Category Uncategorized

Imagine making your MLB debut as a starting pitcher. Imagine the best possible way that evening could start out. Reds rookie Chase Burns basically did exactly that.

Burns got his call up to the bigs after just 13 games in the minors, where put up a 1.77 ERA over 66 innings pitched, throwing 89 strikeouts along the way.

Burns had a tall order in his debut, facing off against the New York Yankees. The third batter he faced in the majors was maybe the greatest hitter we’ve seen in two decades.

He struck out the first two batters he faced, and then struck Aaron Judge out too.

Burns wasn’t done there. He would strike out the next two batters he faced in the second inning, and then after giving up his first hit, stuck out Anthony Volpe, making it two straight innings without relying on his defense for an out.

Per OptaStats, Burns became the only rookie in the past 50 years to strike out the first five batters he faced in his MLB debut.

Burns is only a few innings into his major league career, but he’s already shown he has some serious power in his arsenal, and the baseball world took notice.

As Paul Skenes proved in his rookie season last year, if you have got the stuff, it doesn’t take long to establish yourself as an ace in the majors, and it looks very possible that Burns does indeed have the stuff.

Celtic are now reportedly plotting a 2026 move to sign a Manchester City ace, who Pep Guardiola called “world-class”.

Celtic targeting Premier League goalkeeper

There’s a lot of work for Wilfried Nancy to do in the transfer window and that work may well include signing a new goalkeeper next summer. As things stand, current No.1 Kasper Schmeichel is set to leave Celtic as a free agent at the end of his contract next summer, handing the Bhoys the task of finding a replacement.

The former Leicester City man has been an excellent servant since replacing Joe Hart in 2024, but looks destined to bow out of Scotland at 39 years old.

Related Celtic star with 'high ceiling' could be biggest winner of Nancy's arrival

This promising young Celtic talent could be the biggest winner of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival at the club.

Posts ByDan Emery 6 days ago

Celtic may also have no choice but to target attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window, amid reports that Daizen Maeda could leave the club. The Japan international has plenty of admirers in the Premier League and could yet deal the Bhoys an undeniable blow this winter.

Speaking about the January transfer window and potential additions after arriving, new manager Nancy told reporters: “Each organisation, the idea is to improve.

“I’m going to have to assess the team. I know them as a team because I’ve watched many games. Now it’s about knowing them as a person. After that we’ll see what is the best for the team. I like to take my time. I know that I don’t have a lot of time.

“It’s not a secret I want to play in a certain way. Proactivity, try to put [pressure] on the opposition, try to attack the ball as soon as possible and after that also be disgusting to play against when we defend – because we’re going to have moments when we’ve got to suffer.”

With that said, it could be a busy 2026 for those at Celtic Park and one that includes the arrival of Man City’s Stefan Ortega, according to reports.

Celtic plotting Ortega move

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Celtic are now plotting a move to sign Ortega when his current Man City contract expires next summer. The 33-year-old could come straight in for Schmeichel as the Bhoys turn to English football for yet another shot-stopper.

Whilst Ortega has dropped down the pecking order at the Etihad, Guardiola hasn’t held back from praising the experienced goalkeeper in the past – telling reporters just last year: “Ortega is a world-class goalkeeper. An exceptional, exceptional goalkeeper.”

For Celtic, the move makes perfect sense. Their move for Hart worked out for all involved, so too did their move for Schmeichel. Now, it looks like they’re ready to follow the blueprint by signing Ortega.

After reporting the news, O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Ortega would be a good fit, you would think, especially if he does become a free agent in the summer.

“He’s basically just fallen totally out of favour at Man City, with Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford ahead of him, and Marcus Bettinelli has been travelling with the squad.

“If Celtic are looking a new goalkeeper come the summer when Schmeichel’s contract is up, Ortega could be a really good pick up on a free transfer.

