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It’s only a matter of days now until Sunderland officially get their pre-season run of games underway with a trip to local side Gateshead.

Sunderland supporters far and wide will no doubt be making the short trip in anticipation of seeing a whole host of new signings pull on the strip of the Black Cats for the very first time, with Reinildo now officially confirmed as the Wearside outfit’s fourth summer signing after his Atletico Madrid contract expired. Winger, Simon Adingra, also looks set to arrive in a hotly anticipated deal from Brighton.

They will surely be eager to impress as Regis Le Bris’ men build up their fitness this summer before Premier League football makes its long-awaited return to the Stadium of Light next month.

£21m striker still on the Sunderland radar

Not everything is going Sunderland’s way across the chaotic summer transfer window to date, as hurdles now appear to be stopping them from securing more business.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Indeed, recent reports suggest that their pursuit of Armand Lauriente is stalling due to the Black Cats not offering enough money to Sassuolo, even as the Frenchman now declares he wants a move to England.

This will surely rumble on, with Sunderland better placed, it seems, to land Lyon star Georges Mikautadze in the meantime.

Indeed, Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri took to X to confirm that the newly promoted side holds significant interest in the captivating Georgian, having been taken aback by the profile of the 24-year-old.

AS Roma is also named as a party interested in working out a deal with the 5-foot-9 striker, with £21m the recently touted figure that might be enough for Lyon to part ways with their star-man, owing to their ongoing financial woes.

Mikautadze’s G/A record by club

Club played for

Games

Goals

Assists

FC Metz

64

38

13

RFC Seraing

57

36

4

Lyon

47

17

11

Ajax

9

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Why Mikautadze could be Lauriente's dream CF

Based on the above table, which examines his goalscoring exploits wherever he has been across his glittering career, this could well be a statement buy as Sunderland attempts to avoid the Premier League drop.

Add Lauriente into the mix alongside the aforementioned Adingra and the Black Cats could really take the top-flight by storm with their attacking firepower, with the explosive Georgia international perhaps the dream centre-forward for the pair bounce off.

While Adingra has caught the eye in England, scoring eight goals in 60 Premier League outings to date, the other two players in question have never taken the leap to the English game. That wouldn’t stop them all coming together to entertain, however.

Last season, even from just 13 starts in league action for Paolo Fonseca’s Lyon, the enigmatic Mikautadze would manage to fire home a clinical 11 strikes for his bumpy side, with a bumper six assists also coming his way to further prove his devastating effectiveness up top in Ligue 1.

Lauriente has been here before in the French top-flight with Lorient, too, with a tally of ten goals and eight assists above his head from 68 Ligue 1 outings.

But, much like Mikautadze sparked into life even more for Lyon last season after already being well regarded as a menace up top, Lauriente really turned on the style across the 2024/25 campaign for Sassuolo, with his heroics playing a big part in Fabio Grosso’s men instantly returning to Serie A.

Lauriente’s league numbers for Sassuolo (24/25)

Stat

Lauriente

Games played

33

Goals scored

18

Assists

5

Scoring frequency

132 mins

Big chances missed

4

Big chances created

6

Stats by Sofascore

Lauriente displayed a similar potent edge that the Georgian had in abundance in Ligue 1 for Sassuolo last campaign, with a sublime 18 goals and five assists coming his way, as only four big chances were spurned across the entire season.

Therefore, putting the two of them together with Adingra in Le Bris’ new-look Sunderland attack might well be a match made in heaven, with Mikaudatze perhaps living up to his billing as a “true icon” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig.

If all goes to plan, this will be just another intimidating league the dynamite duo have managed to conquer, as Sunderland prepare to spend more and more in their mission to survive.

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With Champions League qualification secured, Newcastle United are now reportedly readying a double swoop worth over £100m to sign two impressive additions this summer.

Newcastle seal Champions League qualification

It wasn’t done the easy way, but Newcastle secured their place in next season’s Champions League on the final day of the season despite losing against Everton. In the end, it was Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa which helped the Magpies avoid the worst-case scenario. Eddie Howe won’t care how his side did it, however. All he will be thinking about is the chance to step into the dugout among Europe’s elite for the second time in three seasons.

Having more than played his part as club captain this season, Bruno Guimaraes expressed his delight after earning a place back in the Champions League on the final day. The Brazilian told reporters: “Feel very well, feel unbelievable. I think for me, it has been an unbelievable year. First year as a captain, played 38 of 38 games in the Premier League. I’m very, very happy.

“Winning a trophy for this club. What a season. I will always remember this one. I’m very, very happy and proud of our team, of myself, of these fans. Next season, we go back again. We never stop. We’ve won a cup, but we want more.”

After struggling to maintain their form last season, the current campaign couldn’t have gone much better for those at St James’ Park. As Guimaraes reiterated, however, they’ll be keen to ensure that this is just the start.

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What that success has done too, is hand PIF the chance to spend big again at long last. With their PSR problems eased, Newcastle could finally hand Howe the reinforcements that he’s been needing, including the addition of two excellent Premier League stars.

Newcastle readying double Mbeumo and Guehi swoop

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle are now readying a double move to sign Bryan Mbuemo and Marc Guehi from Brentford and Crystal Palace. Both deals would make significant statements of the Magpies’ intent and both would cost hefty fees.

