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Newcastle United have bounced back from Alexander Isak’s troubling departure this summer with ease.

Banking Eddie Howe’s Toon an eye-watering £125m when ditching Tyneside for Liverpool, it’s clear that Isak wasn’t cut out for the pressures of such an expensive move straight away, with only one goal coming his way at Anfield to date.

On the contrary, Nick Woltemade – who entered the building in a last-ditch summer move for £69m – has looked ready-made for the pressures of being Newcastle’s main marksman from minute one of his arrival, with the goalscoring prowess he became known for in the Bundesliga immediately following him to English shores.

Woltemade's fantastic start at Newcastle

Often, it takes a goalscoring machine from a European league plenty of time to settle into their groove when getting used to what is expected of them in the Premier League.

In Woltemade’s case, however, the goals have just continued to flow, with the 6-foot-6 menace joining Howe’s ranks off the back of a blistering 17-goal season on the books of Stuttgart.

In total, Woltemade already has five goals next to his name from just ten Newcastle appearances, with journalist Zach Lowy’s previous billing of the Bremen-born striker as being a “ridiculous” finisher of chances clear for all to see at St James’ Park.

Indeed, the 23-year-old’s four-goal tally in the Premier League alone means his goalscoring frequency in the daunting division sits at every 120 minutes, as the number 27 goes about trying to immortalise himself in the Newcastle hall-of-fame as one of their most devastatingly effective centre-forwards.

It will, of course, take a superhuman effort from Woltemade to ever reach Alan Shearer’s venomous levels in front of goal, with a record-breaking 260 Premier League strikes next to the Magpies icon’s name.

But, he could be on his way to becoming even more clinical if he lines up with this Newcastle assist king more often, with the pair ready to cause widespread havoc together to push their side further up the early league standings.

The Newcastle star who can make Woltemade even better

It’s safe to say that the Germany international is blessed with who he has around him in the attacking positions on Tyneside, with Anthony Gordon capable of bursting into life at a moment’s notice as one of Howe’s many livewires down the left wing, having accumulated 24 assists to date at Newcastle.

Yet, despite this impressive track record, it’s actually Jacob Murphy who might well be the attacking teammate that can take Woltemade to new heights, despite often being thought of as an under-the-radar “unsung hero” at the Premier League giants, according to journalist Scott Wilson.

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752

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1

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It’s clear from taking one glance at the table above that Murphy is the sort of presence that excels when he’s made to feed off scraps, with just 752 minutes of action handed to him this season, resulting in the 30-year-old attacker still being able to pick up a standout four goal contributions.

He would even get the ball rolling for his team last time out against Fulham when he finished under pressure to seal a one-goal lead, with more starts surely coming his way, having been labelled as being “in the form of his life” after his lively afternoon against the Cottagers by Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne.

But, away from his assured nature to fire this fierce effort past Bernd Leno last time out, it’s also his ability to be an effective partner for a lethal striker that will be music to Woltemade’s ears as he attempts to become even deadlier in England.

A large portion of Isak’s 62 goals in Newcastle black and white would come about off the back of a Murphy assist – 11 to be exact – with the German, therefore, hopeful of reaching this tally, and even eclipsing it, knowing he has the “outstanding” number 23, as he was once labelled by ex-Toon forward Craig Bellamy, next to him supplying him with chances galore.

With Anthony Elanga also in reserve, Woltemade should not find it tricky whatsoever in his bid to become the next Shearer-shaped talisman, having already scored four in his first six league games for the Magpies.

For comparison, Shearer’s start to 1996/97 saw him score three times from his first six top-flight appearances for the Tynesiders – albeit while then reaching seven from just his first ten league outings.

Woltemade is then on the right track, with a new fan favourite having emerged at St James’.

Move over Woltemade: Howe has unearthed a new “game-changer” at Newcastle

Newcastle United have unearthed a new game-changer, and it’s not Nick Woltemade.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Leeds United have proved to be more than a match for Premier League football and now have growing confidence they can seal a statement deal at Elland Road in January.

Leeds move forward after pivotal victory over West Ham

Daniel Farke has had his doubters in the top-flight and some reservations will always remain after his previous spell in the division with Norwich City. However, there can be no doubt that he has made the Whites a competitive force at the highest level.

Claiming 11 points inside nine matches, Leeds find themselves in a decent position to kick on after a much-needed victory over West Ham United on Friday, which may be symbolic in a way as the Hammers slide further towards the bottom of the table.

Either way, there is a long way to go and nobody will be getting ahead of themselves. Still, Farke singled out his players for the determination they showed to ensure three points were claimed in front of a raucous home crowd against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

He said, via BBC Sport: “First of all, I’m delighted to take the three points. It is difficult to explain how we were standing there after the last three games with one point. We had much more domination and controlled the performance. We had a difficult week, in terms of illnesses and injuries.

“It was a difficult week for us. You could feel it. We showed passion and bravery. In the last 20 minutes you could feel it was a difficult week. A big fighting spirit, will and passion to bring it over the line.”

Come the January window, Leeds could make a move for Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Issouf Sissoko and may look to his displays in Champions League qualifying matches as an indicator of his potential.

With the engine room a key priority, Farke and company are now said to be growing in confidence that they can sign an experienced international in mid-season.

Leeds could land Piotr Zielinski in January

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Leeds are hoping to sign Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski in January as the Serie A giants are now ‘definitely’ open to sanctioning his departure.

