Newcastle want 'immediate' agreement for Brazilian with Wilson prepared to splash cash

Newcastle United are now reportedly ready to launch their offer to sign Palmeiras midfielder Allan Elias, who has a release clause worth as much as £88m.

Newcastle are in desperate need of an attacking spark not named Nick Woltemade. The German simply cannot do it on his own and needs fellow big-money signing Anthony Elanga to finally find some form.

Despite being one of Newcastle’s most-expensive ever signings, the former Nottingham Forest star is yet to score in the 17 games that he’s played for the Magpies. As a result, he’s gradually lost his place to Jacob Murphy as Eddie Howe looks to find a solution to his side’s attacking problems.

Having his say on his recent struggles and subsequent place on Newcastle’s bench, Elanga chose to take an optimistic approach whilst on international duty with Sweden.

It would undoubtedly provide the Magpies with a major boost if Elanga found form after the international break. Only Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored fewer Premier League goals than Newcastle’s 11 so far this season and something must change.

With the January transfer window less than two months away, new sporting director Ross Wilson has already set his sights on much-needed reinforcements to get Howe’s side firing once more.

Newcastle ready to launch Allan Elias move

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now ready to launch their move to sign Allan from Palmeiras. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has impressed the Magpies as well as Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion, and may now be on his way to the Premier League in 2026.

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Newcastle could have quite the special player on their hands in this academy star.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 14, 2025

The deal may not come cheap, however. Palmeiras are in a strong negotiating position thanks to the Brazilian’s €100m (£88m) release clause and could demand that in full to sell their young talent.

That being said, it is believed that Newcastle are extremely keen and want to strike an ‘immediate’ deal.

Praised by South American expert Nathan Joyes for his “impressive” cameos at the Club World Cup last summer, Allan has since kicked on in Brazil. The attacking midfielder has scored twice and assisted another eight goals in the current campaign, with one of those assists coming at the Club World Cup against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami side.

Several clubs have benefited from investing in South American talents in the Premier League and now Newcastle could be next in line to welcome a rising star.

One of "Newcastle's best signings" under Howe is now on borrowed time

Daniel Farke sack update from Leeds revealed and when the 49ers will act

An update on Daniel Farke’s future as Leeds United manager has now emerged following the 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Following the loss at the City Ground at the weekend, Leeds find themselves just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, having averaged a point per game across their opening 11 matches.

The defeat could have major ramifications at the end of the season, with Forest picking up what could be a vital three points, given that they are now just two points behind the Whites, with Sean Dyche making a major impact since his arrival.

The Tricky Trees are already on their third manager this season, while the Whites are yet to make a change, having chosen to keep the faith in Farke, but there is growing discontent among supporters, off the back of four defeats in the last five Premier League games.

Graeme Bailey shares update on Farke's future as Leeds manager

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, who recently spoke to Leeds United News, the 49ers plan to keep the faith in Farke, despite the recent poor results, the German is still set to be given until January to oversee a turnaround.

The owners are aware the squad he’s working with isn’t the strongest, but the 49-year-old is expected to be given the next seven games in what may come as a surprise given Leeds’ recent form.

Bailey adds: “Pressure is mounting on Daniel Farke – but he knew this was coming and the club did too. This is going to be a long season. Everyone was aware. They didn’t spend the tens of millions that Sunderland did.

“They know Farke can only do so much with the squad at his disposal. But the quality of performance and how they compete is going to be vital in the coming weeks.”

In truth, it would be a major gamble for the 49ers to persist with their manner for that length of time, given his previous record in the Premier League, playing a part in Norwich City being relegated in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures before January also make for grim reading, with Farke’s side set to come up against a number of in-form teams, as well as the reigning champions.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (h)

November 23rd

Manchester City (a)

November 29th

Chelsea (h)

December 3rd

Liverpool (h)

December 6th

Brentford (a)

December 14th

Crystal Palace (h)

December 21st

Sunderland (a)

December 28th

The recent trip to Nottingham Forest may have been Leeds’ best opportunity to pick up points for quite some time, and it is difficult to see when the next win is going to come, so it would not be surprising if the 49ers are forced into action sooner rather than later…