Mbeumo will reportedly cost in the region of £50m-60m, whilst Guehi has been valued at as much as £65m by Crystal Palace ahead of the summer transfer window, although the Magpies hope a compromise can be reached with the Eagles for their long-term target.

With PSR problems eased, however, spending may not be an issue for PIF, who could show off their financial power for the first time since initially arriving at St James’ Park.

Signing Guehi would particularly be a long time coming, given that Newcastle were heavily linked with the defender’s signature last summer. His arrival would also allow Howe to move Dan Burn back to left-back and form an impressive partnership between Sven Botman and his potential new arrival.

Meanwhile, Mbeumo needs little introduction these days after scoring 20 goals in all competitions for Brentford and keeping up with the talented Alexander Isak throughout the campaign.

Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Bryan Mbeumo

Alexander Isak

Starts

38

34

Goals

20

23

Assists

7

6

Expected Goals

12.3

20.3

It’s clear that the Brentford star would instantly take Newcastle’s frontline to another level just as Guehi would hand the Magpies the defensive boost that they’ve been searching for since last summer.

Leeds United dropped out of the automatic promotion places in the Championship after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

The Whites found themselves 1-0 down early on in the game when Isaiah Jones was left completely unmarked to volley into the back of the net from close range.

Dan James equalised for the away side with a sublime left-footed strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box before half-time, but the West Yorkshire outfit were unable to push on for a winning goal.

There were several players who let head coach Daniel Farke down with their performances on the pitch, and Wilfried Gnonto was one of those flops.

Why Wilfried Gnonto was ineffectual against Luton Town

The Italy U21 international was selected to play in the number ten position ahead of Brenden Aaronson, who scored against Swansea last time out, and failed to justify the manager’s call.

Gnonto played the opening 63 minutes of the match before Farke decided to withdraw him from the pitch to bring Patrick Bamford on, and failed to register a single shot on goal.

The 21-year-old attacker also failed to create a single chance for his teammates to find the back of the net, whilst completing just 13 passes in his 63 minutes.

He was ineffectual in the number ten role because Gnonto was unable to find pockets of space to cause damage in the final third, hence why he ended the game without a shot or a chance created.

Chalkboard

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

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There was a Leeds attacker, however, who was even worse than the Italian flop against Luton, as Joel Piroe put in a disappointing showing up front.

Why Leeds should drop Joel Piroe

Farke must ruthlessly ditch the Dutch centre-forward from the starting line-up when the Whites return to action against Middlesbrough in the Championship on Tuesday night.

Piroe started the game as the lone number nine ahead of Gnonto and let his team down with a weak display against the Luton centre-backs, who dominated him with ease throughout the game.

Whilst Gnonto, at least, won four of his eight duels, the former Swansea striker lost a whopping seven of his eight ground duels and all eight of his aerial contests during his 79 minutes on the pitch, which shows that it was far too easy for the Hatters to bully him out of the match.

Vs Luton

Joel Piroe

Minutes

79

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Dribbles completed

0/3

Ground duels won

1/8

Aerial duels won

0/8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, like the Italian attacking midfield, Piroe also failed to register a single shot or key pass to trouble the Luton goal, to go along with his woeful play out of possession.

He was tackled in all three of his dribble attempts, further illustrating how ineffectual the forward was in the final third, and it was an easy afternoon for the Hatters centre-backs up against him.

The Dutch lightweight, who lost 94% of his physical duels, was as bad as Gnonto in possession, but even worse than him off the ball with his weak play.

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That is why Farke must, now, ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for the clash with Middlesbrough next time out, because his performance against Luton was simply not good enough in any context.

His century, after 83 innings and 807 days, shows why Pakistan cricket refuses to move on from him

Danyal Rasool15-Nov-2025Above all, it was the authenticity. At a moment when all around him struggled to capture the moment, Babar Azam simply wanted to live it. Waqar Younis, on commentary, tried to come up with something lyrical to say. Ultimately, he only managed “here we go” as Pramod Madushan ran in, and then “there we go”, when Babar pulled him in front of square to bring up his 20th hundred. ESPNcricinfo’s own ball-by-ball strained for effect as it tried to sum up the magnitude of the event. Fans at the ground, and at home on TV, and on social media, had their phones out, looking for the shot that would surely go viral.The man himself cantered to the other end, his beaming smile shining through his helmet. When he removed it, there was no exaggerated celebration for the cameras, no feigned nonchalance. It was a relieved smile when the helmet came off. He glanced to the skies, he looked down at the floor, and then, he fell to his knees, his face out of the shot. At that moment, he was falling in love with cricket once more.Tellingly he had not, until now, raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd. The sport that has bestowed him with a level of individual fame and popularity perhaps not seen for a cricketer in this country since the days of Imran Khan has, of late, also felt like the chain that shackled him. For now, however, the moment was about him, as well as the uncomplicated joy of batting – a joy that first got him into this position of sport as a vocation, long before everything else about it became so very complicated.Related