The reporter said: “He was linked with Leeds in the summer window and they were linked with a couple of other midfielders as well. He is well down the pecking order at the San Siro. He’s struggled for game time, had just two starts in the Champions League, so he’s not started a Serie A game.

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Goals

2

Assists

4

“Inter are definitely open to his departure to try and save some money and boost their own transfer coffers. Whether they’ll be able to sell Zielinski to Leeds, that remains to be seen. He’s 31 now, but I still feel he’s got a lot to offer and the player himself would be interested in a move away in January in search of regular first team football. If he’s not going to be getting that at Inter, he will maybe seek a move away.”

In a campaign where he has struggled for starts, the Poland international has still managed to create three chances in 167 minutes of Champions League football, per Fotmob, illustrating his capacity to cause danger.

While his £139,000 per week wages would be an expensive commitment, they are probably not out of the Whites’ budget, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Zielinski were to end up at Elland Road.

Having played 13 internationals across all three forms on the potential, Connolly delivered with a clutch 61 not out to show why he has been so heavily invested in

Alex Malcolm24-Oct-20251:43

Connolly admits being ‘starstruck’ by Rohit and Kohli

Fairly or unfairly, there had been plenty of scepticism from Australian fans about Cooper Connolly.None of it is his fault. But it has bubbled because he has been picked to play for Australia in all three formats on the potential of his skillset more than his output at domestic level. So rare are left-arm spin-bowling allrounders in Australia, in the mould of Ravindra Jadeja, Australia’s selectors eagerly picked him in T20I cricket without a T20 40 and one three-wicket haul, in ODI cricket with just four List A scores of 42, 2, 13, and 11, and three one-wicket hauls, and in Test cricket without a first-class century or a first-class wicket in just four matches. Jadeja, by contrast, had multiple first-class centuries, including a double, and multiple five-wicket hauls before making his international debut for India in any format.Australia’s selectors weren’t the only ones who had gambled on his talent almost sight unseen. Perth Scorchers picked him for a BBL final after three games while Western Australia handed him his first-class debut in a Sheffield Shield final and he delivered with 90 in his maiden innings.Related

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Short, Connolly, Zampa guide Australia to series victory in Adelaide

Josh Hazlewood and the beauty of a wicketless spell

Shreyas Iyer begins new chapter with old stance in Australia

But no such first-time luck followed Connolly into international cricket. Before Thursday, in 13 matches across all forms for Australia he had only batted six times and had reached double figures just once with a top score of 13 in a T20I. One of those innings was a nine-ball duck in the Champions Trophy semi-final where he had been inexplicably asked to open.But all that investment and belief in his talent came to the fore in Adelaide where Connolly, 22, showcased composure beyond his years to deliver a near-flawless 61 not out from 53 balls to guide Australia to a series victory.”I don’t think I’d got to double digits yet [in ODIs],” Connolly said after the match. “It’s always nice to sort of get that breakout innings just to, I guess, feel that I can play at this level.”To get the opportunity and I guess showcase what I can do is nice.”There had been evidence of his talent, and his ability under pressure at BBL level having made a match-winning 25 not out off 13 in a BBL final as a 19-year-old. He was also named joint player of the tournament in last summer’s BBL, albeit through consistent performances rather than eye-catching ones like Mitchell Owen produced.

“I think it was a superb performance. Cooper, especially. Being a youngster coming in, showing so much maturity to finish off the game, that shows a lot of character. And he’s someone I’ve seen even in the India A versus Australia A matches, he was charging on the bowlers and very selective in terms of which bowler to target, so credit where it’s due.”Shreyas Iyer on Cooper Connolly’s innings