Liverpool agree terms to sign "aggressive" Celtic teenager in first Nancy exit

Richard Hughes was rightly lauded after overseeing a staggering summer transfer window for Premier League champions Liverpool, but any positivity has been scourged away by the dreadful form that has fractured Arne Slot’s reign.

Nine losses across 12 fixtures is bad enough, but the limp and toothless manner of many of the defeats – especially recent losses at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League – underscores the severity of the crisis Slot is dealing with.

He needs to find answers, or else FSG will be forced into making a rare managerial dismissal. It’s inevitable that discussion is increasing about the security of Slot’s position.

That would be an outcome few of a Red persuasion would want, not least because of a shortage of options.

Jurgen Klopp’s name has been bandied about, but this is not realistic.

Who Liverpool could replace Slot with

Klopp draped the curtain on his Liverpool dynasty at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. He was tired. It had been a tough, gruelling, heavy metal career on Merseyside, where he had devoted nine years to restoring Anfield as a global superpower.

Premier League

1x

19/20

Champions League

1x

18/19

FA Cup

1x

21/22

Carabao Cup

2x

21/22, 23/24

Club World Cup

1x

19/20

UEFA Super Cup

1x

19/20

Community Shield

1x

22/23

There has been some discussion online as to whether FSG should push for a comeback, but this romanticised notion would fall flat.

Klopp is not the answer. His quasi-retirement has seen him assume the post of Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH, and it’s important to remember that the German tactician’s tactical shrewdness waned toward the end of his tenure. He was tired, after all.

But, if Slot is fired, Liverpool would need to find a replacement, and Spanish sources suggest Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on the shortlist.

Iraola, 43, is one of the most exciting young managers in Europe, having shaped the Cherries into a front-footed and sharp attacking outfit.

Compensation pay would be required to pull him away from the Vitality Stadium, but given Iraola’s vision aligns with the club’s long-term project, he might be the one to go for.

Why Iraola could be perfect for Liverpool

It was a bold move for Bournemouth to ditch Gary O’Neil after the pragmatic manager steered the club to safety after promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23. A bold move, but one carried out with diligence, for Iraola was earmarked as a progressive option.

And Bill Foley must be delighted. In 2023/24, Bournemouth recorded a record points total (56) in the Premier League, leading​ journalist James Horncastle to hail him as “the best coach in the Premier League” for his sharp-witted and positive approach.

Iraola likes aggressive and high-octane football. He is not as turbo-charged in his approach as Klopp, but the Spaniard would infuse Liverpool with more risk-taking and directness than Slot prefers, albeit still maintaining an emphasis on retaining possession.

This could play to the strengths of Florian Wirtz, who has had a tough time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in the summer.

A silky and inventive attacking midfielder, the German has yet to register a goal involvement in the Premier League and has lacked the clarity and poise that was expected after the thrill of his official announcement.

There remains a world-class talent in there, and Wirtz’s woes come with the caveat that he has entered a dysfunctional tactical system.

Iraola’s focus on a 4-2-3-1 formation suggests that the 22-year-old could find a natural place at number ten. As per FBref, he does rank among the top 11% of positional peers in the English top flight this term for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90.

This suggests that Wirtz has the potential to be a superstar in England, and Iraola can provide the stability and fluency of tactics to help realise that.

He might not be Klopp, but Iraola has labelled his tactics as being akin to “rock and roll”. Klopp’s famous branding of his vision as being ‘heavy metal football’ suggests that Liverpool might hit the jackpot by making this switch.

No one wants to see Slot be sacked, but this pitiful form and level of performance cannot be allowed to continue, and Iraola has the acumen to revive Wirtz and bring the champions back into the ascendancy.