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It was also just a reminder of how genuine Babar can be, in an age where sportspeople have even the semblance of a personality media-trained out of them. Babar had no contrived soundbites at the post-match presentations, and then the press conference, which stars tend to reserve for their comebacks. In fact, there really wasn’t anything beyond the banal at all.He was at the business end of criticism for similar banality during his stint as captain so often. On Pakistan’s bad days, he didn’t have much to say, and on the good ones, there wasn’t much to say at all. He hasn’t done much press in the years since, but as he stood in front of the mic after his century, the years appeared to melt away: he thanked God, he was happy to be back among the runs, and he was grateful to his supporters. He ignored his critics, and he wanted to win matches for his team. What more was there to say?The relief is palpable on his face after Babar Azam completes his century after a long wait•AFP/Getty ImagesPerhaps nothing to say for Babar, but his fans and detractors alike haven’t exactly kept silent. We are all now beholden to a social media algorithm, and there is no name in Pakistan cricket that whirs it into gear as much as Babar’s. Whether he is captain or not. Whether he scores runs or not. Whether he’s even playing or not. After all, this is a man who – in a surreal period around late summer 2024 – saw the positioning of the big toe on his left foot become a focus of almost comical scrutiny as a potential explanation for his loss of form.Over the best part of the last three years, when all Babar may have wanted was just a little bit of space – to go away and be forgotten about for a little while – the asphyxiating attention only squeezed tighter. Fans and media alike kept him on display like an exotic animal at a tawdry petting zoo. Those who once prematurely anointed him as “King Babar” had, by now, turned it into something of a meme.But for all the toxicity in Pakistan cricket and the ferocity of its critics, legitimate and otherwise, they never stood a chance against his tsunami of supporters. At the depths of his nadir, stadiums across Pakistan – and indeed wherever its diaspora exists – would pack themselves to watch him bat, however fleeting his innings might be. In the Cape Town Test earlier this year, after he scored 81 and came to do press, the Pakistan team bus’s departure was delayed because Babar’s supporters tried to mob him, hoping for an autograph, a selfie, or indeed just a couple of words. Similar scenes have played out in Melbourne, London, and even New York.

Perhaps disconcertingly for the rest of the team, the fall of Pakistan’s first wicket has begun to be cheered loudly, simply because it brings Babar to the crease. The streaming out of supporters from stadiums whenever he gets out is a throwback to the days of Shahid Afridi, when one man’s performance was often the spectacle within the spectacle.

Perhaps disconcertingly for the rest of the team, the fall of Pakistan’s first wicket has begun to be cheered loudly, simply because it brings Babar to the crease. The streaming out of supporters from stadiums whenever he gets out is a throwback to the days of Shahid Afridi, when one man’s performance was often the spectacle within the spectacle.It was no different on Friday, with Rawalpindi Stadium never fuller than in the chilly evening when Saim Ayub fell in the tenth over. Babar’s knock began like any other innings – with a few solid shots, a brief scare here and there. It may have ended with a whimper very early on, as plenty of his 83 century-less knocks have over the past couple of years. Like when, after scratching five runs off his first 14 balls, he mistimed the 15th one almost straight back to Madushan. Or when he played a pull off a long hop and found short midwicket, who couldn’t quite cling on.It would also be a superb feat of narrative chicanery to suggest anything was written in the stars. The last two years have been littered by “predictions” from fans who are certain the next innings is the one Babar finally breaks his drought in, when every cover drive and every time he ticks up beyond 20 is a harbinger of something special. But things began to get serious when, instead of those prophecies, a tense silence emerged. On this site’s ball-by-ball commentaries, any references what he was approaching were angrily hushed by his supporters, afraid the mere mention of it would render it a mirage.Babar Azam was with Mohammad Rizwan when he broke his drought•AFP/Getty ImagesBut as the temperatures dipped into single digits and the spectators huddled together, for comfort as much as for warmth, Babar showed no signs of the mental or technical fragilities that have tripped him up so often in the recent past.If he needed further reassurance of the good old times, of course it was his mate Mohammad Rizwan at the other end: soon, the two were guiding Pakistan in a chase together, just as they used to do. It was Rizwan who took care of the asking rate, knocking off the runs and taking the pressure off his long-time T20 opening partner.In the press conference, when asked what he thought when the critics had piled on, he simply said, “I ignored them.” The arc of the rest of his innings itself might have demanded a scare here, a chance there; in truth, Babar similarly gave it nothing. His knock was becoming a routine march to three figures, and as he began to approach it, the tension seemed to ease instead of mount. He had, after all, been here before. More often, in fact than any Pakistan batter in the history of ODI cricket.The 90s were when he looked at his most comfortable, reserving the shot of the innings to take him to 97: a glorious drive past mid-off, in all its vintage Babar splendour. Often criticised for slowing down ahead of a personal milestone, he took just nine balls to get from 90 to his hundred – a milestone he seemed to greet like an old friend, rather than one he has been a stranger to for the better part of three years.As he brought up his century, his old friend Rizwan raised his arms aloft in delight, as if he’d been the one to just get to a milestone. In the years in between, these men have been appointed captain and then dumped at different times, somewhat unceremoniously in both cases. Bonds are never more brittle than they are with Pakistan’s cricketing stars locked in a power struggle, but Babar and Rizwan are too experienced to let those trivialities get in the way of a moment like that.Once he’d picked himself up off his knees, Babar raised his bat and gloves to the shivering huddle still within the cosy little ground as midnight approached. And then, he embraced Rizwan, the man he’d have wanted by his side for such a moment when, or in the darker moments as he might have wondered, if, it arrived. A journalist later on found himself in tears when he asked Babar about his return to form, with nearly the entire press pack – his fiercest critics among them – mobbing him for a group photograph after it was all done.No matter how hard the critics, or at times even those within the PCB, might try and move on, Pindi last night proved that there is still, in Pakistan cricket, nothing quite like Babar Azam. And when, in times when there is little uncomplicated joy to be found in Pakistan, he can deliver it like he did last night, you can begin to see why his supporters – and the man himself – refuse to move on and go away.