He even cast his mind back to that BBL final winning innings on Thursday night to calm his nerves as he steered his country home.”I actually had a moment out there today where I was just thinking about how I felt when I was out there [during the BBL final in 2023],” Connolly said. “To bring myself back down to earth and control my emotions, I like to sing a song to myself.”I started singing between every ball just to relax myself, take myself off the game and try to embrace it as much as possible.”I was a little bit starstruck walking out and Virat and Rohit are there. It’s always nice to challenge yourself with the best opponent.”What he delivered in Adelaide was the fruits of the work he had done on two recent tours of the subcontinent to Sri Lanka with the Test and ODI team in February and to India with Australia A in the last two months.While his batting in Sri Lanka had been skittish, his returns in India showed rapid growth. He scored three half-centuries in five matches across two first-class games and three 50-over matches. That growth was evident when he walked out to face Axar Patel and Washington Sundar with Australia needing 133 from 138 with only six wickets in hand.Unlike Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey, who had perished premeditating on the front foot, Connolly showcased what he had learned on the subcontinent playing deep in the crease off the back foot to rotate the strike early. It forced Axar to press fuller and Connolly caressed him through cover. Axar erred leg side three balls later and Connolly swept him fine without risk for a second boundary in the over.Where Matthew Short, who played well for his 74, should have been caught at point trying to square drive Sundar on the up, Connolly went back to a similar length and line and carved a risk free cut shot to the rope.Cooper Connolly made his maiden ODI half-century•Getty Images”I think that trip in Kanpur was one of the trips that sort of helped me get my game back in some good stead,” Connolly said. “I felt like I hadn’t found the middle of the bat for awhile, and to go out there and play against a pretty good India A attack when we were over there, built some confidence in me leading into this.”He then unfurled three stunning shots off the quicks, scything Harshit Rana through cover, clubbing Mohammed Siraj over cover, and pulling Siraj forward of square before tucking him neatly behind square to bring up a maiden international half-century. None of it was wild swinging. They were calculated, classy shots at critical times. His decision-making and execution was noted post-match by India batter Shreyas Iyer.”Credit where it’s due, I think they played brilliantly,” Iyer said of Connolly’s partnership with Owen. “The way they batted, they rotated their strikes. I think it was a superb performance. Cooper, especially. Being a youngster coming in, showing so much maturity to finish off the game, that shows a lot of character. And he’s someone I’ve seen even in the India A versus Australia A matches, he was charging on the bowlers and very selective in terms of which bowler to target, so credit where it’s due.”Connolly’s bowling is developing too. He took a maiden five-wicket haul against South Africa in August and was under-bowled in Adelaide, having conceded just 11 runs in three overs with 10 dots and only one boundary while Iyer and Rohit Sharma were rolling. Mitch Marsh oddly opted for five overs of offspin from Short and Travis Head that cost 39 runs including four boundaries and only four dots between them.In the context of Australia’s build towards the 2027 World Cup it was a significant performance. Australia had lost seven of their last eight completed ODIs prior to the series starting, including their last three bilateral series and the Champions Trophy semi-final against India. In the wake of the retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell, they have been searching for new blood to stand tall. The performances of Connolly, Short, Owen and Xavier Bartlett were as much a key to Australia’s win as Adam Zampa’s four-wicket haul and Josh Hazlewood’s mesmerising new-ball spell.”I think we’ve got a lot of depth in Australian cricket, and that was showed tonight,” Connolly said. “Obviously with Smudge and Maxi retiring from one-day cricket earlier in the year. There was obviously some room for some younger guys to come through. And it was nice for myself, Shorty, Mitchy, X [Xavier Bartlett], to put our hands up and I guess almost feel like we’re welcome to this stage and being able to play some good cricket now. But there’s a lot of depth in Australian cricket. And I think there’s some positive signs to come.”

Chelsea have decided not to fast-track Emmanuel Emegha’s arrival from Strasbourg despite Liam Delap suffering another significant injury setback, with the club maintaining their long-planned timeline for the striker’s summer 2026 arrival. Delap’s shoulder issue leaves Enzo Maresca short of natural No.9 options, but the Blues remain committed to their original transfer plans.

• Delap's injury won't change Emegha transfer plans

  Chelsea entered the week preparing for their Champions League trip to Atalanta with an unexpected disruption in attack after Delap suffered a nasty shoulder injury in the 0-0 draw at Bournemouth. Delap left the pitch with his right arm supported in a sling, leaving Maresca without one of his two recognised strikers and creating immediate questions about the club’s reinforcement plans heading into January. Although early assessments indicate the issue is “quite bad,” there is not yet a definitive recovery timeline.

  Because of Delap’s absence, speculation quickly grew suggesting Chelsea might accelerate the arrival of Emegha, the Strasbourg forward already pre-signed for next summer. However, the has insisted that Emegha will remain in France until the end of the season as originally agreed, with no intention of altering the transfer schedule. Chelsea believe they have enough cover internally and prefer not to disrupt the development plan set for the 22-year-old Dutch striker.

  Chelsea opted to bring back Marc Guiu from his Sunderland loan back in August after Delap's earlier injury, and the plan is to stick with the former Barcelona star yet again to provide cover for Delap. Guiu replaced the injured Englishman against Bournemouth, with Maresca explaining that the physical nature of the match suited the teenager more than using Joao Pedro as a makeshift centre-forward. As a result, the club does not see the need to adjust their recruitment plans mid-season, even amid another injury blow in attack.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chelsea left short of No.9s after Delap's injury

  The timing of Delap’s injury is particularly disruptive given Chelsea’s need to balance Champions League commitments with Premier League progress. The club has scored in 20 consecutive matches across competitions before the Bournemouth draw, but the stalemate highlighted the fragility of their attacking output when key personnel are absent. Maresca’s forward line now depends heavily on the rotation of Guiu, Pedro, and Pedro Neto, the latter two of whom are not long-term natural fits as a conventional No.9.

  While the decision to keep Emegha at Strasbourg appears firm, Chelsea know they must extract maximum versatility from their existing forwards in the coming months. Neto has operated as a false nine before, however, using him in that role regularly may hinder the team’s balance in wide areas. Pedro remains more effective between the lines, meaning Guiu becomes the most natural option, though the club acknowledges he is still raw and in the early stages of his development.

• AFP
  

  Emegha's move pre-agreed for the summer of 2026

  Emegha’s move to Chelsea was agreed months ago as part of the recruitment network shared between the club and their sister side Strasbourg. The plan is for him to complete the season in France to maximise minutes, given that he is still refining his physical and technical profile, and Chelsea consider a mid-season move potentially damaging to his progress. The Blues believe that arriving during pre-season offers him a much stronger platform to integrate and adapt.

