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.

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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.

Everton are keen to bring in some fresh blood during the January window and could now be lining up a multi-layered deal to acquire a former star at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton left frustrated after heavy defeat against Newcastle United

Despite holding home advantage, Everton were beaten convincingly by Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday and will feel a sense of frustration at their poor defensive display, a rarity under the stewardship of David Moyes.

After a joyous victory away at Manchester United on Monday, despite having ten men for much of the affair, the Toffees failed to show the same resilience against Eddie Howe’s men and paid the price under the lights at their new stadium.

Speaking post-match, the Scot had no excuses for his side being unable to trouble the Geordies and made it clear that their European experience was a factor that helped shape a difficult night for the hosts.

He said: “We were beaten by a far better team. We go again, you move on but Newcastle were much better than us. You can see the experience they are gaining from playing in European games. They were just much more powerful than us all night.”

Even with a decent start to the Premier League campaign under their belt, Everton are building for January and could target FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju to try and arrest Thierno Barry’s goal drought since arriving on Merseyside.

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Celtic’s Daizen Maeda is also a wanted man and may be attainable, though they could also be willing to strengthen further back on the left-hand side if recent developments were to come to fruition.

Everton could look to re-sign Antonee Robinson

According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Everton are keen to re-sign Fulham captain Antonee Robinson and believe £25m could be enough to secure his signature in January.

Armed with several formulas to potentially complete a deal, Vitaly Mykolenko has been mentioned as a potential swap option, with the Toffees unlikely to meet the Cottagers’ £40m valuation of the United States international.

Lauded by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley last season as being “one of the best left-backs in the world”, Robinson has made just four appearances for Fulham this term and has struggled with knee problems, which have seen him miss six Premier League matches in a row as he looks to get back to fitness.

Having come through the youth system at Everton before joining Wigan Athletic and then going on to move to West London, he is acutely aware of the club’s culture and would be a seamless fit, though it remains to be seen if the Blues can push a deal over the line.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com as lesões de Lucas e Rato, o técnico Tiago Carpini deve apostar em Luciano no duelo decisivo do São Paulo contra o Cobresal-CHI, pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Corinthians no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Timão

Luciano saiu do banco e marcou o único gol do São Paulo na derrota contra o Talleres. Luciano possui 71 gols pelo Tricolor, sendo 53 quando o atacante iniciou como reserva.

No total, ele balançou as redes 27 vezes no primeiro tempo e 44 vezes na etapa final pelo São Paulo. Dos 15 jogos disputados por Luciano na temporada, o atacante iniciou no banco em cinco ocasiões.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

A partida contra o Cobresal será também uma oportunidade para Luciano reafirmar sua fama de carrasco de equipes chilenas. O camisa 10 soma três vitórias, um empate, cinco gols e duas assistências contra times do Chile atuando pelo São Paulo.

CARPINI PRESSIONADO

A pressão sob Carpini aumentou após a derrota do São Paulo diante do Talleres. Embora o presidente Júlio Casares tenha bancado a permanência do treinador, qualquer resultado diferente de uma vitória no Morumbis pode tornar a situação do técnico insustentável no Tricolor.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas, horários dos jogos da Libertadores

Tudo sobre

LibertadoresSão Paulo

Over recent years, Manchester United haven’t been shy to splash the cash on new additions in an attempt to help various managers lead them up the Premier League table.

Since the summer of 2022, over £800m has been spent on signings, with the expectation that more funds are needed to take the Red Devils back to their former glory.

Erik ten Hag spent three quarters of the aforementioned figure, but his inability to provide sustained success has handed Ruben Amorim the responsibility at Old Trafford.

The 40-year-old himself has already splashed over £200m in the transfer market, with more additions expected during the upcoming January transfer window.

Numerous areas of the pitch are subject to investment, as seen by the attacking department in the summer, but the winter window presents the perfect chance to bolster the midfield.

United’s hunt to land a new midfielder in January

Given the lack of depth in United’s central midfield department, a new number six has been seen as the priority in the January market, leading to numerous names being touted with a big-money transfer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes has been one of the latest players linked with a transfer to Old Trafford, with the player himself open to a potential winter move.

The Red Devils’ interest has led to a £44m price tag being mooted in recent days, but at present, there have been no conversations between the clubs or the player.

However, he may be seen as a potential back-up option in the coming months, with rumours picking up over a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.