Brendan Rodgers now contender to replace Farke as Leeds manager Brendan Rodgers a contender to take over at Leeds as pressure mounts on Farke

The Whites could look to a figure with extensive Premier League experience to take over from Daniel Farke.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 10, 2025

UAE opt to bowl after PCB clears Pakistan to play

Winner joins India in Super Four round from Group A; loser exits the Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2025

Haris Rauf was back in Pakistan’s XI•Associated Press

After a one-hour delay to the start of the game, UAE won the toss and opted to bowl against Pakistan in a must-win game for both teams in the Asia Cup in Dubai. PCB cleared the Pakistan team to play after the board claimed that match referee Pycroft had apologised to their players for his actions during the India-Pakistan game on Sunday.UAE captain Muhammad Waseem expected dew to play a part and confirmed that Simranjeet Singh replaced Muhammad Jawadullah.”We will try to restrict them,” Waseem said. “It is a do-or-die game. We will take advantage. We had a good game in Abu Dhabi; this is a different game.”Related

PCB clears Pakistan to play UAE; says Pycroft apologised

UAE’s decision went down well with Pakistan, who wanted to bat first anyway. Pakistan made two changes to the side that lost to India on Sunday, with Haris Rauf and Khushdil Shah coming in. They replaced Sufiyan Muqeem and Faheem Ashraf.One of these two teams will be eliminated after Wednesday’s result. Both sides beat Oman comfortably and lost to India, making this fixture in Dubai a knockout game: the winner joins India in the Super Four, while the loser exits.UAE: 1 Alishan Sharafu, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Asif Khan, 4 Muhammad Zohaib, 5 Harshit Kaushik, 6 Rahul Chopra (wk), 7 Dhruv Parashar, 8 Haider Ali, 9 Muhammad Rohid Khan, 10 Simranjeet Singh, 11 Junaid SiddiquePakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Sahibzada Farhan, 3 Mohammad Haris (wk), 4 Fakhar Zaman, 5 Salman Agha (capt), 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Hasan Nawaz, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Abrar Ahmed

'We have to score more goals' – Pep Guardiola lays down gauntlet to Man City attackers after watching wasteful Blues miss chance to beat Newcastle

Pep Guardiola says his Manchester City side "have to score more goals" after a frustrating 2-1 loss to Newcastle United on Saturday. Although City are the Premier League's top scorers, Guardiola's players were wasteful in front of goal at St James' Park. Now, the former Barcelona boss wants his players to be more clinical in the final third of the pitch.

  • Man City rue missed opportunities

    City had 68 per cent possession and 17 shots to Newcastle's nine but only had four efforts on target. They created an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 1.88 but other than Ruben Dias' deflected effort, they couldn't get on the scoresheet again. At the other end, a double from Harvey Barnes ensured the Magpies claimed all three points. In the contest, top scorer Erling Haaland and Phil Foden missed gilt-edged chances but as a team, Guardiola wanted more from his players.

    He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Tight game. Entertaining game. They had chances. We had chances. In the end they scored one more goal.

    "Two or three chances that he [Haaland] always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. Two or three chances that he always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next.

    "The second half we started rally well and had the momentum, we were arriving and finding players in the positions. But after we scored a goal, they scored a goal. After it was more difficult because [Sven] Botman was in the pitch, the defence was deep, so yes more difficult."

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    Guardiola wants Man City to share around the goals

    Haaland has scored a whopping 14 goals in the Premier League this season, with City netting 24 in total. But none of his team-mates have notched more than a goal each, leading many to conclude that City rely too much on the Norwegian international. Now, Guardiola has urged his team to take their chances more often.

    "Yes [the chances] were clear, but we have to score more goals. Our players have the ability and quality to do it," he said.

    City still have the sixth-best away record in the division but this is the third time they have lost on the road in the English top-flight this term.

    When asked about another away loss, Guardiola said: "I'm pretty sure all of the teams prefer to play at home than away, we are not the exception for that. Always Newcastle have been difficult, even where they are low in the table and after two defeats in a row. After they clean the head and the mind and have ten days off, we can hit the good moments. We fought, the players were there, but we could not find the result. The season is so long."