  These developmental considerations remain central to Chelsea’s reluctance to bring him in ahead of time despite the disruption caused by Delap’s injury. The 22-year-old forward has been closely monitored throughout the first half of the Ligue 1 season, and the west Londoners view his steady progression as evidence that sticking to the original timeline is beneficial. At the same time, Chelsea’s hierarchy trusts Maresca’s ability to extract attacking solutions from the current squad.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chelsea to utilise multiple players to cover for Delap

  Chelsea are expected to continue with Guiu, Pedro, and Neto sharing responsibilities in central areas while Delap undergoes further medical assessment in the coming days. Maresca will rotate based on tactical needs, while the availability of Moises Caicedo and other key returnees may help stabilise the team’s overall structure. The manager is likely to offer further updates on squad depth following Tuesday’s Champions League match.

  Attention will soon shift to Everton at Stamford Bridge, where a more traditional attacking setup may be preferred if Guiu continues to meet training expectations. Chelsea will be cautious not to overwork their young forwards amid a packed schedule, especially with Delap facing another potentially lengthy spell out. January discussions will continue internally, but the stance on Emegha appears settled barring an unforeseen change in circumstances.

  Looking ahead, Emegha’s arrival in the summer remains a central part of Chelsea’s evolving forward blueprint, with the club expecting him to compete immediately for significant minutes. Delap’s long-term role will depend on his recovery and ability to stay fit.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy was critical of his bowlers after they lost 2-1 to Bangladesh in the ODI series. Sammy expressed his disappointment at West Indies spinners’ inability to take advantage of pitches that were unusually dark and cracked, and offered variable bounce.Bangladesh’s spinners outbowled West Indies’, taking 27 wickets at an average of 14.66 and economy rate of 3.80. In comparison, the West Indies spinners took 18 wickets at an average of 30.05 and economy rate of 4.39. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and allrounder Roston Chase had disappointing numbers, with even part-timer Alick Athanaze returning better figures than them in the second ODI.Related

• Report – Bangladesh seal rare series win

• Saif and Soumya show mindset to rise above conditions

• Litton Das returns to lead Bangladesh's T20I squad

• Akeal Hosein's Dhaka adventure

Khary Pierre and Akeal Hosein, both coming back to the ODI set-up after long gaps, fared better too. Hosein’s four-wicket haul in the third ODI was West Indies’ only bowling highlight in the series.”[The positive in the ODI series was] probably the batting of Shai Hope – how he continues to put the team on his back every time he faces a challenge,” Sammy said. “He is a leader. He puts the team on his back, but I am really disappointed in the way we bowled. You come to Bangladesh and you know spinners should be licking their lips. That’s the area where you will get to execute your plans and in the most favorable conditions for you. What we displayed over the last three games was very poor, not consistent enough.”Though the conditions were stacked in favour of the spinners, Sammy was all for home advantage.”I will tell you this, I always want to ask for home advantage,” Sammy said. “I can’t tell the Bangladesh team or the authorities what wicket to prepare. I focus on my team having the skillset to counteract whatever comes when they are playing away.”This series was very important for both teams. You are supposed to do what you have to do to win at home. That’s the most important thing. Whether that affects your development going outside of Bangladesh, that’s on them. I just thought my players just didn’t play well throughout the series.”Daren Sammy inspects the Dhaka pitch•AFP/Getty Images

He was also concerned by West Indies’ fielding. “We were poor in all three disciplines,” Sammy said. “I think we dropped six catches. Two didn’t go to hand and one was too wide. We were poor in all the departments today.”Sammy, though, was pleased with Hosein’s return. Back in the ODI team after two years, as a replacement player, Hosein picked up six wickets in two games at an average of 13.66 and economy rate of 4.10.”Massive kudos to Akeal in the manner in which he came up,” Sammy said. “In a team where you have three left-arm spinners and a guy who’s been out for the last two years coming in and outshine them, yes there’s a place for competition.”That’s what you want in a team. You don’t want to select guys because they have nobody else to replace them. You want to select guys because they have competition, and what Akeal did in this series is definitely going to challenge some of the guys who’ve been there.”

It’s understood his vision did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Sep-20256:17

‘Zaheer’s vision wasn’t bought by LSG leadership group’

Lucknow Super Giants’ team mentor Zaheer Khan has parted ways with the franchise after just one season. ESPNcricinfo has learned Zaheer informed LSG of his decision on Thursday.It is understood that the primary reason for Zaheer quitting is that his vision for the franchise did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka. While Zaheer’s relationship with captain Rishabh Pant remained strong, he was affected by the thought process that played a role in LSG sliding down the points table in the second half of IPL 2025.Zaheer had joined LSG in August 2024, filling the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir’s exit after IPL 2023. Zaheer had been with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 and agreed to a two-year contract with LSG, taking charge of scouting, planning and strategy.Related

• Zaheer: Looked like it was Punjab curator at our home game

• Bharat Arun named LSG bowling coach

After making the playoffs in their first two IPL seasons in 2022 and 2023, LSG did not reach the knockouts in the last two seasons. In 2025, they finished seventh with six wins from 14 games. It was a season of contrasting halves: LSG had five wins in their first eight matches but only one in the last six. Of the eight games they played at their home ground, the Ekana Stadium, they won only two.LSG had made headlines at last year’s mega auction when they bought Pant for INR 27 crore (USD 3.2 million approx.), making him the most expensive player ever in the IPL. The team was built around him, but Zaheer put in place building blocks he felt were needed to grow stronger every season. Despite there being a lot of chatter about Pant opening the batting, Zaheer spoke to the wicketkeeper-batter early on and told him that the better strategy would be for Mitchell Marsh to open with Aiden Markram. That strategy, Zaheer impressed on both Pant and the leadership group, would reduce the burden on their best batter, Nicholas Pooran, who was the No. 3.The role clarity allowed the batters to play with freedom and perform consistently. Markram had never opened in the IPL before, while Marsh, despite having been in the IPL for more than a decade, had never made a major impact. The move worked: Marsh was the fifth highest run-getter in IPL 2025 with 627 runs at a strike rate of 163.70, Pooran made 524 runs at 196.25, and Markram 445 at 148.82.