According to The Athletic, Amorim’s men have made the 23-year-old their primary target for the next window, but any deal could cost a pretty penny for INEOS.

The report also states that Sean Dyche’s side are reluctant to lose their star man during the midway point of the season, leading to a £100m asking price being quoted.

Why United’s primary target would be the best deal since Bruno

Back in January 2020, United did spend big to improve their first-team squad, subsequently forking out a reported £47m for the signature of midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

At the time, the Sporting CP star would have been an unknown quantity to many, but nearly six years on, it’s safe to say such a move was one of the club’s best in recent times.

The 31-year-old has since racked up a total of 303 appearances for the Red Devils, even managing to net his 100th goal for the club in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea back in September.

However, he’s also been a provider for those around him, as seen by his tally of 86 assists, with the Portuguese international current averaging 0.62 goal contributions per 90.

United have tried to replicate such deals in years gone by, completing moves for the likes of Patrick Dorgu, but the Dane’s move has been merely unsuccessful.

The aforementioned star has found minutes hard to come by, even struggling to perform when given the chance, which could lead to an early departure despite only joining 12 months ago.

However, a deal for Anderson would certainly follow the Bruno trend, with the Red Devils potentially getting themselves one of the division’s best talents at present.

The Englishman has taken his game to the next level in 2025/26, with his stellar performances cementing his place as an international regular within Thomas Tuchel’s England side.

His tally of two combined goals and assists in the Premier League may not seem impressive, but it’s his underlying stats which have made him such a sought-after talent.

Anderson, who’s been labelled a “warrior” by Ben Mattinson, has regained possession the most of any player in the league this season – with such an asset filling the club’s hunt for a dominant ball-winner.

Such a feat is made all the more impressive by his other tallies out of possession, with the Forest star winning 2.8 tackles and 7.2 duels won per 90 – further reaffirming his dominant nature.

Elliot Anderson – PL stats (25/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

12

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Progressive passes

8.3

Passes into final third

8.2

Take-ons completed

1.3

Ball recoveries

8.5

Tackles made

2.8

Duels won

7.2

Stats via FBref

However, with the ball at his feet, he’s been just as effective, as seen by his remarkable tally of 8.3 progressive passes completed per 90, with 8.2 of his efforts being made into the final third.

To top off the 23-year-old’s incredible numbers in 2025/26, he’s completed 1.5 key passes per 90 to date, with 1.3 of his passes being into the opposition’s penalty area.

A deal for Anderson would be yet another huge piece of business conducted by INEOS, but it’s one that would certainly solve one of Amorim’s biggest issues at Old Trafford.

Should the £100m man get anywhere near the levels produced by Bruno at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be a phenomenal addition, and one that could allow the side to finally compete for titles once again.

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South Africa got onto the points table while New Zealand slumped to their second straight loss in Indore

Shashank Kishore06-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits walked back to a rousing ovation in Indore•ICC/Getty Images

Tazmin Brits is having a year like no other. Her fifth hundred in 2025 – the most-ever by a woman in a calendar year – studded South Africa’s dominance as they got onto the points table with a crushing six-wicket win over New Zealand, who slumped to their second straight loss in Indore.Four nights after being bundled out for the second-lowest score in World Cups, South Africa showed authority and intent in chasing down 232 in 40.5 overs. This somewhat helped cover up for a massive net run rate dent from their embarrassing loss to England in Guwahati.That South Africa had only these many to chase was largely thanks to left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, whose 4 for 40 triggered an alarming slide after Sophie Devine and Brook Halliday threatened a jailbreak. After the pair had added a quickfire 86 for the fourth-wicket, New Zealand were coasting at 187 for 3 in 38 overs when Mlaba made big dents.Related