  • Man City can't always rely on Haaland

    Former City defender Micah Richards believes that Haaland's team-mates need to pull their finger out and contribute more goals going forward. He name-checked Foden and Jeremy Doku but every player needs to pull their weight in a Premier League title bid. 

    He said on Sky Sports: "It's going to chop and change all season. I think Man City though, if you look at the goal scorers, Haaland's scoring all the goals. There's not a player scoring more than one in a game, and that would be a concern because they're too reliant on Haaland. And defensively, I think organisation, if you look, go through the games. Wolves, everyone thought Man City was back. Back to their best. Then they lose against Spurs and Brighton. Good win against United. Arsenal could have gone either way. Burnley, Brentford, Everton. Games you're supposed to win. You go away to Aston Villa and you lose the game. Bournemouth. And then Liverpool was like, okay, Man City are back. When you asked me before the show started, are Man City back? They are in spells, not for the full 90 minutes. They're playing different football. They've not got the energy. They're not pressing the same, but they're still getting over the line. And that big game against Liverpool, you think, okay, that's the turning call. And then today, they had chances. Haaland misses chances. Who else is going to step up? Foden's been in good form. Doku's been playing really well as well. But when you need them to step up in a big moment, today was a big moment to put pressure on Arsenal. They just couldn't do it. Now, it gives Arsenal all the confidence going into the north London derby tomorrow. "

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    Pressure now on Arsenal?

    Former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp believes that if Arsenal don't win the league this season, this group of players under Mikel Arteta will never end their long wait for that piece of silverware. Moreover, the Gunners could go seven points clear of third-placed City and six ahead of second-placed Chelsea if they beat Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

    He said: "Arsenal are by far the best team. They've got the best squad, [are the] best organised. And they've been the best over the last four or five years. What Manchester City have done previously, where they go on 12, 13, 14 game winning runs, is this team capable of doing it? I don't think so. They're probably ahead of where I thought they would be this year because of the changes they've had. Obviously, people like Kevin De Bruyne have left the club. So they're in a really strong position. But I think this year, if Arsenal don't win it from here, that team won't win it. They won't. It's as simple as that. They're in such a strong position."

Unai Emery sends 'angry' message to Morgan Rogers after Aston Villa star's superb brace in win over Leeds

Unai Emery hailed Morgan Rogers’ match-winning brace in Aston Villa’s 2-1 comeback win over Leeds – but warned the forward that his brilliance stemmed from being “hungry and angry” to deliver more goals. After a difficult start to the season, the England international erupted with a stunning performance that left his manager demanding even higher standards.

Rogers bags spectacular brace in Aston Villa's Leeds win

Aston Villa secured their sixth win in seven league matches as Rogers delivered a sensational brace to overturn an early Leeds lead at Elland Road. The 23-year-old equalised with an inventive near-post flick before stepping up again after the break to bury a superb free-kick, echoing Emi Buendia’s memorable strike against Bournemouth. His goals arrived at a crucial moment for a player who has been under scrutiny after a slow start to the 2025/26 season.

Rogers had entered the campaign facing heightened expectations following last year’s breakout, but his form initially dipped as Aston Villa adjusted tactically and opposition sides paid closer attention to him. His brace against Leeds, though, represented a decisive resurgence, reaffirming his importance to Emery’s system.

The Elland Road display came on the back of a confidence-boosting equaliser against Tottenham last month, suggesting Rogers is beginning to recover the sharpness that defined his 27-goal contributions last year. With Villa aiming for greater consistency in attack, the return of Rogers’ decisiveness could not have been better timed. His performance ensured Villa departed Leeds with momentum and renewed optimism.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEmery wants Rogers to remain 'angry'

“Through numbers it is more brilliant and really relevant, his work today,” Emery said when speaking to reporters about Morgan. “His impact was positive with goals. Always he plays well. He does his task and he is versatile across different positions.

“Maybe today he showed that he is angry to score. Being angry, he scored two goals, focusing on how he could get numbers. He did it, helping the team and for our victory today. He is a player who can get numbers. Last year he got double numbers for goals and assists. This year I think he will get this again.

“He was playing fantastic before this match, not getting numbers, but helping the team. With those goals today, it’s more brilliant. I think Morgan is very important when he is scoring and when he is not scoring. He is working tactically, being versatile, and performing very consistently.”

