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Former England batter ends playing career at Somerset to forge new beginning in Bristol

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025Fran Wilson, the former World Cup-winning batter, has been named as Gloucestershire Women’s head coach after ending her playing career with Somerset.Wilson, 33, made 64 international appearances across formats between 2010 and 2021, including eight of England’s matches at the 2017 World Cup, en route to their victory over India at Lord’s in the final.She also featured in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, and made the last of her international appearances on England’s tour of New Zealand in February 2021.Domestically, Wilson made her Somerset debut in 2006, before joining Western Storm in 2016, and also represented Gloucestershire in the 2022 and 2023 Vitality Women’s County T20 competitions while developing her coaching skills through the county’s Girls Emerging Players Programme.In the course of her career, she also represented Sunrisers, Middlesex, Kent, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Welsh Fire, Trent Rockets, Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix.Now, she will be taking full-time charge of Gloucestershire in Tier 2 of the new women’s county structure, having worked with the first team on a consultancy basis during the 2025 season.”I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to now step into that journey fully,” Wilson said, “especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time.”We all want results, but the real goal is to build sustainable success and to put the foundations in place that allow us to compete and thrive as a Tier 1 Club.”A huge part of my role is about building those foundations from the first team right through to the age groups, having a genuine influence across that pathway.”By developing the resources we already have in the county and creating a strong network and structure around the players, I believe we can achieve long-term success.”Jon Lewis, Director of Cricket at Gloucestershire Cricket, added: “Everyone at Gloucestershire is really excited about the appointment of Fran Wilson as Women’s Head Coach.”We went through a thorough recruitment process, and Fran was the standout candidate throughout. With strong roots in cricket across the South West, a deep passion for Bristol and Gloucestershire, and a long-standing connection with the Club, that understanding of the region was an important factor for us.”Fran demonstrated an exceptional range of qualities during the process and this marks a hugely significant appointment in an area where we have serious ambition. It also comes at the start of a landmark year for the Club, with Bristol set to host England Women v India in May, followed by six matches during next summer’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June.”An outstanding playing career, a history of success at both club and international level and a deep understanding of elite performance make this an appointment we are extremely proud of. The environment Fran will build will be welcoming, driven and true to the ‘Gloucestershire way’.”Our aim is to provide the best possible environment for our players to learn and develop and we believe Fran is the ideal person to lead that journey.”

Spinners have thrived in Guwahati, taking 33 of the 44 wickets that have fallen at the venue so far in this World Cup