Better than Isak: Liverpool join race for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure is crumbling before him, and FSG are considering changes.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

Allrounder Jalaj Saxena has decided to part ways with Kerala after nine seasons. *He will now turn out for Maharashtra in the upcoming domestic season.”It is a matter of great pride for me to join the Maharashtra cricket team,” Saxena said in a statement. “Maharashtra cricket has a rich legacy and I am fully prepared to contribute my best for the team. It is an honour to play alongside players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Ankit Bawne as well as many talented newcomers…I sincerely thank the Maharashtra Cricket Association for the opportunity.”After making his domestic debut for his home state, Madhya Pradesh, in the 2005-06 season, he moved to Kerala ahead of the 2016-17 season and represented them through the 2024-25 season for a total of 125 matches.”It’s never easy to put my feelings into words, but today I want to share something close to my heart,” he wrote on his Instagram post. “I have played my last game in Kerala colours, and that thought still feels surreal. Saying this brings a strange mix of emotions – gratitude, pride and a little ache. Over the years, this team has given me more than just cricket. It gave me brothers, friends and a family that stood by me through every high and low.”I’ve given blood, sweat, and tears – everything I had – for this journey, and in return, it gave me memories and bonds that will last a lifetime.”Related

• 'My emotions, heart, everything is with first-class cricket'

Saxena amassed 3153 runs for Kerala and claimed 352 wickets across formats. Among these, in 58 first-class matches, he scored 2252 runs, including three centuries, and took 269 wickets at an average of 20.68, with 23 five-wicket hauls. During the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season – when Kerala fell short in the final against Vidarbha – he became the first player in the tournament’s history to achieve the double of 6000 runs and 400 wickets. His 269 wickets are also the second-most by any player representing Kerala in first-class cricket behind KN Ananthapadmanabhan’s 310.Across his entire first-class career, Saxena has accumulated 7060 runs and 484 wickets, with 34 five-wicket hauls.”To each and every teammate – thank you for making the dressing room a place of laughter, learning, and unforgettable memories. To the KCA, coaches, support staff, and the unsung heroes – the groundsmen who work tirelessly so we can have our game – my deepest respect and gratitude. None of this journey would have been possible without your support,” he said.”Cricket has taught me that every ending is just a new beginning. My heart will always beat for Kerala, and I’ll always carry these memories with me whenever I go.”Despite being one of the most consistent performers in the Indian domestic circuit in the last two decades, the national team cap has constantly eluded Saxena.

يخوض الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي النصر مواجهة قوية أمام نظيره استقلال دوشنبه، ضمن مباريات دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال آسيا “2”.

ويحل النصر ضيفا على استقلال دوشنبه في مباراة تقام على ملعب هيسور المركزي، في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا “2”.

طالع|فيديو | رونالدو يسجل “هدف عالمي” والنصر يمطر شباك الخليج برباعية ويواصل صدارته للدوري السعودي

ويدخل النصر المباراة من أجل حسم التأهل بشكل رسمي عن المجموعة، إذ يحتل المركز الأول برصيد 12 نقطة ويكفيه التعادل أو الفوز للتأهل.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، فإن استقلال دوشنبه يسعى لاستغلال عاملي الأرض والجمهور لحصد النقاط الثلاث والمنافسة على التواجد بين المتأهلين. موعد مباراة النصر واستقلال دوشنبه في دوري أبطال آسيا “2”

تقام مباراة النصر واستقلال دوشنبه في دوري أبطال آسيا 2، اليوم الأربعاء في تمام الساعة الرابعة إلا الربع بتوقيت القاهرة، الخامسة إلا الربع بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة النصر واستقلال دوشنبه في دوري أبطال آسيا “2”

تنقل مباراة النصر واستقلال دوشنبه عبر قناة beIN SPORTS HD 2 بتعليق عبدالله الغامدي.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

Sri Lanka Cricket has clarified that the appointments of Julian Wood and Rene Ferdinands as national batting and bowling coaches will not impact the continued roles of Thilina Kandamby and Piyal Wijetunge within SLC’s coaching structure, and that each coach will link up with the men’s national side on a “rotational basis”.”All these coaches, they are not being specified to say that they would be working with the national team,” SLC CEO Ashley de Silva said. “They work as the national coaches, but that does not mean they should work [solely] with the [men’s] national team.”Across the board, there are national teams, no? So on a rotational basis, tour by tour, we will decide who will be joining the teams. That’s how the high-performance centre operates now. That does not mean each person would only work with a particular team. Other than the head coach and a few other members, the rest of them would be rotated.”Related