Asked what he meant by angry, Emery said: “Hungry and angry to score. Both. It is in this direction.”

Emery opens up on Aston Villa's resurgence after poor start

Emery continued on to talk about Aston Villa's overall performance: “Overall, I am happy with the team. Through our structure, tactically, we were disciplined and organised. We played with personality. Each player felt comfortable in their best position and getting confidence.”

“There is still some work to do for some players, but how we are progressively getting better is really something I am proud of. I am very demanding in our way because now we are better in the table.”

“My message is the same. We are not contenders for the top six or top four. We fought fantastic to be there or competing for those positions. Now we want to do the same.”

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Getty/GOALAston Villa finally picking up form ahead of festive period

Rogers’ brace sets up a pivotal stretch in which Villa will look to maintain their form heading into a tightly packed December schedule. First off, they will face off against Young Boys on Thursday, November 27. They will then face off against Wolves and Brighton before a crucial test against Arsenal at Villa Park.

For Rogers, the challenge now is to turn a brilliant afternoon in Leeds into a sustained run of form after a testing start to the campaign. His underlying numbers have suggested a player close to finding rhythm, and the brace may prove the catalyst for an extended resurgence.

Motie, Hope and Pretorius combine to keep Royals winless

The win helped Amazon Warriors get their campaign back on track after two losses in a row

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2025Barbados Royals continued their winless run in CPL 2025, sliding to their fourth defeat in five games thanks to Shai Hope and Dwaine Pretorius in the main, as Guyana Amazon Warriors bounced back from successive losses to register their third win in five games in a rain-hit contest in Bridgetown.Asked to bat at home, Royals didn’t have a great start, losing Quinton de Kock in the fourth over and Kadeem Alleyne in the seventh, but Brandon King ensured they had a decent powerplay on the whole, reaching 43. But he was gone by the eighth over for a 27-ball 39, and then it was over to Rassie van der Dussen to keep things on course with Eathan Bosch and Sherfane Rutherford following King back to the dugout quickly.Royals needed a partnership, and got it from van der Dussen and captain Rovman Powell.

Van der Dussen, unfortunately, could never quite speed up, finishing with a 37-ball 45, but Powell did, smashing an unbeaten 28-ball 50 with six sixes, which pushed Royals to a competitive 165. Gudakesh Motie, with the wickets of Alleyne and Bosch, was the standout Amazon Warriors bowler, returning 2 for 16 from his four overs.Amazon Warriors’ chase started terribly, raising fears of a third successive loss, as they slid to 30 for 4 inside the fifth over. Ben McDermott, Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer and Hassan Khan were all gone, Bosch and Ramon Simmonds picking up two wickets apiece at the start.But that’s where Royals’ fight ended. Hope, who had opened the innings, was still there, and Pretorius joined ranks with him from No. 6, and the two put on an 89-run stand in 60 balls amid the rain – which was a near-constant presence – to put Amazon Warriors on top.They were separated when Pretorius fell for a 34-ball 53 to Chris Green, and the target was still some distance away with the scoreboard reading 119 for 5. Hope and Quentin Sampson ensured that there were no further hiccups, getting to the target with a six and with two balls remaining.

The next Mbeumo: Man Utd make approach to sign "incredible" £70m sensation

Manchester United’s transfer business has left the supporters with a lot to be desired over the last couple of years, with numerous of their high-profile additions failing to impress at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have spent nearly £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, with former boss Erik ten Hag spending around £600m of the sum on his own.

Current boss Ruben Amorim has already splashed over £200m since his arrival last November, in an attempt to try and lead the club back to the glory achieved under Sir Alex Ferguson.

No manager has been able to win the Premier League title since the Scotsman retired back in 2013, but the added investment in recent years could help Amorim become the first man to achieve such a feat.

There’s no denying he needs added reinforcements in the months ahead to provide him with the all-round quality that he needs to take the club back to the top of England’s top-flight.

United’s hunt for added reinforcements in January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been strongly linked with a move for Angelo Stiller, with the German seen as an option to bolster the midfield ranks.

The 24-year-old is also said to be on the shortlist of Real Madrid ahead of the January transfer window, which could present a fierce battle between the sides for his signature.