There is a crisis in Bangladesh, and tough decisions need to be taken to reach a long-term solution

Mohammad Isam19-Nov-2024As the world raves about Harry Brook, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kamindu Mendis and Rachin Ravindra, it’s fair to wonder if any young, emerging talent in Bangladesh can be mentioned in the same breath. A few promising batters have broken through to the national team over the last several years, but none of them has put up the consistent numbers that would put him in a list such as that.As a result, Bangladesh are still dependent on three batters who are far from young. Mushfiqur Rahim is now in his 19th season as a Test cricketer. Mominul Haque and Litton Das are of more recent vintage, but are both in their 30s now. Among the slightly younger lot, Najmul Hossain Shanto has hit a rough patch after showing promise last year, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, an allrounder, is widely regarded as the team’s most improved batter.The scariest part is that there hasn’t even been a false dawn. No one has looked the part, the sort that would hold down one position for a length of time.Related

• Bangladesh are used to chaos, but Shanto wants out

• Injured Shanto and Mushfiqur out of West Indies Tests

• Salahuddin hopes to leave his imprint in short stint

• Prolific run-getter Amite close to Bangladesh Test call-up

As for the immediate future, the selectors have picked Shahadat Hossain and Mahidul Islam Ankon as replacements for the injured Mushfiqur and Shanto, who are out of the Test series against West Indies that begins on Friday. Shahadat is making a comeback after failing to impress in his first four Tests, while Mahidul, who made his debut against South Africa last month, is the third-choice wicketkeeper and a back-up batter.Slim pickings then.The 26-year-old Shanto is the best of the younger batters.After making his debut in 2017, it took him four years to find a regular spot in the team. Even then, it was only in 2023 that he found a regular spot in the Test side. He has the ability to score all around the wicket, with his punches and drives through the off side the main barometers of his confidence and rhythm.But just when he was establishing himself, the BCB decided to reward him. They made Shanto Bangladesh’s Test captain in November 2023. He started well with a century in the Test win against New Zealand in Sylhet, but it has been downhill from that point. After enjoying his best year as a batter in 2023, scoring three hundreds and averaging in the 50s, his form nosedived: this year, he has scored 317 runs at 21.13, with just the one fifty in 15 innings.The situation came to a head when, in the middle of the South Africa series last month, Shanto informed the BCB that he wanted to quit the captaincy. The BCB convinced him to continue in the role, and he was named captain for the Afghanistan ODIs and the West Indies Tests.Has captaincy played a role in Najmul Hossain Shanto’s dwindling returns?•Associated PressOne reason for Shanto’s struggles is the batting around him. Shadman Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan have occupied the two opening slots this year, and Shadman (23.09) is the only one of them to average above 20. These three will now form Bangladesh’s top three in the West Indies with Shanto out injured.Joy, who recently turned 24, began his career promisingly, with runs in New Zealand and South Africa, but has blown hot and cold ever since, proving to be a nervous starter.Zakir struck a debut Test century against India two years ago, but hasn’t done much since.Shadman is the oldest of the trio, and made a strong comeback to the side with a 93 in Pakistan and a half-century in India, but has had issues against the short ball and struggled in the home series against South Africa.Among the other batters who made their Test debuts after the pandemic, Yasir Ali made a promising start before being dropped on the basis of white-ball performances. Mohammad Naim has played only one Test, while the jury is still out on whether Shahadat can deliver on his Under-19 promise.Bangladesh’s batting coach David Hemp initially joined the BCB as the head coach of their high-performance unit in 2023. He worked with several young batters including Joy, Shahadat, Shamim Hossain and Tanzid Hasan.Mahmudul Hasan Joy looks good when he gets going, but he can be a nervous starter•PCB”I believe that there are several challenges which may include higher skill level in bowling with greater consistency in execution, therefore greater pressure for longer periods of time,” Hemp said about the Bangladesh batters’ struggle when moving up to the highest level. “Certain surfaces but in particular those with pace and bounce [trouble them more]. Managing bowlers with pace like 145-150kph will always be a challenge but if you are not facing that too often in domestic cricket then it can take time to adjust.”National squad selection is a fantastic moment but with that selection comes greater attention and expectation. So managing this from an individual perspective can be an additional challenge.”One of the ways to mitigate the steep jump from domestic to international cricket is A-team tours. The BCB, however, has only made the rare effort to organise these tours. They usually play one or two series per year, and Test players often make up most of the XIs.This year, however, the BCB made the wise decision to send the Bangladesh A team to Pakistan before the Test series in that country. They also sent the high-performance squad to Australia. However, the likes of Mushfiqur, Mominul, Zakir and Joy took up batting spots in the ‘A’ side in Pakistan, and it made sense, since they needed a preparatory period ahead of the Test series. When they left for the Test matches, the others had limited opportunity for game time with the second four-day game in Islamabad mostly rained off.What is the ideal balance between giving younger players exposure and preparing Test players for tough assignments?”I wouldn’t necessarily put an exact number on it as it often depends on the situation at a particular moment in time,” Hemp said. “A-team tours are naturally a great vehicle for younger players to be tested and develop their skills, but other considerations often revolve around national players returning from injury or fringe players that have had limited playing opportunities that need match time leading into a series.”The likes of Jaker and Mahidul made Test debuts after appearing for the ‘A’ team this year, while Shadman and Shahadat earned recalls after taking the same route. None of them, so far, has made a significant impact.Bangladesh’s most impressive young white-ball batter, Towhid Hridoy, still awaits his Test debut•ICC/Getty ImagesOther candidates, meanwhile, wait for their turn. The selectors haven’t yet tried Towhid Hridoy in Tests. He has been Bangladesh’s best young batter in the white-ball formats in the last two years, and also has an interesting first-class CV, with an average of 45.65 after 15 matches. He batted for more than ten hours for his maiden century, which was a double-hundred. He also made a quick 165 last season.Then there’s the case of Amite Hasan, who crossed the 500-run mark in the National Cricket League this week. The selectors have suggested that Amite needs to score more runs for the high-performance and A’ teams before he gets his Test call-up.What happens once these young players get into the Test side is also instructive. Batters can always expect overseas conditions to challenge them; with Bangladesh, even home Tests aren’t a straightforward proposition, with the team playing most of its games on turning pitches at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. It’s a strategy that has made the team competitive against top teams at home, but it has come at the cost of batters’ long-term development.Ultimately it is up to the BCB to create the right atmosphere, where it prioritises red-ball cricket. The previous BCB regime believed that raising match fees and the value of red-ball contracts would do the trick, but you need more than money to produce batters in the class of Brook, Jaiswal, Kamindu and Ravindra, to name just a few. It needs a strong domestic first-class system and an A-team programme that exposes players to at least two or three different sets of conditions in a year. If the BCB can’t get the bigger boards to play them more often, they could even engage with Associate nations interested in red-ball cricket.Bangladesh have faced a similar batting crisis once before in their Test history. It was around the 2007-08 season when Habibul Bashar and Javed Omar were coming towards the end of their careers. It gave a large group of youngsters their opportunities. The selectors were patient with them, often to the annoyance of observers. They then began to perform and win games for the team, and Bangladesh benefited for a decade and a half.There’s a lesson to be learnt there, but the future can only begin to brighten if those in charge take tough decisions in the present.