Brave’s local core have stepped up after big-name departures – but can they finally win the trophy?

Vithushan Ehantharajah26-Aug-2023Since the Hundred began in 2021, Southern Brave have been a constant presence in the women’s final. This Sunday, they will be hoping it is third time lucky.A 48-run blowout in 2021 was followed by an equally chastening loss by five wickets with six balls to spare in 2022.Both came at the hands of Oval Invincibles – and specifically, their South African allrounder Marizanne Kapp, who was player of the match on both occasions. This time, however, the defending champions are nowhere to be seen, knocked out in the group stages by – yep, you’ve guessed it – Brave.It was a victory head coach Charlotte Edwards believes was cathartic for a core who had been on the wrong end of an all-too-familiar nemesis. And though they await a new final boss at Lord’s on Sunday after beating Manchester Originals on Wednesday to assume the number one spot outright, they won’t be planning any differently.”We’re not going to do anything differently,” Edwards tells ESPNcricinfo, “and we’re not going to talk about it. Because I don’t think we need to.”The girls know what’s at stake. And if we don’t win, it’s been unbelievable because in a tournament like this, winning as many games as we have… The players play the game, I don’t. I think they deserve to win a trophy, they massively do when you look at our record for the last three years. But that doesn’t mean anything on Finals Day. We just hope we turn up.”Marizanne Kapp has been Southern Brave’s nemesis in Hundred finals•Getty ImagesThat record Edwards speaks of is an impressive 20 wins out of 25. They have only ever lost one group stage game in each of their three campaigns, with 2023’s coming against Welsh Fire in their second match.Despite their undoubted pedigree, Brave came into this season with a degree of trepidation. They were rocked by the March’s draft, losing dynamic England batter Sophia Dunkley to Welsh Fire and Australian legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington to Manchester Originals: 437 runs at 36.51 across 16 innings and last year’s leading wicket-taker with 17, respectively.”We were probably hit quite badly in the draft in terms of some of our main players being taken away,” reflects Edwards. “If you’d have told me straight after the draft that we’d be in the final leading the group, I would have been quite surprised. You never know how a new group are going to knit together, but I’ve just been so impressed by how the players have just stood up into different roles.”Those players are homegrown staples of Edwards’ domestic team, Southern Vipers. Maia Bouchier’s 264 runs – the second-most in the competition – has compensated for Dunkley’s absence, while the unlikely offspin of Georgia Adams has replaced Wellington in the XI and at the top of the Hundred’s wicket-taking charts with 16 dismissals.Maia Bouchier is Brave’s top run-scorer this season•Getty ImagesBouchier’s emergence as a top-order batter has been recognised by England, who will use her as an opener for the upcoming limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka. This Hundred, she boasts a strike rate of 138.21 and has strung together a number of key innings, including a standout unbeaten 63 to chase a target of 105 against London Spirit in an 85-ball affair at Lord’s. Her 47 not out took Brave over the line against Originals.None of this is a coincidence in the eyes of Edwards, who had firm belief in Bouchier’s potential against the new ball: “We had a conversation at the start of the season and I said, ‘look, I think you can open the batting for England.’ So she opened the batting for Vipers at 50-over and T20.”I couldn’t get her in here [for Brave] opening, because Smiriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt have been so good. But I said to her, ‘you’re going to be No. 3 and are going to have a massive platform to show everyone what you can do.'”I genuinely believe at the moment she is the most rounded player in that top order. She can hit straight down the ground; she’s got lots of options; she’s technically very, very good. And there’s no surprise England have said we want to open with her in the series coming up against Sri Lanka.”

“It’s such a massive tournament for women’s cricket. And I think it’s been another brilliant year and it would be a mistake if it was taken away.”Charlotte Edwards on the Hundred’s future

As for Adams, who has also pitched in with 109 runs in the middle order, her bowling has exceeded expectation. “I think quite surprised,” jokes Edwards. “I think what teams have done in the past is probably underestimate her. I don’t think they have now. But she’s been pivotal.”I signed her last year thinking she’d be our sixth bowler. Now she’s a guaranteed new-ball bowler. Her strike rate is brilliant and the economy is great. She’s been unbelievable – and at No. 4 as well, she’s played some crucial knocks.”Remarkably, Brave have only used 12 players so far. They might have only needed 11 had Lauren Bell not been rested for the first two matches to manage her workloads off the back of the Women’s Ashes.18-year-old Mary Taylor filled in more than capably, taking 3 for 18 against Trent Rockets on her Brave debut. At the other end of the career spectrum, Anya Shrubsole, who will retire after Sunday’s final, has been ever-present as captain.Anya Shrubsole will sign off from professional cricket at Lord’s on Sunday•ECB/Getty ImagesMissing Saturday’s Eliminator at the Oval, which will be played out between Northern Superchargers and Welsh Fire, ensures Shrubsole’s continued presence in the XI. “We didn’t want to play the Eliminator for Anya, because we didn’t think two days back-to-back would be good,” explains Edwards. “So she will be raring and ready come Sunday.”Picking from a small pool has been the Edwards way throughout her coaching career. Most recently, in the inaugural Women’s Premier League, she relied on 12 to guide Mumbai Indians to the title.”If you look at a lot of the teams I’ve been involved in, there’s not been much movement. I’ve tried to stick with players. A lot of people were saying about Freya Kemp only scoring a few runs – we all had the belief in her that she was going to go out there and do something magnificent.” It came in that victory against Invincibles, when she hit a vital 41* off 21 balls.”I made a conscious effort this year of actually putting some real youngsters on the sidelines. We’ve got some of the Under-19 World Cup finalists. I wanted to look at the future a little bit. I think the worst thing you can do is have on your bench people who think they should be playing. And I think I’ve had that in previous years. So I’ve tried to blood a new group of players coming through.”Related