VfB Stuttgart'sAngeloStillercelebrates scoring their first goal

However, it’s also been reported that he could be available for a fee in the region of £53m, a potential bargain for a youngster who has bags of time to develop further in the years ahead.

He’s not the only Bundesliga star currently in the Red Devils’ sights, with forward Karim Adeyemi another player who the hierarchy are considering a move for in January.

According to Sky Sports, Amorim’s men have reportedly made contact with Borussia Dortmund over a deal for the 24-year-old, who’s scored three goals in 2025/26 to date.

German outlet BILD also claim that Niko Kovac’s men currently value the German international at around the £70m mark, but it’s unclear whether United would pay such a figure during the winter window.

Why United’s £70m target would be another Mbeumo

During their recent summer spending spree in the transfer market, United splashed a mammoth £71m on the signature of forward Bryan Mbeumo from fellow Premier League side Brentford.

Such a price tag generated huge excitement within the fanbase, not to mention his incredible goalscoring ability last season, which saw him end the year on 20 league goals.

The Cameroonian has already made an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, scoring five times in his 11 league appearances – the most of any player in the first-team squad.

The 26-year-old has operated on the right-hand side in behind the striker, often catching the eye with his impressive left-footed efforts – subsequently winning the October Player of the Month award.

He may have cost a pretty penny, but there’s little denying Mbeumo has massively transformed the club’s frontline and made the side a force to be reckoned with once again.

However, they could be about to land another version of the forward with a deal for Adeyemi in the months ahead, with the German possessing numerous similar qualities.

He also operated off the right-hand side and likes to cut inside onto his favoured left-foot, which has also allowed him to hit the ground running in the early stages of 2025/26.

His underlying stats also showcase the talent he possesses, with the 24-year-old able to add further depth and quality into Amorim’s already impressive frontline.

Adeyemi, previously been dubbed “incredible” by former Red Bull Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle, has completed 2.3 dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga to date, whilst also notching 6.8 touches in the opposition’s box per 90.

Karim Adeyemi – Bundesliga stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

10

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

75%

Successful dribbles

2.3

Touches in opposition box

6.8

Shots taken

2.8

Duels won

5.9

Aerial success rate

60%

Stats via FotMob

Both of the aforementioned tallies showcase his incredible ability to get the ball into dangerous areas, potentially handing Mbeumo the chance to improve further at Old Trafford.

The youngster has also registered 2.8 shots per 90 this campaign, showcasing his ability to add the end product to his mazy runs when taking on the opposition.

Other numbers, such as 5.9 duels won per 90 and a 60% aerial success rate, highlight his all-round nature in the final third, which could make him a hugely exciting addition.

There’s no doubting that it would be a surprise to see another mammoth sum forked out for an attacker after Mbeumo’s move, but the pair could well offer a deadly threat in front of goal.

Should Adeyemi make the move to Old Trafford, he could reach the next step in his career, potentially leading the club to new heights during Amorim’s tenure in charge.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd's "terrible" dud is now becoming INEOS' worst signing

Manchester United made a huge mistake in spending big money on one first-team member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 13, 2025

Mike Yastrzemski Delivered on Adorable Home Run Promise to Three-Year Old Daughter

San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski hit his first home run of the season during the club's 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

But Yastrzemski's home run, a three-run blast in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave the Giants their first lead of the game, was also a special long ball for another reason.

Yastrzemski's home run was also a father delivering on a promise to his daughter, in what may be one of the cutest called shots in baseball history.

"Today I gotta give a shoutout to my daughter Quinley, honestly," Yastrzemski said in a postgame interview with NBC Sports Bay Area and California. "Because she asked for a home run—so I promised her I'd get a home run so Quinny, I love you, miss you…"

But in an amusing turn of events, Yastrzemski revealed to reporters after the game that his daughter actually asked for more than just a home run.

"Quinley asked me for a home run—Well, she asked me specifically for a triple, a home run and a splash hit," Yastrzemski said with a laugh. "So, she was trying to cover all the bases—But yeah, I told her that I'd hit a home run for her. I can't say no to her so I had to do what I could."

Did Quinley get to see her dad deliver the home run?