Without being guilty of stating the obvious, it’s not a great time to be a West Ham United fan at the moment.

The team looked terrible under Graham Potter at the start of the season, and apart from a brief moment against Everton, they’ve not looked much better under Nuno Espírito Santo.

The Portuguese coach has a tough job on his hands to get the Hammers out of the relegation zone, and things have only just got more complicated.

It now seems that Lucas Paqueta wants to leave the club, although his departure wouldn’t be ideal, West Ham appear to have a player who could step into his shoes.

Latest on Lucas Paqueta's West Ham future

As if Nuno’s task to keep West Ham in the Premier League wasn’t already challenging enough, it now seems that the incredibly talented Paqueta wants to jump ship in the winter window.

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At least, that is according to a recent report from the Times, which claims that, despite a move to Aston Villa not materialising in the summer, the Brazilian ace is still keen to leave the East Londoners as soon as possible.

It is unclear just how much money it would take for the Irons to sell, but given his desire to leave, underwhelming performances and the fact that there are less than two years left on his £150k-per-week contract, it seems unlikely they’ll make a profit on the £51m they paid Lyon for him in 2022.

However, while losing the Paquetá-born midfielder would be far from ideal, it might not be the nail in the club’s Premier League coffin that many might spin it as.

After all, even though his talent is undeniable, has the 28-year-old star actually been as effective for the club as fans hoped he would be when he first joined?

Paqueta’s West Ham Career

Season

Games

G+As

25/26

10

3

24/25

36

5

23/24

43

15

22/23

41

12

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Well, across his 130 appearances for the Irons, the former Lyon ace has scored 21 goals and provided 14 assists, which works out to a decent but unspectacular average of a goal involvement every 3.71 games.

Moreover, last season saw him score just five goals in 35 games, of which two were penalties, meaning he averaged a non-penalty goal every 11.66 games, which isn’t good enough for someone meant to be a team’s talismanic number ten.

In short, while the best situation would be one in which Nuno could get the best back out of Paqueta, losing him in the winter might not be as bad as some would have you believe, as he’s barely contributed to the team for over a year now.

Moreover, West Ham already have a creative gem who could potentially prove to be a brilliant replacement in the long run.

West Ham's Paqueta replacement

While there are undoubtedly other ways in which Nuno and West Ham could approach a Paqueta-less side, perhaps the best would be to use Mateus Fernandes.

The former Southampton star joined the club for around £40m in the summer, and while he’s spent more time in central midfield since then, he’s no stranger to playing further up the pitch.

For example, during his time with the Saints, the “exceptional” Portuguese ace, as dubbed by analyst Mattinson, made 21 appearances in attacking midfield.

Moreover, despite playing for a team that were relegated and, for some time, looked in danger of breaking Derby County’s most unwanted record, the 21-year-old still produced six goal involvements in 36 league games.