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As the final weekend approaches on what has been the Hundred’s best season across the men’s and women’s codes, based on attendances, merchandise sales, digital engagement and, crucially, on-field quality, speculation about its future rages on.In Edwards’ opinion – one which carries weight as one of England’s greatest batters, captains and, now, coaches – any changes to the competition, especially getting rid of it outright, would be “a massive mistake”.”If anyone has been to any Southern Brave home games, every game we’ve had 10,000 people there. We’ve got massive support down there, the players love it, I love it. It’s such a massive tournament for women’s cricket. And I think it’s been another brilliant year and it would be a mistake if it was taken away.”The eight regions are driving the women’s and girls’ game now and I think it’s proved in the last three years how much improvement we’ve seen with the youngsters coming through. We were on the verge of beating Australia, which hasn’t happened for a while.”It’s working. We’ve got to stick with it and hopefully everyone will invest in the women’s game, from counties to regions. This is a massive platform for these girls and it prepares them for international cricket I believe.”

Also: is Darren Stevens the oldest bowler to take a five-for in the County Championship?

Steven Lynch04-May-2021Fawad Alam has now extended all four of his Test half-centuries into hundreds – is this a record? asked Zaheer Ahmed from the UAE

Fawad Alam’s 140 against Zimbabwe in Harare a few days ago made him the sixth man to convert his first four Test scores of 50-plus into hundreds. The first was the great George Headley, all in West Indies’ 1929-30 home series against England, and he was followed by another West Indian, Everton Weekes, Australia’s Neil Harvey, and the 1960s England pair of Norfolk-born left-handers, Peter Parfitt and John Edrich. Weekes went one better by making it five hundreds in a row, before a questionable run-out for 90 in Madras (now Chennai) spoilt the sequence, but Headley converted all his first six 50-plus scores in Tests to centuries.In a recent IPL game, three of Punjab Kings’ overseas players were West Indians. Has any franchise ever included four overseas players from the same country? asked Stuart from South Africa

I think the game you’re talking about was the Punjab Kings’ victory over the Mumbai Indians in Chennai on April 23, when their four permitted overseas players were Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran and Fabien Allen from the West Indies, and Australia’s Moises Henriques.But there have been 26 IPL matches so far in which a side used four overseas players from the same country, usually Australia. The first two were in 2010, when the Deccan Chargers fielded Adam Gilchrist, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Marsh and Andrew Symonds; the following year, playing for the Kings XI Punjab, Gilchrist and Harris were joined in eight matches by David Hussey and Shaun Marsh. Also in 2010, the Rajasthan Royals had chosen Aaron Finch, Adam Voges, Shane Warne and Shane Watson against the Kolkata Knight Riders; in 2011, Finch, James Hopes, Matthew Wade and David Warner all turned out for the Delhi Daredevils against the Pune Warriors.In 2012 Gilchrist, Hussey, James Faulkner and Shaun Marsh appeared for the Kings XI against the Rajasthan Royals, while in 2013 Faulkner, Brad Hodge, Shaun Tait and Shane Watson played together twice for the Royals, who the following year selected Faulkner, Watson, Kane Richardson and Steve Smith in five matches, with Hodge replacing Smith in another.The instances since have involved four South Africans: in 2016, the Delhi Daredevils had Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir and Chris Morris in three matches, while the Kings XI Punjab selected Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien and David Miller in two.Darren Stevens completed a five-wicket haul on his 45th birthday last week. Is he the oldest to take a five-for in the Championship? asked Mike Berriman from England

Kent’s seemingly ageless allrounder Darren Stevens, fresh from being named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year, took 5 for 53 against Glamorgan in Cardiff last Friday, which was his 45th birthday.He’s actually some way short of being the oldest bowler to take five in an innings in the Championship: Warwickshire’s Willie Quaife claimed three in 1926, when he was 54 years old. The oldest to take a five-for in any first-class match was William Lillywhite, who was 58 when he took six for Over-36 against Under-36 at Lord’s in 1850.I think the last 50-year-old to take five wickets in a Championship innings was Tom Goddard, the Gloucestershire offspinner, who did it three times in 1952 at the age of 51. However, Stevens might just have been the first to take a five-for on his birthday – that one’s a bit beyond the capabilities of our database!Darren Stevens’ birthday five-for came in a loss for Kent as Glamorgan won by ten wickets•Getty ImagesWe know about the 1000 runs before end of May record, but who has taken the most wickets before the end of May? asked Lee Davis from England