• SL appoint Wood and Ferdinands as batting and spin-bowling coaches

This sort of rotational set-up is unusual in world cricket, with the closest equivalent being that of South Africa, who have a batting and bowling lead – Imran Khan and Paul Adams – who occasionally get deployed to national sides across the board, though most of their work is done in the high-performance centre.Wood had been brought on board on a one-year contract following a week-long “power-hitting programme” earlier this year with various national squads. The players – both men and women – are understood to have been impressed with Wood’s input. Ferdinands, a biomechanics expert, also has a hefty pedigree, having previously worked with the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy and as a biomechanics consultant with New Zealand Cricket.Kandamby has been Sri Lanka’s batting coach since December 2023, while Wijetunge has been a fixture at SLC, having been a spin-bowling coach since February 2006. Their roles had come under scrutiny after Sri Lanka’s T20I series defeat to Bangladesh in July, but de Silva was clear in establishing their continued role within the national set-up.”They work in the organisation, [it is] not that their contracts have been terminated,” he said. “It doesn’t matter wherever they have been assigned; they should be prepared to work.””Even they [Wood and Ferdinands] have been designated the same way, so they would be working across the board. Depending on the tours, we, the ExCo [executive committee] will decide who should go on tour.”Sri Lanka’s next touring assignment is an ODI series in Pakistan in November, followed by a T20I tri-series there involving Zimbabwe. According to de Silva, no decision has been taken as yet on which coaching pair will accompany the side on the tour.

The success hasn’t always followed, but West Ham United have had some sensational players represent them in the modern era.

For example, while he ended up leaving for another London side, Declan Rice was unreal for the Hammers, making 245 appearances and captaining them to Conference League glory.

However, there is only really one player in the current side who can be classed as a legend: Jarrod Bowen.

The former Hull City star is the talisman and beating heart of the team, but in good news, there might now be another player on his way to becoming just as, if not more important to West Ham and Nuno Espírito Santo than Bowen.

Bowen's start to the season

While the rest of the team struggled last season, Bowen was once again the standout player and one of the very best attackers in the entire league.

In his 36 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3148 minutes, the England international scored 14 goals and provided ten assists.

That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

Therefore, while there was plenty of discussion over how the rest of the team would fare this season, fans and pundits alike were quite certain the former Hull star would once again excel.

Unsurprisingly, they were right, as while he perhaps hasn’t been at his very best, the 28-year-old has been one of the only players to show any fight this year.

For example, in 11 appearances, totalling 990 minutes, he has scored three goals and provided two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.2 games or every 198 minutes.

More importantly, though, he has scored some crucial goals, such as the opener against Nottingham Forest and the equaliser against Everton.

That second goal gave Nuno a positive start to life in East London, and while he hasn’t scored since, he did provide an assist against Leeds United.

Moreover, even without a goal involvement, he was excellent against Newcastle United, playing two key passes, taking four shots and hitting the woodwork once.

In all, Bowen has been and remains West Ham’s most important player, but there is now someone else who, in the future, could take that title off him.

West Ham's future talisman

Now, the first thing to say is that with everything Bowen has done for West Ham and the brilliant level at which he continues to perform, it is going to take some time before another player becomes as important as him.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, with him turning 29 next month, there is going to come a point at which that is the case, and the player who looks like they could take his place is Freddie Potts.

Yes, it is still early days in the Englishman’s West Ham career, but he looked utterly sensational against Newcastle.

For example, even though it was his first competitive start for the club and in the Premier League, the 22-year-old looked as comfortable as a seasoned veteran and played like one too.