Sruthi Ravindranath09-Oct-20253:00

Amelia Kerr: NZ wary of spin-heavy Bangladesh

Big Picture: NZ under the pumpTwo matches in, New Zealand are already at risk of playing catch-up in the Women’s World Cup. Two brilliant innings from captain Sophie Devine haven’t been able to save them as they lost to Australia and South Africa. That makes them one of two winless teams in this tournament.New Zealand hadn’t played an ODI in six months prior to the World Cup. The rust has shown: before losing to Australia and South Africa, they suffered defeats in their warm-up games against India and India A. Apart from Devine, who has contributed 42% of New Zealand’s runs in the tournament so far, the batters have struggled for fluency and the bowling has lacked bite. Against South Africa, they also let themselves down in the field with seven misfields, a reflection of a team that has looked undercooked.Bangladesh, in contrast, are on the rise. They stunned Pakistan, pushed England hard, and are brimming with belief. Their batting hasn’t quite clicked, but their bowlers have done the job with Marufa Akter consistently striking with the new ball and the spinners keeping a tight leash through the middle overs. With Brooke Halliday the only left-hander in the batting order, New Zealand’s right-hand-heavy line-up could be tested by left-arm spinner Nahida Akter and the legspin duo of Fahima Khatun and Rabeya Khan.They’ve never beaten New Zealand in ODIs, having lost both their completed games by a big margin in 2022. But with spin expected to play a big role in Guwahati on Friday, Bangladesh will be keen to use the conditions to their advantage. Unlike New Zealand, they have already played a game at this venue in the World Cup.Form Guide
Bangladesh LWLLW (last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LLWWLSuzie Bates is yet to open her account in this World Cup•ICC via Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Fahima Khatun and Suzie BatesFahima Khatun was near unplayable against England on Tuesday, returning remarkable figures of 3 for 16. She dismissed Nat Sciver-Brunt, Emma Lamb, and Sophia Dunkley, and celebrated each wicket with her trademark jig. Fahima’s slow, loopy legspin tied England down; she conceded just one boundary in 60 balls. She also had Heather Knight caught at cover, but the low catch was ruled not out by the TV umpire, a pivotal moment that arguably swung the game.New Zealand have missed the runs from Suzie Bates from the top of the order, who will be coming into this match off two consecutive ducks. She struggled to score off her first eight balls against Australia, eventually falling to left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, while she fell for a golden duck against South Africa to Marizanne Kapp. She will need to find a way to see off a red-hot Marufa, who’s coming off four wickets in two games.Team news: Is Mair fit and ready?Bangladesh are unlikely to change their combination unless there’s a last-minute injury or illness. Marufa, who bowled only five overs against England and was off the field with cramps, is “fit and ready” for Friday’s game, Nahida said at the press conference.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Rubya Haider, 2 Sharmin Akhter, 3 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 4 Sobhana Mostary, 5 Mst Ritu Moni, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Sanjida Akter MeghlaNew Zealand assistant coach Craig McMillan had said that right-arm quick Rosemary Mair was “close to fitness” before their previous fixture against South Africa. If she’s fit, New Zealand may bring her in for Jess Kerr.New Zealand (probable): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr/Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree IllingPitch and conditions: Spin to winSpinners have taken 75% of the wickets (33 out of 44 total wickets) in the three matches in Guwahati so far this World Cup. There is a possibility of a rain-interrupted start.Stats and Trivia: Tahuhu gears up for 100th ODINew Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu will be playing her 100th ODI on Friday.Marufa Akter has eight wickets in the powerplay this year, the second most by a bowler in women’s ODIs. Brooke Halliday is 57 runs away from 1000 ODI runs. She will become the 18th New Zealand batter to the feat.Quotes”There has been quite a bit of turn and bounce in the nets, which is exciting for my bowling. But on the other hand with batting, it’s just being really disciplined in the best way to play spin. We know with Bangladesh, they’ve, I think apart from the opening bowler, they’re a spin-heavy attack and they’ve had a lot of teams in trouble as well throughout this tournament we’ve seen. So, I think being really disciplined with the bat, you have to sum up conditions really quickly and then work out what your best game plan is.”

Lancashire 105 for 0 (Wells 60*, Jennings 36*) trail Middlesex 211 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Aspinwall 4-62, Bailey 4-68) by 106 runsLuke Wells and Keaton Jennings enriched the penultimate evening of the season at Emirates Old Trafford with an unbroken opening stand of 105 but Lancashire’s Rothesay County Championship match against Middlesex looks certain to end in the draw that would almost certainly end the visitors’ chances of promotion.Replying to Middlesex’s 211, a first innings in which Tom Aspinwall and Tom Bailey both took four wickets, Lancashire ended another day shortened by rain and bad light on 105 without loss, with Jennings on 36 not out and Wells unbeaten on 60. However, only 31.4 overs were possible in Manchester on Wednesday and neither side appears to have a credible chance of forcing a win, even if Thursday’s weather permits a full 96 overs’ play. So far 210 overs have been lost in this match.Heavy rain overnight and throughout the morning left the Emirates Old Trafford outfield saturated but after two inspections play got under way at three o’clock and Lancashire’s bowlers took only 6.4 overs to take the two wickets they needed to end Middlesex’s first innings.Tom Aspinwall had Zafar Gohar caught at long leg by substitute fielder Will Williams for 25 and then Henry Brookes followed for two in Aspinwall’s next over when he edged a cut to Matty Hurst behind the stumps. That left Aspinwall with figures of four for 62 while Tom Bailey finished with four for 68.Left with a possible 34 overs in which to bat this evening, Jennings and Wells quickly settled into their work. Wells pulled Toby Roland-Jones towards the party stand for six and Lancashire were 44 without loss at tea.In the evening session, Wells played with even greater fluency levying maximums off both Seb Morgan and Zafar Gohar, reaching his fifty off 71 balls and ending the day just 25 runs of a thousand in first-class cricket this season. Jennings requires another 67 runs to reach the same mark but it is also a reflection of Lancashire’s recent problems that this was only the county’s second century partnership for the first wicket in the last 47 innings, a record stretching back to the end of 2023.Middlesex came into this match lying fourth in the table, 30 points behind second-placed Glamorgan. However, their hopes are almost certain to be scuppered if they fail to win this game and Glamorgan avoid defeat against Derbyshire.