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Halliday contributed 45 off 37 in a terrific exhibition of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, before falling to one hit too many when she top-edged a slog-sweep off Mlaba at the start of the 39th. During her stay, she briefly gave South Africa the shivers, like she had in last year’s T20 World Cup final in Dubai.South Africa hit back quickly after Halliday’s dismissal, with Mlaba next sending back Maddy Green to an ill-advised reverse sweep as she picked out backward point. Amid the collapse, Devine held out hope for New Zealand, like she’d done in hitting a valiant 112 against Australia in their opener.Nonkululeko Mlaba opened the floodgates with Brooke Halliday’s wicket•Getty ImagesDevine helped shift gears after Georgia Plimmer struggled to hit the ball off the square in a painstaking 31 off 68 balls. Devine was largely measured, taking 66 deliveries to bring up a half-century, her 17th in ODIs, before shifting gears, as she fed off Halliday’s form and enterprise.Halliday and Devine raised their half-century stand off just 41 deliveries, and New Zealand looked set for a lift-off. But Devine’s dismissal for 85, attempting to work a full delivery into the leg side, had a deflating effect. Ayabonga Khaka then cleaned up the lower order, as New Zealand lost 7 for 44 to be bowled out for 231, leaving 13 deliveries unused.All told, it was an innings of contrasting fortunes. New Zealand played themselves into a hole, consuming as many as 72 dots in the first 15 overs to leave the middle order with too much to do, after Suzie Bates fell for a second straight duck off the first ball of the match and Melie Kerr for 22. Then Devine and Halliday bailed them out, but in having a terrible back 10, New Zealand undid all the good work through the middle overs.To make a fist of the target, New Zealand needed early wickets, and they had one when Laura Wolvaardt, who plucked a stunner to end New Zealand’s innings, was out lbw playing around her front pad to Jess Kerr. But that was as much joy as they were to derive over the next two hours as Brits put on an exhibition, with Sune Luus for company.Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus left New Zealand without hope in the chase•Getty ImagesBrits’ was a high-tempo innings full of stunning shots, and it included a thrilling takedown of Melie Kerr early in the innings to offset any threat South Africa had. Having begun the innings steadily, Brits went into overdrive after the 10-over mark, at one point hitting five boundaries in nine deliveries, en route to a 44-ball half-century, her fastest in ODIs.Brits equally punished Eden Carson, the offspinner, muscling a six to bring up the 100 partnership off 111 deliveries. Brits’ use of her feet to negate any turn and bludgeon spinners repeatedly down the ground made for thrilling viewing. And while she was flying, Luus was fighting for survival.Unlike Brits, Luus struggled for timing, but the reward for all that tenacity for a fight was a half-century that she raised off 76 balls. Brits’ counter-attack gave her the rare luxury of finding her feet as the ball spun and jumped, merely underlining how ridiculously easy Brits had made batting look.Brits fell soon after getting to her century, bowled attempting to pull a skiddy length ball off Lea Tahuhu to leave South Africa briefly wobbly, as they lost two more wickets in an attempt to raze down the runs. But even through that, the result was a foregone conclusion.Luus raised the winning runs with a lofted hit over extra cover, finishing unbeaten on 81 to ensure South Africa ride a wave of confidence when they meet hosts and table-toppers India come Thursday in Vizag. New Zealand will hope for a change of luck when they travel to Guwahati to play Bangladesh the following day.

Eddie Howe has now reportedly told Newcastle United to go and sign a Serie A midfielder who Tyneside scouts have already watched in action.

Eddie Howe delivers Nick Pope verdict after Marseille mistake

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle this season. The Magpies defeated Manchester City in an excellent display last weekend, before picking up where they left off to take the lead against Marseille. It looked as though they were finally back on track. But that’s when it all fell apart.

Nick Pope’s moment of madness allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalise from wide, before the former Arsenal man was at it again to score what proved to be the eventual winner for the French hosts.

It’s not the first time that Pope has come under fire in a Newcastle shirt this season, but Howe decided to back his shot-stopper in his post-match interview, saying: “I think it’s a concern when we concede goals, regardless of who’s at fault. I think we have to look at everything with a balanced head.

“He (Pope) saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That’s the life of a goalkeeper. But I’ll certainly back him.”

With Aaron Ramsdale waiting in the wings, however, it remains to be seen just how many more chances Pope will receive. Up next, Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson stadium for the first time to face an Everton side who just defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It’s a game that the Magpies will be desperate to win to at least make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League. Alas, it’s also one that may expose their lack of depth in midfield once again.

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It’s a fairly open secret that Howe’s targeting reinforcements in that area ahead of 2026 and reports are now claiming that he’s told the club to go and sign Serie A star Manu Kone.

Howe tells Newcastle to sign Manu Kone

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Howe has now told Newcastle to sign Kone after sending his scouts to watch the impressive AS Roma midfielder.

The midfielder would instantly add depth to the Magpies’ midfield, but Roma have already reportedly dealt those at St James’ Park a frustrating blow in pursuit of his signature. Unsurprisingly, Roma are keen to keep hold of Kone and have told Newcastle that he is not for sale in 2026.