This record belongs to the Kent and England legspinner Alfred “Tich” Freeman, who took 65 wickets in May 1931, on his way to 276 wickets in the season (he didn’t play in April that year, as Kent’s first match started on May 2). Freeman was in the middle of an astonishing run that brought him 2451 wickets over ten seasons from 1926, including a record 304 in 1928. Freeman collected 86 wickets in August 1933, the record for a calendar month, but in 1930 he actually took 104 between May 21 and June 19. He played nine matches in that time, and took ten or more wickets in eight of them.I understand that a county once played two first-class matches at the same time. When was this? asked Gerry Schlittner from England

This remarkable double has actually happened twice. In 1919, Warwickshire took on Derbyshire in a County Championship match in Derby and also played Worcestershire, who did not take part in the Championship in that first post-war season, in a friendly at Edgbaston, with both matches starting on August 4 (all that season’s games were scheduled for two days).Ten years earlier, in 1909, Surrey had gone one better by staging two home first-class matches simultaneously, both starting on June 21. It was not a great success for them: Lancashire won their Championship match by an innings The Oval with more than a day to spare, while not too far away in Reigate, Oxford University needed the full three days but also won by an innings.There are more details of these matches in an interesting booklet called Double Headers, written by Keith Walmsley and published by the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians in 2013. For details of their other publications, and how to join the association, click here for the ACS website.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

A few caveats out of the gate here. Umpiring, especially behind the plate, is extraordinarily difficult and Major League Baseball employs some incredibly talented individuals to do it. And the strike zone box that appears on television is far more specious and arbitrary than most viewers think, especially when it comes to the bottom and top of the zone. But even with those concessions, home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi did not have his best night on Monday working behind the dish in the Philadelphia Phillies-San Francisco Giants game.

After expanding the zone on Bryce Harper in the top of the eighth with the score knotted at 1-1, Cuzzi watched three Orion Kekering pitches to Matt Chapman potentially get a decent part of the zone without busting out a strike three call in the bottom of the frame.

Chapman would eventually aim a single through the right side of the infield, setting up the Giants' game-winning run in a contest they went on to win, 3-1.

The side-by-side comparison of his decisions during those two plate appearances does not look good. And baseball fans, as they are wont to do when an umpire botches something, are not being very forgiving.

That's tough way for the Phillies to lose. Going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position probably didn't help either.

Two of Manchester United’s biggest summer signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, are starting to get into full flow for the Red Devils.

Mbeumo, in particular, has started life at Old Trafford quickly, with eight goals and assists in 16 games across all competitions.

As for his Brazilian teammate, things haven’t been quite as smooth sailing. He’s struggled with a few minor injuries and hasn’t been at his best.

The United number ten only has one goal and one assist in 12 Premier League games, but has shown flashes of his best form.

United are not done there when it comes to strengthening in attack, and could dip back into the market this winter.

United’s latest attacking target

It is not just in attack that the Red Devils might be looking to strengthen their side, with midfield a focus area too.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

They are reportedly plotting to sign Elliot Anderson and are even linked with a sensational, if expensive, move for Jude Bellingham.

Looking further up the pitch, the Mancunian giants are linked with a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, United are able to meet the Ghanaian’s release clause and could make a move for him.

This, of course, will not be a cheap deal. Semenyo’s release clause is worth a reported £65m, a fee Ruben Amorim’s side ‘would be able to match’ this winter.

However, they would face tough competition for his signature, with Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City all interested in signing him, too.

Why Semenyo would be a good signing

There is no doubt about 25-year-old Semenyo’s quality. The versatile forward, who can operate on either flank, has been described this season as a “world-class” operator by Cherries teammate Justin Kluivert.

Indeed, the numbers he has put up are reflective of someone deemed an elite winger. This season in the Premier League, Bournemouth’s number 24 has played 14 games, scoring six goals and assisting a further three.

There have been some real standout moments for the 25-year-old, too. He’s scored twice and assisted the other in a 3-1 win at home to Fulham, and scored a sublime solo goal against Liverpool at Anfield on the opening day of the season.

United would love for the winger to have the same sort of impact as Mbeumo if he were to join. The Cameroonian attacker has been one of their most consistent players this season, even winning November’s Premier League player of the month award.

His most recent goal came on Monday against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Mbeumo and his new teammate Cunha can have a “big impact” on the club if they are able to “find a way to click,” according to United great Gary Neville.

If the Red Devils were to acquire Semenyo in the winter window, they would love for him to add to that threat with their two summer recruits.

You could certainly make a case that the Ghanaian is a hybrid of both players. At least, according to FBref, he has similar underlying numbers to Mbeumo over the last year and to Cunha in the top flight this term – noted as statistically similar both men in those respective fields.

Well, to factor in both, let’s look at numbers from the last two Premier League seasons. A standout number is their combined goals and assists per 90 minutes, with Semenyo averaging 0.5, Cunha 0.6 and Mbeumo 0.65.