The New York Yankees are adding a veteran pitcher to the organization, having agreed to sign former Los Angeles Dodgers standout Kenta Maeda to a minor-league contract, according to a report from MLB Japan.

Maeda, 37, has spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Tigers, spending time in both MLB and the minor leagues. In 2025, he's made just seven appearances for the Tigers, logging a 7.88 ERA with eight strikeouts and six walks in 8.0 innings. He started 17 games last season and has a 6.09 ERA.

In his prime, Maeda was a reliable mid-rotation starter. In his best season in 2020, when he was with the Minnesota Twins, the Japan native finished as the runner-up for the American League Cy Young, losing out to Shane Bieber. That season, a shortened 60-game campaign due to the outbreak of COVID-19, he had a 2.70 ERA with 80 strikeouts and 10 walks across 66 2/3 innings and 11 starts.

It's not clear if the Yankees intend to bring Maeda to the Bronx, though he figures to start out in the minor leagues for the time being.

Saudi Pro League chief executive Omar Mugharbel has confirmed that Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah has emerged as a transfer target amid uncertainty over his future at Anfield. Salah has sparked speculation about a potential winter move away from Anfield by giving an explosive interview in which he was critical of the club and manager Arne Slot after being benched for the third game in a row.

• Salah facing uncertain future at Liverpool

  Salah made his unhappiness at Liverpool crystal clear when he spoke to reporters after being benched yet again for the trip to Leeds last time out in the Premier League. The club legend told reporters he felt he had been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and that he has been left "very, very disappointed" at being repeatedly overlooked by Slot. Salah's comments have drawn criticism from former defender Jamie Carragher, while manager Slot has admitted he does not know if the Egypt international will play for the club again. The Dutchman left Salah out of Liverpool's next game against Inter in the Champions League and there's no guarantee he will feature on Saturday against Brighton in the Premier League. Saturday's fixture represents Salah's last before he joins up with Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations squad for the 2026 tournament in Morocco.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Saudi Pro League chief reacts to Salah talk

  The saga has already fuelled speculation that Salah could depart Merseyside and make a lucrative move to the Middle East. Mugharbel has reacted to such talk at the World Football Summit in Riyadh and admitted the Liverpool forward could be heading for Saudi Arabia. He said: "Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure Salah is one of them [a target]."

• 'Absolutely convinced' – Huge Salah claim made

  Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad have already emerged as possible destinations for Salah, according to , with a source telling the newspaper they are confident the Egypt star can be tempted away from the Premier League. “We are absolutely convinced that Mo Salah will come to Saudi. No doubts about it. We don’t know if it will be January, in the next market, or next summer,” a senior figure said.

  Superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane and N'Golo Kante have already been lured to the Saudi Pro League, and the hope is that Salah could be the next big name to make the switch.

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• Van Dijk shares update on Salah

  Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was quizzed on Salah's future after the team's Champions League win over Inter but admits he does not know what will happen next. He told Sky Sports: "We all know what’s going on, but I think the outside world makes it what it is, bigger than ever. We just have to deal with the fact that we had a big game tonight, that everyone had to be ready for, and we have another big game at the weekend. Whatever happens, we’ll see. Nothing more, nothing less.

  "Of course I spoke to him. [What I said is] none of anyone’s business. Of course. I’ve been with Mo for such a long time. He’s been a big part of my success that I’ve had at the club. He’s a big part of the club’s success, I’m a big part of his success. We’ve all been doing it together at Liverpool. The reality is that he’s going away on the weekend. Hopefully he has an amazing Africa Cup of Nations. In the meantime. I have no idea what will happen. [I hope he returns to play for Liverpool] 100%. But I’m not a decision-maker here. It’s a decision between the club and Mo. Whatever happens, we are friends. We’ve been through highs and lows. Let’s see. Let’s see what it brings."

Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign a centre-back who’s having a “monstrous” season, amid a new update on Marc Guehi’s future.