"They're home—hopefully she was watching. I think Paige [his wife] said she was. It's just nice to feel connected to them even when we're kind of far away from each other."

The Giants host the Cincinnati Reds for three home games beginning on Monday night, so Yastrzemski will have a few chances to grab the triple and splash hit off of his daughter's checklist.

Anthony Volpe and His Torpedo Bat Haven’t Hit a Home Run in Three Weeks

Remember Anthony Volpe's hot start? Remember torpedo bats? As opening day passed and April dragged on, both have pretty much disappeared from the baseball season discourse.

Volpe hit four home runs in the New York Yankees first five games as his magical torpedo bat took the league by storm. That last home run came on April 2nd. Since then it's been three weeks and 20 games, and Volpe has not sent another ball out of the park.

The way things have gone for Volpe since then, you'd think MLB really did ban the bat as some people were actually suggesting just a few short weeks ago. The debate was as useless as talking heads suggesting the NFL ban two-deep coverage six months earlier.

Volpedo mania seems as silly and far off now as Elilio Bonafacio's start with the Florida Marlins in 2009. Leading off and playing third base for the Marlins, the then 23-year old started the season 14 of 24 with a double, triple and home run and five RBI as Florida started the season 4-0.

He turned 24 on April 23rd and by the time his birthday month was over his batting average had already fallen to .259. By the end of the season his slash line was .252/.303/.308 and the Marlins missed the playoffs.

Not to say the Yankees will experience the same outcome, but Anthony Volpe's hot start is a reminder that you can't get too high or too low so close to opening day.

Take the Phillies for example. They just dropped three games to the New York Mets. It was enough for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Michael Barkann to ask John Kruk if it was time to panic. Kruk was completely dismissive of such concerns with about 85% of the season remaining.

And who could forget the rant WFAN's Sal Licata went on last week about Juan Soto. The Mets have gone 7-0 since then, and while Soto still isn't lighting the world on fire at the plate, he made one of the biggest plays of the game with his arm during the team's latest win.

The good news for Soto—besides the 15-years remaining on his contract—is that there's plenty of time to turn his season around at the plate.

Maybe he could try a torpedo bat.

Chelsea v Arsenal: VAR was "blind" as goal incorrectly given under IFAB Law

Chelsea’s opening goal in the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Sunday should have been disallowed under IFAB Law 11.

Arsenal unable to take all three points against ten-man Chelsea

With Moises Caicedo being shown a straight red card after fouling Mikel Merino in the first half, the Gunners would’ve been expecting to pick up what could be a crucial three points at Stamford Bridge, but the hosts refused to lie down.

In fact, Trevoh Chalobah opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side just after half-time, although the north Londoners were ultimately able to come away with a point, as Mikel Merino was able to level things up just over ten minutes later.

Speaking after the game, Maresca made it clear he had no problem with Caicedo being given his marching orders, although he did question why Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur was not sent off for a similar challenge last month.

However, Mikel Arteta may have complaints of his own, with VAR being accused of going “completely blind” and missing Enzo Fernandez in an offside position during Chalobah’s opening goal.

IFAB’s Law 11 describes offside offences, and Fernandez’s position battling against Cristhian Mosquera certainly meets the criteria for ‘interfering with an opponent’.

A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or interfering with an opponent by: preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball or clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

However, the goal stood and Maresca’s side managed to hold out for a draw, despite having ten men for most of the game, so Arteta arguably has a right to feel aggrieved the Gunners were unable to extend their lead at the top.

Arsenal should have taken three points regardless

Although there is a case to be made that Chalobah’s goal should’ve been ruled out, Arsenal will be kicking themselves, given that Caicedo’s early red card presented them with a golden opportunity to pick up a victory.

Arteta concurs that it was two points dropped, saying after the game: “I think overall it’s been a really positive week because the difficulty was immense.

“But I have this flavour that today we should have and we could have won the game and we haven’t. That’s a learning point from it.”

Arteta must drop 4/10 Arsenal star who lost every single duel vs Chelsea

Arsenal were not at their free-flowing best as they drew with Chelsea.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2025

That said, the north Londoners shouldn’t be too disheartened, as getting a point at Stamford Bridge is still a good result, and they have a healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table, currently sitting five points clear of Man City.

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