Semenyo, Cunha & Mbeumo (per 90 mins)
Semenyo	Cunha	Mbeumo
0.5 goals & assists	0.6 goals & assists	0.65 goals & assists
1.29 key passes	1.78 key passes	1.79 key passes
1.85 take-ons complete	2.09 take-ons complete	1.22 take-ons complete
3.85 progressive carries	3.63 progressive carries	3.26 progressive carries
4.6 ball recoveries	4.36 ball recoveries	3.98 ball recoveries
Stats from FBref

It is easy to see how the three players are similar, based on those numbers.

If Semenyo – who, like the United pair, is Premier League proven – can offer the goal and assist numbers of Mbeumo, and the threat carrying the ball which Cunha brings, he would be a dangerous addition to Amorim’s side.

£65m is not the most unreasonable fee for a player of his class, and United fans will be hoping he can have a quick impact at Old Trafford.

The new Ji-Sung Park: Man Utd star is fast becoming as important as Bruno

Manchester United have another star who is becoming as important as Bruno Fernandes.

By
Ethan Lamb

6 days ago

Eddie Howe will manage only his second ever Tyne-Wear Derby on Sunday, as one of football’s most passionate rivalries has its latest instalment this weekend.

His only taste of this fierce clash to date was Newcastle United’s 3-0 triumph over Sunderland in the FA Cup in early 2024, with the Black Cats’ struggles in the Championship clear for all to see, as the Magpies ran out as routine winners.

Now, however, Regis Le Bris’ men sit above their arch rivals in the early Premier League table, as Howe prays his inconsistent side can get the better of the Black Cats on their own patch.

Newcastle’s clumsy performance on the road in the Champions League on Wednesday night won’t fill Howe with loads of confidence, either, with some changes in the offing presumably, off the back of the 2-2 draw away at Bayer Leverkusen.

Changes Howe could make ahead of Sunderland

Goalscoring hero Anthony Gordon would sum up the Toon’s frustrations aptly at the full-time whistle, as a late Alejandro Grimaldo equaliser rid Howe’s men of all three points in Europe’s standout competition.

Gordon won’t be fearful of his starting spot against Sunderland, having made it three games on the trot with a goal now against Leverkusen, but Joelinton will surely be axed for the crunch clash on Wearside, with the Brazilian limping off injured after winning just two duels all match.

Sandro Tonali will also be fearful that he could be surprisingly dropped, with the Italian looking uncharacteristically ropey on the ball at points against Kasper Hjulmand’s men.

It really was a night for Howe’s concrete first team personnel to slip up, as Malick Thiaw somehow avoided a red card for a rash first-half challenge, while Bruno Guimaraes inexplicably placed an effort past Aaron Ramsdale to hand the Bundesliga hosts a one-goal advantage.

Still, both of the underperformers mentioned certainly have enough credit in the bank this season to push these off performances to one side, with Guimaraes scoring this audacious effort last time out in the Premier League versus Burnley.

With a lively 5.4 duels won on average this season in the Premier League, too, as per Sofascore, Newcastle’s captain does feel as if he’s the perfect fit for such a full-blooded showdown, having further been branded the club’s “talisman” by pundit Michael Carrick in recent weeks.

Howe could even have a new Guimaraes in the making in his talented camp right now, with this rising star arguably worthy of a start against the Black Cats, alongside the much-loved South American.

Newcastle's "little diamond" can be Howe's next Guimaraes

The 48-year-old does have a lot of depth on his side now at St James’ Park, with Yoane Wissa’s return from injury gifting him another option up top, away from over-relying on summer recruit Nick Woltemade.

If he is unsure about starting Joelinton for the Tyne-Wear Derby, he could look to the depth at his disposal in the middle of the park by handing Lewis Miley just his fifth league start of the campaign, having been branded “special” when popping up with a goal from off the bench on Wednesday night by journalist Liam Kennedy.

The talented teenager became the club’s youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history, a feat he was made aware of after the game. “I didn’t really know that, to be honest, but it’s a great feeling being the youngest scorer. It’s a dream come true really, scoring my first goal in the Champions League. It couldn’t be better, really,” Miley told reporters after the game.

“I always used to score goals in the academy quite a lot, so I’ve tried to take that into my game in the first team. I just keep trying to get in the box as much as possible and I’ve got two goals in the last couple of weeks.”

Chalkboard

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

In the right place at the right time to direct Gordon’s cross home, it could be argued that Miley has the same difference-maker ability in his veins that Guimaraes also possesses, with the 19-year-old up to four goal contributions for the season, despite his limited starts.

His Brazilian counterpart is six ahead in the goal contribution leaderboard, albeit from far more regular involvement.

Miley’s numbers by season for Newcastle
Season	Games	Goals + Assists
25/26	17	2 + 2
24/25	19	2 + 0
23/24	23	1 + 4
22/23	1	0 + 0
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Moreover, Miley will believe he has what it takes to be a future captain of his boyhood club when Guimaraes hangs up his boots, with the number 67 never looking fazed by the demands of the senior game, ever since being gifted his senior debut at St James’ Park when just 17 years of age.

This ice-cold ability to perform – no matter the occasion – surely means he’ll be preparing to give it his all against Sunderland if given the first team call, with NBC Sports’ Robbie Earle once labelling him as a “little diamond” for his classy displays in competitions such as the Champions League.

Miley does feel as if he is in and around the first team picture for some time now, but he will want to take his game to another level shortly, to be considered worthy of the label of being the next Guimaraes.