Whether Newcastle test the waters despite Roma’s stance is the big question. Kone would certainly be worth the chase. The Frenchman was dubbed “composed” by Como scout Ben Mattinson ahead of arriving in Serie A in the summer and could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

As bad as Pope: Howe must drop 4/10 Newcastle dud who made just 14 passes

نجح فريق البنك الأهلي في التأهل إلى دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس مصر، بعد تخطيه عقبة فريق بور فؤاد. 

وواجه البنك الأهلي نظيره بور فؤاد، في الخامسة من مساء اليوم، على ملعب السلام، في دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس مصر. 

وتمكن فريق البنك الأهلي من الفوز برباعية مقابل هدف، على بور فؤاد، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما على ملعب السلام. 

طالع.. فيديو | سموحة يهزم غزل المحلة بثلاثية ويصعد إلى دور الـ16 من كأس مصر

وانتهى الوقت الأصلي بالتعادل السلبي، قبل أن يلعب الفريقين الوقت الإضافي، حيث نجح أحمد أمين أوفا في الدقيقة 94 من افتتاح أهداف فريق البنك الأهلي بعد استلام رائع داخل كمطقة جزاء بور فؤاد ليضعها في الشباك. 

وفي الدقيقة 104، تقدم فريق البنك الأهلي بالهدف الثاني بواسطة سعيدو سيمبوري بعد تسديدة من خارج منطقة الجزاء، قبل أن يقلص فريق بور فؤاد الفارق في الدقيقة 114. 

وفي الدقيقة 117، عاد فريق البنك الأهلي وأحرز سعيدو سيمبوري الهدف الثالث لفريق البنك الأهلي، قبل أن يضيف ثالث أهدافه والرابع للبنك الأهلي في الدقيقة 118 من عمر المباراة، ليتأهل البنك الأهلي إلى دور الـ16، بينما يودغ بور فؤاد البطولة.  أهداف مباراة البنك الأهلي وبور فؤاد في كأس مصر 

 

Ngarava’s maiden Test five-wicket haul handed the hosts their first innings win since 2001

Sreshth Shah22-Oct-2025

Richard Ngarava claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul•Zimbabwe Cricket

It took Zimbabwe less than three hours on the third day to claim their first home Test win since 2013, their first innings win since 2001 and their biggest Test win. Richard Ngarava was the star, where in overcast conditions he took his first five-wicket haul in Tests. His movement through the air and off the pitch never looked exaggerated, but it was relentless enough to break the game open and leave Zimbabwe with a win by an innings and 73 runs against a listless Afghanistan batting unit.The day began with Zimbabwe’s Test squad lining up for a group photo, a clear suggestion they were keen to finish the contest on Wednesday itself. And they started with a surprise by giving the ball to Tanaka Chivanga ahead of Blessing Muzarabani.It turned out to be a good decision as Chivanga’s third over of the morning saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicking one down the leg side, and Tafadzwa Tsiga, alert behind the stumps, did the rest. Three overs later, Ngarava produced almost the same dismissal when Ibrahim Zadran, who had reached 42 with measured strokes, flicked another ball going down leg, and Tsiga took his second of the morning.Hashmatullah Shahidi lasted briefly. A full delivery from Ngarava drew a hard-handed push that went to Craig Ervine at slip. Bahir Shah and Afsar Zazai then gave the innings some momentum. Bahir found six boundaries but his counter-attack ended after Muzarabani cramped him with a short ball. The fend popped up and Ben Curran swooped in from short leg. Zazai followed soon after, easing a half-hearted drive to backward point to end the morning session at 127 for 6.The sun broke through after lunch but offered little relief to Afghanistan. Chivanga thought he had Ismat Alam caught, only for a front-foot no-ball to intervene. Ngarava corrected it soon after with a length ball outside off that induced a cut from Alam. Tsiga flung himself to his right and pulled off a one-handed catch that drew gasps even from the slips. Two overs later Sharafuddin Ashraf edged to second slip, giving Ngarava his fifth.Muzarabani, quiet through much of the innings, finished it off with precision. First he flattened Khalil Gurbaz’s leg stump, then beat Ziaur Rahman with a yorker that split middle stump. Those wickets gave him six for the match and ended a game Zimbabwe had controlled from the second hour of the first day.Ibrahim Zadran top-scored for Afghanistan with 42•Zimbabwe Cricket