For comparison’s sake, Paqueta scored just four goals in 34 league games.

Finally, on top of possessing the ability to play “those KDB-type passes,” as Mattinson puts it, the former Southampton ace is also happy to help out all over the pitch, as his underlying numbers show.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for percentage of aerial duels won, the top 5% for tackles and ball recoveries, the top 11% for long passes attempted and completed and the top 14% for passes into the final third, all per 90.

Fernandes’ scout report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

% of Aerials Won

62.5%

Top 2%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

1.39

Top 3%

Tackles

2.75

Top 5%

Ball Recoveries

5.54

Top 5%

Interceptions

0.87

Top 7%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

26.82

Top 9%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.03

Top 10%

Passes Completed (Long)

3.40

Top 11%

Passes Attempted (Long)

6.06

Top 11%

Dribblers Tackled

1.02

Top 11%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

85.9%

Top 14%

Passes into Final Third

3.03

Top 14%

Shots Blocked

0.25

Top 14%

Total Passing Distance

569.45

Top 15%

Blocks

1.33

Top 15%

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

Ultimately, in an ideal world, West Ham would keep hold of Paqueta and help him get back to his best this season.

However, if he really is to leave in the winter, then fans should not worry too much, as Fernandes could step in and step up.

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“My sponsors will be happy, because I seem to be in the press every four days,” laughed Ben Stokes.Rarely has a day gone by on this England tour that the Test captain has not been long lensed by local paparazzi. The latest shots of Stokes – wearing the odd bit of sponsored stash – were of him e-scootering around central Brisbane with some team-mates (without helmets, a fineable offense that plenty flaunt) at least added a bit of variety to the photo album of touring players. A welcome twist on already tired snaps of airport arrivals and departures, golf and even strolling out of aquariums.It is reasonable to wager that if England were 1-0 up rather than 1-0 down, the focus on them would not be as intense. Winning changes everything. And that may be the big takeaway from the various invasions of privacy. If England cannot square the series in this second Test – a day-night match which starts on Thursday – the vultures will be working overtime.All the squad knew what to expect before heading over. Stokes, Brendon McCullum and even Joe Root made a note of highlighting just how different Ashes tours are. You might get mobbed in India, but you get rushed in Australia.Related

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“Before we got out here those conversations happened as a group: ‘This is what it is going to be like, so it is not unexpected’,” said Stokes. “When we got here there were cameras in front of the hotel from 8am, following us on the golf course and even when we went out for some lunch yesterday.”One of the important things on tour when under pressure is to go out, free your mind, enjoy yourself, and whatever is going on in that world, let it be. They are going to be there and film us. The message to the group is please don’t make decisions based on the fact you might get caught on camera. We are human. We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity because we live in England where it is miserable, freezing cold and dark at 4pm.”It is what it is. It will probably continue throughout the rest of the tour and I don’t see anything wrong with going out and spending your time off on a golf course or having coffee or lunch, riding on a scooter. It’s fine. If they want to keep doing it, they are all polite and don’t intrude on our personal space. We have a job to do, they have a job to do.”England’s next job is huge. Australia’s dominance in pink ball Tests reads 13 victories out of 14. And though their only defeat came at The Gabba – against West Indies in 2024 – England last won here in 1986.Usually the site of the Ashes opener, there have not been many happy English memories since, barring 2010-11, and that was a draw. Even the team’s Sofitel hotel base has ghosts of Ashes past. It was here that Andrew Strauss, managing director at the time, had to come out and state the 2017-18 cohort were “not thugs”, after Jonny Bairstow’s ‘headbutt’ on Cameron Bancroft came to light, months after Stokes’ incident in Bristol.England confirmed on Tuesday that Will Jacks will be the only change to the XI from Perth, replacing the injured Mark Wood. Jacks was told by Brendon McCullum he had made the cut ahead of Shoaib Bashir after training on Tuesday.Opting for a part-time off spinner who is an accomplished batter is a calculated move. A deeper batting line-up has been forged, and the belief is Jacks’ bowling can provide both a change of pace and enough overs in key stages of the game; whether to cover through to the twilight period when the likes of Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse will be unleashed, or to a second new ball.England have played seven day-night Tests, with Stokes featuring in six of them. Combined with Australia’s back catalogue, there is plenty of evidence to make informed decisions. Players have also been encouraged to go to bed later to get used to the match timings – and the two-hour shift forward from Western Australia. They have even put in a bulk order of sweat bands to help preserve the hardness of the pink Kookaburra in sticky conditions.Ben Stokes practises with the pink ball•Getty Images