From breaking up attacks to kickstaring them for the Hammer, the academy graduate was truly excellent in all phases of play, and as presenter Tom Rennie put it, looks like “an actual dynasty player.”

It might sound like hyperbole, but his statistics from the game suggest otherwise.

In his 90 minutes of action, the Englishman played two key passes, completed two crosses, was accurate in 33 of 39 passes, took 57 touches, won 66% of his tackles, made six clearances and won 75% of his ground duels.

Potts’ game vs Newcastle
Minutes	90′
Key Passes	2
Crosses	2
Passes	33/39
Touches	57
Tackles (Won)	3 (2)
Interceptions	1
Clearances	6
Recoveries	1
Ground Duels (Won)	4 (3)
All Stats via Sofascore

Now, another reason he could eventually become more important to the Hammers than Bowen, beyond the simple passage of time, is where he plays.

As an all-action central midfielder, the Barking-born monster could become the linchpin around which the team is built, someone who picks up the ball deep and carries it to the attackers.

In other words, if he ends up being as good as so many expect him to be, he could be the one who makes Nuno’s side tick a few years from now.

Ultimately, it’s early in Potts’ career and Bowen remains West Ham’s most important player, but in time, that could change.

Every word Nuno said when asked directly about West Ham fan protest

The manager was asked for his thoughts after supporters staged a sit-in protest on Sunday.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 3, 2025

The opener enjoyed a glorious run from early 2022, but in recent times the runs have become much harder to come by

Alex Malcolm13-Nov-2025Usman Khawaja is intent on running his own race as far as talk about the end of his Test career goes.There are plenty who think that race has already been run and his career should have ended before this summer. But right now, that decision appears to be in his hands and he’s not giving any hints as to when he may finish.That can change quickly. Australia’s selectors have recently been accused, rightly or wrongly, of shirking the tough calls. They may face one of their toughest as a panel midway through the Ashes if Khawaja struggles early and Australia struggle more broadly.Related

• Khawaja: 'I was just getting Bumrah-ed'

• Weatherald's 'pinch me' moment after long route to Test selection

• England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

• Switch Hit x Final Word: Ashes story time special

Khawaja finds himself at a full-circle moment. He is already the oldest opener to play for Australia in over 70 years, at 38. He will be the oldest player to represent Australia in 40 years if he gets to the third Test in Adelaide, when he will turn 39 on day two.He might not have been given the opportunity to play Test cricket so deep into his 30s if not for an extraordinary sliding-doors scenario.In August of 2019 he had been dropped for the sixth, and what he thought was, the final time from the Test team, having played the previous 20 Tests as a permanent member of Australia’s top three.The summers of 2019-20, 2020-21, and early 2021-22 were spent batting at No. 4 for Queensland and dominating the Sheffield Shield. Then Travis Head tested positive for Covid on the eve of the 2022 New Year’s Test against England at the SCG. Khawaja was recalled at age 35 and scored twin hundreds in the match batting at No. 5.Usman Khawaja soaks in the SCG’s ovation during his stunning 2022 comeback•Getty Images”Looking back on it, it seems like a fairy tale,” Khawaja said. “It literally does. I wasn’t supposed to play.”The circumstances for me actually just to play were bizarre enough. But then to actually go out there and score a hundred in the first innings and then somehow to back it up in the next innings too. It’s such a rare feat to do, particularly in an Ashes.”It was the best individual cricketing moment of my life. So it’s very special, something I’ll never forget. I’m very grateful it happened.”Since that moment, Khawaja has not missed a Test match and has been statistically Australia’s best batter over the four-year period, scoring more runs at a higher average than any other.He was Player of the Series in Pakistan in 2022, made his highest Test score against South Africa in Sydney, made a century in India and was the leading run-scorer on either side in the 2023 Ashes. He was ICC Test player of the year in 2023 and a pivotal part of the 2023 World Test Championship title.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has confirmed that winger Oliver Antman is expected to be out of action for around eight weeks after he suffered a muscle injury in recent days.