Fewer touches than Ramsdale: Howe must drop Newcastle man who won 2 duels

Eddie Howe must now drop this Newcastle United star ahead of this weekend’s hotly anticipated Tyne-Wear Derby.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

4 days ago

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank opted to go with what seemed like a rather defensive team selection when the line-up was revealed before kick-off against Arsenal.

The Lilywhites lined up with five defenders and two defensive midfielders, along with a front three of Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, and Richarlison against the Gunners.

Possession

57%

43%

Big chances

3

0

Shots

17

3

Shots on target

8

2

xG

1.93

0.07

Passes

448

330

As you can see in the table above, it was an approach from the Danish manager that did not pay off for Spurs, as they were heavily beaten by their local rivals on Sunday.

Tottenham only registered three efforts on goal in their loss to Arsenal, with one of them being the 45-yard lob from Richarlison, as they struggled badly in possession.

Struggling in possession has been a theme of the Premier League season for the Lilywhites, as they currently rank 17th in the division for xG created (11.1) across 12 matches, per FBref.

Some of that will be down to Frank’s system and tactics, as his selection against Arsenal seemed negative on paper, but there have also been some underperforming attacking players this season.

Ranking Tottenham's attackers this season

When looking at how the team’s attackers have performed in the 2025/26 campaign so far, it is hard to look past Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison as the two standout performers.

The Brazil international has delivered five goals and two assists in all competitions for the Lilywhites, whilst the £55m summer signing from West Ham has produced one goal and five assists.

On the other end of the scales, the £52m signing from RB Leipzig, Xavi Simons, has failed to deliver much in the way of quality, with no goals and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The Dutch playmaker, who started the season on the left wing after Heung-min Son’s depature, was left out of the starting line-up against Arsenal, and he has to rank near the bottom of the list because of the fee paid versus the output given so far.

1

Mohammed Kudus

2

Richarlison

3

Brennan Johnson

4

Mathys Tel

5

Wilson Odobert

6

Randal Kolo Muani

7

Xavi Simons

8

Dominic Solanke

9

Dane Scarlett

As you can see in the table above, Dane Scarlett and Dominic Solanke are the only two players who rank lower than Xavi, and that is because they have played 59 minutes of football between them, which makes it difficult to place them any higher.

Unfortunately, Spurs are still looking for the true heir to Heung-min Son’s throne after the South Korea international moved on from North London in the summer, as their big-money addition from Leipzig is yet to pay off, and they are now keen on a star who could finally fill that vacancy.

Spurs make big-money bid to sign new winger

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs interested in doing a deal to sign Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams in the upcoming January transfer window.

The outlet claims that Spurs and Chelsea have both submitted bids worth around £62m in an attempt to land the Spain international to bolster their respective attacking units.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It also reveals that both of those clubs are working on contract offers that would see Williams triple his current wages, which the report does not disclose, in order to convince him to leave his club.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Spanish whiz would be willing to move to England, or if the £62m offers are enough to tempt Athletic Bilbao into cashing in on their prized asset.

If Spurs can get a big-money deal for the left-sided attacker over the line, though, he could be Frank’s own version of Heung-min Son on the wing in the second half of the season.

Why Nico Williams would be Tottenham's new Heung-min Son

Williams, who was described as a “level-raiser” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, has all the attributes that the Lilywhites should be looking for in a replacement for the legendary South Korean star.

Like Son, the Spain international is a rapid forward who can use his speed to get in behind defences, as evidenced by Mattinson stating that he has an “electric burst of pace”, which is what served the former Spurs attacker so well for so long.

A goal scored by Williams against Real Oviedo in LaLiga earlier this month was an excellent demonstration of his speed, quality, and comfort on both feet, which Son was also renowned for during his time in North London.

The 23-year-old forward has registered two goals and two assists in nine matches in LaLiga this term, per Transfermarkt, after a haul of 11 goals and seven assists in 45 outings last season.

His most impressive campaign in an Athletic Bilbao shirt, though, came in the 2023/24 season when he delivered an eye-catching eight goals and 18 assists in 37 matches, per Transfermarkt.

These statistics show that the winger does have the potential to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the flank, as Son did with his 173 goals and 101 assists for Spurs before his move to the MLS in the summer.

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.38

0.54

Shot-creating actions

4.99

4.51

Progressive passes

3.25

4.09

Progressive carries

5.24

4.27

Successful take-ons

3.33

1.58

Progressive passes received

10.83

10.92

Key passes

1.91

1.86

As you can see in the table above, Williams is also similar to Son in a host of underlying statistics away from purely goals and assists, which suggests that he can provide a similar outlet on the left wing.

Like the ex-Spurs captain, the Spain international is an exceptional ball-carrier who can drive the team up the pitch to make things happen as a creative force, which they badly need at the moment, as evidenced by their dismal attacking display against Arsenal.

Having a counter-attacking weapon like Williams could allow Tottenham to defend deeper in matches, as Frank tried to do on Sunday, because they would have him to explode on the break when they win the ball back, instead of attacks stagnating and allowing the opposition to keep the pressure on.

£22m Spurs flop is becoming their biggest disaster since Serge Aurier

Spurs are carrying a few passengers in the team under Thomas Frank right now.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

Therefore, the £62m-rated star could be a phenomenal addition to the squad with the quality that he could bring to the team on the left wing as their true heir to Heung-min Son.