Stokes has been practicing what he preaches, though did find himself awoken by drug testers at 6am earlier this week. He has been running point, consuming as much information as he can and distributing it accordingly.His one previous experience leading a day-night match, against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, was a tactical masterstroke. England declared on 325 for 9 in 58.2 overs as the lights took hold on day one, and prised out three wickets before the close. They then slow-burned their second innings (374 in 73.5 overs) to set the Black Caps 394 before winning by 286.This Test, however, will be a markedly different task. And not just because of their more experienced opponents, or that the floodlights will take over from around 6:30pm, with about half the day’s play to go. It is, at this juncture, Stokes’ most important assignment as captain.”We have amazing resources with information, data, all that kind of stuff,” he said. “I get our analyst to send me over all the info on the day-night cricket that’s been played at the Gabba and also in Australia recently.”There’s daylight, there’s the dusk period, and then also the period when the floodlights do come on. So you’re just trying to give yourself as much information as possible.”We’ve trained here three or four sessions and the humidity is very high. You step out in the sunlight and just start sweating. Something we’ve spoke about is being very conscious of keeping that ball as dry as we possibly can, because as soon as that pink kookaburra goes soft, it’s going to be a lot harder to feel like you can make a breakthrough with anything on the wicket.”We’ve been all around the world where you get a softer ball and making breakthroughs seems a lot harder just because of that soft ball. All those tiny little things we’ve had to consider for this week. I think our liaison officers got tasked with going out and buying about 60 sweat bands for all of us.”The broad cue from previous day-night Tests is once you are ahead, fight to keep it that way. Often, that has come through a more conservative approach, even the use of multiple night watchers. Australia, for instance, are amenable to using night watchers to open the batting during the twilight period.This England team do not have a reputation for being prudent, and their ceding of the first Test was the worst example of this. But contrary to the words that often accompany the covert photographs, this is not a team without care or nous.There is one more evening session on Wednesday for players to get better accustomed to the ball and the light before the real thing begins. And Stokes is unequivocal that history will not hold his team back, nor a lack of belief that they can upset the odds.”Many teams have gone to the Gabba and lost to Australia,” he said. “But this is a brand new outfit. Lots of guys are on their first Ashes tour so this is going to be a new experience for them. So no, it doesn’t hold too much fear. But you also understand that Australia know this is a very good ground for them and we’re excited for that.”Trust is one of the biggest things to have, not only as captain but also as a team and I have complete and utter trust in everyone in the squad but also particularly the 11 guys who have been given the opportunity to play in a Test match.”That’s one thing I’ll always tell the group – I have complete trust and faith in not only your ability but also your decision making in the moment when you are out there to assess the conditions, to assess what is required and to just have that mentality of mindset of ‘I’m going to be the person to influence this game in the right way that we want’.”And that’s all I can keep trying to do. Because if I ever lose that trust or lose that respect from anyone from within the team then it’s probably impossible to get back.”

Manchester United got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory away from home against Crystal Palace. The Red Devils struggled in the first half and went into the break a goal down, but an energetic performance in the second 45 minutes, combined with two smart goals, ensured they got all three points.

Indeed, it was a penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta which gave the Eagles a lead. Leny Yoro made a clumsy tackle in the penalty area, with the Palace striker eventually slotting home from 12 yards. He was asked to retake his initial kick after striking the ball against his standing foot.

United came out with far more energy in the second half, and it only took them nine minutes before they managed to equalise. Joshua Zirkzee scored his first Premier League goal in almost a year to pull things level.

United’s winner came from Mason Mount, who bagged his second goal of the season. It was a good effort, with Bruno Fernandes laying a free kick into his path and Mount slotting home through a disjointed Palace wall.

The Englishman’s strike was enough to win United the game. There were some standout performances, with Zirkzee someone who played particularly well.

How Zirkzee downed Crystal Palace

It has not been the easiest season for Netherlands international Zirkzee. Saturday lunchtime at Selhurst Park felt like a big moment, and, after a first half where he struggled to get into the game, he certainly took his chance.

The goal from the attacker was simply sensational. He also got on the end of a Fernandes freekick, bringing the ball down on his chest before smashing a volley across goal into the far corner. It was a sublime strike from a man who needed a goal.

However, it was not just the goal from Zirkzee which stood out. His second-half showing was described as “amazing” by Alice Talks Footy over on X, with the United number 11 constantly linking up play, showing off his exceptional technical ability with clever touches.

Indeed, his numbers at full-time show just how well he played. Zirkzee had 50 touches of the ball, completing 14 passes in the opposition half and creating one chance. He also won eight duels and made three ball recoveries.

It was a brilliant second-half showing from the United striker, who will now be hoping to kick on. As well as he played, one of his Red Devils teammates was arguably better.

Man Utd star outshines Zirkzee vs Palace

One of the real standouts for United against the Eagles was Luke Shaw. Making his 300th appearance for the Red Devils, Shaw continued his good form this season on the left of Amorim’s back three.

The United number 23 made some key defensive contributions, including a crunching tackle to stop Eddie Nketiah from getting a shot off in the first half. He also made three interceptions, ball recoveries and clearances in a strong performance.

Touches

78

Pass accuracy

87%

Duels won

3/6

Clearances

3

Interceptions

3

Ball recoveries

3

Blocks

1

Indeed, one person who rated Shaw’s efforts in South London was Goal journalist Calum Preston Kelly. He gave the Englishman a 7/10 for his afternoon’s work and praised him for the fact that he “defended strongly” against Oliver Glasner’s men.

Just last game, Gary Neville said Shaw is a “waste of time” in a United squad. Yet, after a statement showing at Selhurst Park, it is easy to see that the defender could be considered an undroppable member of the squad.

There is plenty of competition for places in that left centre-back role, too. Shaw was replaced with minutes remaining in the game by Lisandro Martinez, and his return could perhaps have signalled the end of the Englishman’s run in the starting lineup.

Yet, after a performance like that, it is hard to see Amorim dropping one of his most experienced players. Shaw was crucial in United keeping Palace at bay from open play, and looks undroppable ahead of a busy festive period.

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