Guehi underlines his importance to Palace once again

Palace are under no illusions as to just how important Guehi is, having cancelled their captain’s move to Liverpool on deadline day, and he once again put in a top performance against Fulham last time out.

The Eagles bounced back from the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United by securing a late 2-1 win at Craven Cottage, with the centre-back scoring a late winner and receiving a 7.9 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player.

The 25-year-old has been a real threat going forward in the Premier League this season, having found the back of the net twice and chipped in with three assists, with his latest goal sending Oliver Glasner’s side up to fourth in the table.

However, according to a new update from TEAMtalk, Guehi is set to either leave for a cut-price fee in the January transfer window or on a free transfer in the summer, and Crystal Palace have now identified Lens’ Samson Baidoo as a potential replacement.

Baidoo’s stand-out performances in Ligue 1 this season is one of the reasons Lens have defied expectations and currently sit top of the table, meaning he has now attracted the attention of a number of clubs, with West Ham United also keen.

Lens have the second-best defensive record in Ligue 1 this season, and the 21-year-old has also impressed on an individual basis, exhibiting plenty of signs that he could be a shrewd addition for the Eagles…

Baidoo enjoying "monstrous" season in Ligue 1

Journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos has been extremely impressed by the youngster’s showings since moving to Ligue 1 in the summer, lauding him as a “beast”, while also stating the starlet is having a “monstrous” season and may not be at Lens for long.

Related Crystal Palace keen on £11m "absolute star" wanted by two Champions League clubs

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The Austrian has proven himself from a defensive point of view over the past year, while also, much like Guehi, catching the eye going forward, which suggests he could be a like-for-like replacement for the England international.

Samson Baidoo’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Non-penalty goals

0.12 (94th percentile)

Assists

0.06 (85th percentile)

Blocks

1.88 (97th percentile)

Tackles

1.94 (84th percentile)

The Graz-born defender is enjoying a fantastic debut campaign in Ligue 1, which suggests he may soon be ready to test himself in the Premier League, but Lens should be in a strong negotiating position, as the starlet is under contract until 2030.

Of course, Crystal Palace will be very reluctant to see Guehi leave, and with Glasner’s side making a push for Europe, they shouldn’t sanction a January departure, but Baidoo could be a fantastic replacement next summer.

Will Rangers be busy in the January transfer window?

Well, new manager Danny Röhl will certainly demand that they are, having taken over a complete mess, following Russell Martin’s short but ill-fated tenure.

Well, after spending around £30m on 13 new recruits in the summer, Rangers reported annual losses of £14.8m in their latest accounts on Friday, despite seeing revenue increase to £94.1m, a club record.

Despite this, the club are still expected to be busy in the January transfer window, but sporting director Kevin Thelwell will be tasked with finding gems in the market, so has one already been identified?

Rangers' search for a new attacker

One of Rangers’ many issues this season so far has been a lack of attacking firepower.

Across all competitions, only captain James Tavernier and Djeidi Gassama have scored more than three goals, with youngster Findlay Curtis and Danilo the only players on three.

Thus, according to a report in Kazakhstan, Rangers are attempting to sign winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek.

They note that “negotiations began” between his representatives and the Glasgow-based giants, while Dundee United and Aberdeen as well as clubs in Slovakia, Russia, Greece are also in the race.

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So, could he soon become the first Kazakh player to represent Rangers, with Kazakhstan thereby becoming the 67th different nationality represented at Ibrox?

What Galymzhan Kenzhebek would bring to Rangers

Despite the fact he is only 22 years old, Galymzhan Kenzhebek has had something of a journeyman career to date.

After bouncing around various Kazakh clubs including Kairat Almaty, a name that’ll send a shudder down the spine of any Celtic fan, and then did something few of his compatriots do by venturing abroad, enjoying stints with Akritas Chlorakas​​​​​​​ in Cyprus and Košice in Slovakia.

He did return home in June, joining Yelimay Semey, for whom he was on fire, scoring six goals in his final nine Kazakh Premier League appearances before the season concluded on 26 October, firing his team up to fourth, thereby qualifying for a major UEFA competition for the first time ever.

However, by the time they play that historic Conference League qualifier in August, it seems unlikely that Kenzhebek will still call Semey home.

The Rangers Journal labels him a “very pacy and direct” winger, also praising his “goal-scoring instincts” and outlining that he is a high-volume winger who “loves to just get the ball and commit defenders”.