Ngarava’s five, Chivanga’s pace, and Muzarabani’s closing spell combined for a win that was both rare and easily earned. Curran’s day-two performance of 121, which earned him a Player-of-the-Match award, and Sikandar Raza’s 65 were the other highlights of their comfortable win.After the game, Zimbabwe captain Ervine said a win in their final Test match of the year was satisfying.”I’m ecstatic. A lot of credit to the boys for fighting and winning to end a tough year of Test cricket,” Ervine said. “The way we started, in the first hour of day one wasn’t good, but the way the boys pulled things back was excellent. Then with the bat, Curran’s innings – full of composure and discipline – was outstanding.”The wicket offered something throughout, so the boys did well to put on some good partnerships. The boys have learnt with the Test cricket they’ve played in the last six-seven months to find their game. Brad [Evans] with the five-for in the first innings and Richie [Ngarava] stepped up in the second innings. TK [Chivanga] was superb and Bless [Muzarabani] was unlucky not to take a few more wickets.”Shahidi, the Afghanistan captain, rued the batting collapse on the first day when Afghanistan slid from 77 for 1 to 127 all out.”They played really good cricket, it was supporting the fast bowlers,” Shahidi said. “Ball was seaming around but overall, we didn’t play good cricket. We started the Test well with 80 for 1 [77 for 1] in the first innings, but that collapse let us down. I feel the lack of our Test-playing experience cost us since we kept losing back-to-back wickets. In Test cricket, winning the first day is very important.”The two teams now meet for the three-match T20I series starting October 29.

Not since David and Victoria Beckham began their relationship in the late 1990s had there been a football couple as high profile as Gerard Pique and Shakira when they got together in 2010. Defender Pique was a key cog in Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona side of the late noughties and early 2010s, while Shakira had been a global pop sensation since the release of hit single 'Hips Don't Lie' in 2005. This was the kind of story the tabloids thrive off – and even more so when it goes badly wrong.

After crossing paths on a music video shoot ahead of the 2010 World Cup, their relationship would span more than a decade. Despite both living their lives in the intense glare of the spotlight and the added scrutiny of being a celebrity couple, the pair seemed to be the picture of happiness – welcoming two sons in 2013 and 2015, regularly appearing together at events and making some very public displays of affection.

However, things would go seriously awry in the summer of 2022 as they suddenly split against the backdrop of cheating allegations levelled against the now-former footballer, in what became an increasingly messy separation.

From football's modern-day power couple to 'betrayal', diss tracks and social media point scoring, this is the story of the breakdown of Pique and Shakira's picture-book relationship…

AFPMusical meeting

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Pique and Shakira's respective careers were the reason for their paths crossing in 2010, as they met on the set of a music video shoot. Rather bizarrely, Shakira – who is Colombian – had been chosen to co-write and sing the official song of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)'.

Pique was among a clutch of prominent players to feature in the music video, and he met Shakira on set in June 2010 shortly before the tournament began. The footballer happens to be 10 years the singer's junior to the day, with both born on February 2.

"I wasn't a soccer fan, so I didn't know who he was," Shakira told in a 2020 interview. "When I saw the video, I was like, 'Hmm, that one's kind of cute'. And then someone decided to introduce us." From there, their relationship blossomed.

AdvertisementShakira FacebookSecretive beginnings

The couple did not initially make their relationship public, but that changed in March 2011 when both Pique and Shakira posted a photo of themselves embracing on Twitter (now X) and Facebook, alongside the caption "I present to you my sun".

It was reported that they had gone public at the request of legendary former Barcelona boss Guardiola, as the manager was growing concerned about the media scrutiny that his player's secretive encounters with the singer was generating and even believed the defender's on-pitch form had been affected.

Pique had paparazzi camped outside his home and they would follow him to the club's training ground, with tabloids and gossip magazines offering up a price of €150,000 for photos of the pair together.

Twitter @3gerardpiqueBuilding a family

Pique and Shakira would be seen in public with each other increasingly often, and he even joined her on stage during the Barcelona leg of her 'The Sun Comes Out' world tour in May 2011. The couple shared a kiss to send the crowd into frenzy.

Shakira would attend the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony with Pique in early 2012, and later that year the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together, with Milan Pique born in January 2013. They then confirmed their latest pregnancy in August 2014 and the couple's second son would follow in January 2015 when Sasha was born, seven days after his brother's birthday.

