perri is injured.

The 25-year-old is in no man’s land in West Yorkshire because Farke has clearly decided, by the signing of Perri and his use of Darlow, that the Frenchman is not a part of his plans moving forward.

That is why Meslier, who has already rinsed the club for £12m during his time at Elland Road to date, is on borrowed time at Leeds and should be moved on during the January transfer window.

Farke struck gold on Leeds star who came from "the school of Haaland"

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