Meantime, Kai Watson was also impressed, noting that he is a “quality ball carrier” and could add quality to the Rangers squad at a pretty low price.

Well, as well as starring for his club, Kenzhebek has also made the breakthrough at international level this year too.

He scored his first-ever international goal at the Borisov Arena against Belarus in a friendly in June, before netting twice during a 4-0 demolition of Liechtenstein last month, thereby starting each of Kazakhstan’s last six World Cup qualifiers, including Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Belgium, a famous point, a match Nicolas Raskin also started.

So, could Kenzhebek replicate Daizen Maeda’s success from across the city?

Well, when the Japanese international arrived at Celtic from Yokohama F. Marinos on a bargain deal in January 2022, he was a complete unknown, but his skillset sounds very reminiscent​​​​​​​ to that of Kenzhebek, as a pacey forward who typically operates off the left flank.

While an “inconsistent finisher” right now in the view of Watson – much like the at-times erratic Maeda was when he arrived in Glasgow – Rangers will hope their potential new recruit can go on to eventually prove equally as clinical in Glasgow derbies.

Hibernian

15

7

Kilmarnock

13

7

Hearts

12

6

Livingston

7

6

Rangers

22

5

Motherwell

12

5

Aberdeen

11

5

St Johnstone

10

5

Ōita Torinīta

6

5

So, while Kenzhebek is not proven at an elite level, he is seemingly worth the risk and, at a low fee, could prove to be a masterstroke in recruitment?

Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers

With Danny Röhl in need of defensive reinforcements, could Rangers sign an “aggressive” £8m-valued star better than John Souttar and Nasser Djiga?

ByBen Gray Nov 20, 2025

Allrounder also takes two wickets as concerted bowling display helps set up return to Finals Day

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay06-Sep-2025Lancashire Lightning are through to Finals Day and – 10 years on from their first – will get the chance to win a second Vitality Blast title next Saturday having beaten Kent Spitfires by three wickets chasing 154 in an engaging Emirates Old Trafford quarter-final.England fringe fast bowler Luke Wood struck with the first ball of a contest which saw the Spitfires scramble to 153 all out in 20 overs, the left-armer finishing with an excellent 3 for 29.No Kent batter reached 30 and they were unable to deny a Lightning side also including star man Liam Livingstone, James Anderson and Phil Salt a 10th Finals Day appearance.Like Wood, fellow England international Livingstone was key to Lancashire’s victory in front of a 12,000-plus crowd. Having returned 2 for 21 from four overs of spin, he helped recover their chase from 5 for 2 with a brilliantly destructive 85 not out off 45 balls with seven sixes. The hosts won with nine balls remaining.Livingstone is the only member of this Lancashire team to have won the Blast in 2015.Lightning made the perfect start, as Wood had Tawanda Muyeye caught at mid-off with the first ball of the match. It was the second time he had struck with the first ball of an innings in this campaign.Kent then scored runs at a decent rate but lost wickets at key moments. Daniel Bell-Drummond miscued Anderson to backward point, Zak Crawley was caught behind having gloved a pull at Jack Blatherwick and Livingstone’s first ball ousted a sweeping Sam Billings caught at deep square leg, leaving the score at 71 for 4 in the ninth over.Joe Denly had started nicely, including lofting Blatherwick’s first ball for six over long-off. But he also fell – on 28 – to strengthen Lancashire’s grip at 81 for 5 after 10 overs, miscuing a similar shot to long-off against Tom Hartley’s left-arm spin.The trend continued. Joey Evison muscled sixes off the spinners but fell for 27 to a smart boundary catch at long-off from Wood off Livingstone with the score on 115 in the 15th.Grant Stewart also hit two sixes in a brisk 25 before playing on to Tom Aspinwall, who struck twice with his seamers. And Kent had to try and bat the overs out, which they did. Still, their total had the feeling of being well short after Wood struck twice in the last over to remove Fred Klaassen and Nathan Gilchrist caught at deep midwicket.But visiting hopes were raised as they reduced the Lightning to 5 for 2 inside two overs of the chase as Stewart’s seam had Salt caught at deep backward square leg pulling and Klaassen’s left-armers forced Luke Wells to play on off his thigh pad.Klaassen was superb for 3 for 14 from four overs.Livingstone, on 15, top-edged a pull at Gilchrist into the back of his neck shortly afterwards and underwent a concussion check but carried on.He lost captain Keaton Jennings caught on the scoop against the outstanding pace of Klaassen – 31 for 3 in the fifth over – before taking the sting out of the situation in dynamic fashion.He took on the legspin of former county colleague Matthew Parkinson, three times smashing him over long-on for six in the ninth over as he reached his first fifty of this season’s Blast off 25 balls and took the score to 84 for 3.Experienced Australian Ashton Turner holed out off Evison almost immediately afterwards, but Kent desperately needed Livingstone’s wicket.It didn’t arrive, and even Parkinson getting Michael Jones for 28 off 16 balls and Hartley in the 14th over, leaving Lancashire 118 for 6, wasn’t enough to turn the game.Livingstone hammered Parkinson over long-on – and over The Point conference building – for six more, and his knock confirmed that Lancashire will play Somerset or Birmingham Bears in the semi-final at Edgbaston.