The Finland international, signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer, started on the right wing against Falkirk on Sunday, and is now set to be out until 2026.

Antman is not the only Rangers player who will be unavailable during the festive period, though, as a couple of players are set to go to the African Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Rohl is expecting Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande to be unavailable whilst they play in the tournament, which means that there will be several positions that will need to be filled in the coming games.

With these absences, on top of the likes of Mikey Moore, Derek Cornelius, and John Souttar being out with injuries, some of the lesser-seen members of the squad may need to step up.

As unpopular as it may be, Kieran Dowell is one of the players who could step up and benefit from the lack of options available to the manager before the January window opens.

Why Danny Rohl should give Kieran Dowell a chance

After being subbed on in a 1-1 draw with Dundee under Russell Martin, a section of the Gers support, but not all of them, booed the English attacking midfielder’s introduction to the game.

Commenting on the incident, Martin said: “That surprised me. I’m not on any social media or anything like that, so I don’t really know what the narrative is around Kieran. I don’t think it helps him, I don’t think it helps the rest of the guys. That’s how I feel about it really.”

Dowell has not played a league match since that draw with Dundee in August, due to injury, but he recently played for the club’s U19s alongside Dujon Sterling and Clinton Nsiala as he looks to return to full fitness.

Given the reaction to his last league outing for Rangers, playing the left-footed midfielder may not go down as a popular decision with some fans, but the Gers look set to be in a position where it could be needs-must with the players due to be unavailable.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

It is also worth remembering that Dowell, as shown in the table above, shone out on loan at Birmingham City in League One in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of being productive in the right environment.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by a return of two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for the club, the Englishman has not found that environment at Ibrox yet.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City in 2023, the 28-year-old flop has not established himself as a key player for the Light Blues, but the injury and international call-up situation could provide him with an opportunity to finally do so under Rohl.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

One of the other reasons why Dowell could end up with a chance to revive his Gers career is that Thelo Aasgaard currently looks like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants.

Why Aasgaard makes Dowell look good for Rangers

The Gers did not have to pay a transfer fee to bring the former Everton and Norwich star to Ibrox in 2023, as his contract at Carrow Road expired, but that was not the case with Aasgaard.

Rangers reportedly splashed out a fee of £3.5m to sign the Norway international from Luton Town in the recent summer transfer window, which shows that the club had to spend significantly more money to bring him in than they did with Dowell.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool-born playmaker has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he was worth paying £3.5m for, as he has made Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

Aasgaard has as many red cards (one) as goals (one) for Rangers in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one goal and one assist in 21 appearances for Rangers.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar recently posted that he “would gladly never see him again”, referring to Aasgaard, and described him as a “passenger” at the end of November.

It is, unfortunately, hard to argue with the harsh criticism of the Norwegian attacking midfielder, because his performances at Scottish Premiership level make him look even less effective than Dowell.

Appearances

26

11

Starts

8

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes

20

9

Big chances created

4

0

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has already started as many games in the Premiership as the former Norwich man, yet has created 11 fewer chances and has yet to create a single ‘big chance’.

Dowell’s Rangers career has not been good enough to this point, as evidenced by his aforementioned goal contributions, but he also arrived on a free transfer and his creative output looks good in comparison to the club’s £3.5m signing.

That is not to say that the left-footed star should be considered a good signing or that he is the answer to Rohl’s current problems at the top end of the pitch, but it does suggest that those who jeered his introduction against Dundee earlier this season were too harsh on him.

As well as highlighting that maybe Dowell was not as bad a signing as has been made out, this also highlights how underwhelming Aasgaard has been for a player who was signed for £3.5m.

Rohl can unearth his own Igamane by unleashing Rangers star in new position

Danny Rohl could unearth his own Hamza Igamane by playing this Rangers star in a new role this season.

ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

The caveat, of course, is that the Norway international only joined in the summer and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to turn things around and prove people wrong, but the signs so far have not been encouraging.