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Getty/GOAL'Marriage scares the sh*t out of me'

In 2020, Shakira explained why she didn't want to marry Pique, despite them seemingly being very happy together. "To tell you the truth, marriage scares the sh*t out of me," she said in her interview with . "I don't want him to see me as the wife. I'd rather him see me as his girlfriend. His lover, his girlfriend. It's like a little forbidden fruit, you know?

"I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything's possible depending on behaviour."

Nair continues to rack up the runs

Left out of the senior India and the India A squads, Karun Nair served another reminder to the selectors and team management, converting his second successive fifty-plus score for Karnataka into a double-century, against Kerala in Mangalapuram. This was Nair’s fifth double-hundred in first-class cricket and third since 2024.After dropping him for the home Test series against West Indies in favour of Devdutt Padikkal, Nair’s state junior, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that they ‘expected a little bit more’ than his 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Nair went back to the Ranji Trophy and scored an unbeaten 174 against Goa in Shimoga in the second round. After that knock Nair felt that he “deserves” to be part of India’s Test team.”Obviously, it is quite disappointing, but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years I have had,” Nair told reporters during the last round. “People might have their own opinions, but for me personally, I can have my own. My own opinion is that I deserve a lot better.”He eventually ran out of partners in Shimoga but found ample support from 22-year-old R Smaran, who scored a double-century of his own. The pair added 343 for the fourth wicket, stopping 12 short of Karnataka’s first-class record. Manish Pandey and Dega Nischal had piled on 354 for the fourth wicket against Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur in 2017-18.It was seamer NP Basil who ended the stand when he dismissed Nair for 233 off 389 balls, including 25 fours and two sixes. Smaran then proceeded to make a career-best 220 not out. Karnataka will hope that the twin double-centuries will translate into their first outright win this season.Shikhar Mohan: A new star for Jharkhand?•PTI

Another double-centurion: Shikhar Mohan

Jharkhand’s rookie opener Shikhar Mohan also hit a double-century, setting up his team’s push for an innings win against Nagaland in Ranchi. After Jharkhand had lost two early wickets on the first day, Mohan combined with stand-in captain Virat Singh, who was leading the side in the absence of Ishan Kishan, who had linked up with the India A team in Bengaluru as cover for the injured N Jagadeesan. They accumulated 253 for the second wicket before Virat was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur.Mohan and Kumar Kushagra (58) then carried Jharkhand past 400. Robin Minz also helped himself to a half-century before Jharkhand declared on 510 for 8. Mohan finished with 207 off 303 balls, with 21 fours and three sixes in his third first-class innings. A prolific run-getter in age-group cricket for Jharkhand, Mohan, now 20, is making a smooth step up to the Ranji Trophy.Elsewhere in Raipur, Jammu and Kashmir opener Shubham Khajuria came close to a double-hundred, but left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate denied him and dismissed him for 190 off 344 balls. His knock countered Chhattisgarh professional Ravi Kiran’s 7 for 82.Nachiket Bhute’s five-for wrecked TN•PTI

Vidarbha flex their depth

No Danish Malewar. No Atharva Taide. No Harsh Dubey. No Yash Thakur. No problem for defending champions Vidarbha.Despite being hit by injuries and unavailability of their strike bowlers Thakur and Dubey, who are on India A duty, Vidarbha had enough depth to dominate Tamil Nadu in Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu were also without Gurjapneet Singh, Jagadeesan and India Under-19 allrounder RS Ambrish, but it was Vidarbha who coped better.Fast bowler Nachiket Bhute, who was playing his 14th first-class game, stepped into Thakur’s shoes and triggered a TN collapse. From an overnight 252 for 4, TN were bowled out for 291. Bhute threatened both edges, especially the inside edge of both right-handers and lefties with his inducker. Both M Shahrukh Khan and B Indrajith were done in by sharp induckers. Bhute gifted himself a five-wicket haul a day after his 26th birthday.Aman Mokhade then kickstarted Vidarbha’s reply with fluent strokes against both pace and spin. When TN captain R Sai Kishore pushed one marginally outside off, Mokhade stretched forward and swept him flat and hard into the square-leg boundary. When offspinner S Mohamed Ali darted one into the stumps from around the wicket, Mokhade dared to back away and pump him through the covers. But just when he was looking set to reel off this third successive century, Sai Kishore had him caught by Vimal Khumar for 80. Vidarbha’s professionals Dhruv Shorey and R Samarth then helped them cut their deficit to 80 by stumps on day two.