Arsenal are well-stocked all over the pitch and boast one of the finest squad depths in England, yet they continue to be linked with high-profile transfers ahead of January.

Arsenal overcome Brentford to go five points clear

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their commanding lead at the Premier League summit with a professional 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory extended their unbeaten streak to an incredible 18 matches across all competitions, with Arteta seriously rotating his squad following a recent demanding triple-header against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze were all rested from the starting lineup, but the Gunners’ strength in depth showed with Ben White and Noni Madueke combining brilliantly down the right throughout.

The opener arrived early on when White delivered an inviting cross that found Mikel Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Spaniard, who Arteta never expected to be the proficient going forward, has now netted 21 times in 2025 for club and country, showcasing his remarkable goalscoring form.

Arsenal suffered a blow before the interval when Cristhian Mosquera limped off with an ankle injury, compounding their defensive concerns with both Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined. Timber then replaced the injured defender as Arteta juggled his limited centre-back options.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews introduced Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard and Jordan Henderson from the bench after an hour, while Arteta countered by bringing on Saka and Eze.

Arsenal controlled proceedings but missed several opportunities to seal the contest earlier.

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To add further injury worry after Mosquera, Arsenal’s arguable player of the season, Declan Rice, departed late with a calf problem, with Arteta now sweating over his fitness ahead of a hectic Christmas schedule and the clash with Aston Villa.

Saka finally made the points safe in stoppage time, latching onto Merino’s perfectly weighted pass before finishing past Kelleher despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort.

Given Arsenal’s injury curse which has plagued them since last season, sporting director Andrea Berta will be attentive to any unmissable transfer market opportunities.

Enter Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is reportedly up for sale this winter after playing a bit-part role under Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo expresses wish to join Arsenal as agents open talks

Arsenal have already been linked with a move for the Brazil international heading into January, following exploratory talks over a deal last summer.

The 24-year-old has managed just three La Liga starts this term, making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench, with Rodrygo believed to be in the process of finding a new club.

That is according to TEAMtalk and reporter Graeme Bailey, who also state that Rodrygo has ‘expressed a wish’ to join Arsenal among four other Premier League sides he’s also interested in.

Crucially, though, the ex-Santos star’s agents have apparently reopened talks with Arteta’s side, who also ‘pushed hardest’ to sign him in the summer window.

However, Arsenal will need a minimum £70 million to strike a deal, with a loan appearing unlikely as things stand.

Berta and co, meanwhile, are believed to be monitoring his situation closely, which isn’t hard to see why given their bad luck with injuries, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

The latter wingers are both out of contract in under two years, and with no sign of an extension for either, Arsenal need to think about long-term succession planning.

Rodrygo’s £282,000-per-week salary would put him in line with Arsenal’s highest earners, so it is an expensive transfer to pull off beyond just his club fee.

That being said, Rodrygo is also a player of proven quality, having racked up 68 goals and 53 assists in under 300 appearances for Los Blancos.

The 2025/26 season has been one full of inconsistency for Newcastle United. Whether it be on the field or in the treatment room, they cannot seem to string a positive period together.

After drawing 2-2 in last-gasp fashion with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday evening, it meant that Eddie Howe’s men have not won back-to-back games since the end of October.

In the Premier League, they are yet to win consecutive fixtures all campaign long. This cannot go on forever and sooner rather than later, the Magpies are going to need to sustain a period of form.

They have, of course, been hampered by Alexander Isak’s departure but in their bid to replace the iconic Swede, they have not been helped by Yoane Wissa. Signed from Brentford, the DR Congo striker is yet to be seen in the famous black and white stripes due to injury.

That said, he is nearing a return. Perhaps the former Bees forward could be the man to spark some extra life in this Newcastle team.

The tactical tweaks Eddie Howe needs to make at Newcastle

To cut Howe some slack, he has not been helped out by a number of his chief lieutenants this season.

In the last few weeks, Nick Pope has become something of a calamity between the sticks and even if he is now injured, it would not be a surprise to see Aaron Ramsdale replace Newcastle’s no.1 long-term. That feels like a necessary change if they are to improve at the back.

The defence has not been helped by injury either. Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have both missed games and if Howe can now keep the English duo injury-free, they will be key to any improvement Newcastle make in the future.

Hall, in particular, has been outstanding since returning. He was hailed as the “best player on the field” against Spurs by BBC North East correspondent Andy Sixsmith and looks every bit a left-back who should be in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad next summer.

Hall’s return has led to one key tactical tweak. Dan Burn is no longer playing at left-back. In that position, he had floundered and flattered to deceive, notably described as “the stuff of nightmares” in that role.

It’s in midfield and up top where Howe has struggled to find the most consistency. Summer arrival Anthony Elanga is still without a goal since arriving and Wissa’s injury problems are well-documented.

Anthony Gordon is arguably in the worst form of his Toon career too, scoring just once in nine league outings throughout 2025/26. It’s just as well they also have Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes to choose from in wide areas.

Gordon has been one of the biggest scapegoats of the ongoing campaign but there’s a bigger one in the middle of the park and it’s time for Howe to drop him to the bench.

Newcastle's long-term servant must no longer start regularly

This has been a hugely frustrating season for the likes of Elanga and Gordon but it’s arguably been a worse one for Joelinton, whose performances in the middle of the park are waning.

Signed as a striker by Steve Bruce in a then club-record deal, Howe has worked wonders with the Brazilian, turning him into a no-nonsense midfielder who loves a duel.

He’s been one of the most important components of Howe’s squad throughout the year, delivering his ‘greatest performance’ for the club during that League Cup win at Wembley last term.

Since then, however, it’s been a tale of woe for the former Hoffenheim man. Excusing his first term in England, this is arguably his worst since moving from Germany.

Chalkboard

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In the words of journalist Mark Douglas in mid-October, he has been “nowhere near his best” in recent memory, leading to sections of the fanbase calling for him to be dropped from the XI.

He remained on the bench in the defeat to Marseille in Europe but has started the last three league games. His form, however, is not getting much better.

Journalist Charlie Bennett noted that Joelinton was “very sloppy” on the ball during Newcastle’s 2-2 draw with Spurs on Tuesday. The club’s number seven lost the ball 11 times out of 49 touches and had a pass accuracy of only 83%.

Minutes played

90

Touches

49

Accurate passes

29/35 (83%)

Key passes

1

Crosses

0

Shots

1

Dribbles

0

Possession lost

11x

Duels won

3/12

Judging by recent performances, which have been gritty but lacking composure, the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willock must be wondering what they need to do to start more games.

There is no dislodging the likes of Sandro Tonali and skipper Bruno Guimaraes but there is an extra slot that is being filled, perhaps undeservedly, by Joelinton.

Willock, signed from Arsenal in a deal worth £25m has barely been seen this term. He’s fallen behind in the pecking order and the days of him running riot during that famous loan spell are now a distant memory.

Likewise for Ramsey. He joined from Aston Villa in the summer for a whopping £40m and even if he has struggled with injury, he should now be starting more matches.

The fact that error-prone Joelinton is starting ahead of them on a regular basis should leave the pair rather angry. Newcastle needed some extra drive and the ability to hold onto possession. Ramsey, in particular, with his ability to surge through midfield, could have offered this against Spurs.

Lewis Miley has started the odd game recently and was one of their best players in the win over Everton last weekend. Even he had a right to be fuming that Joelinton has started more games than him.

It’s time for a regular spot on the bench for the big Brazilian.

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