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The most valuable player on a pitch is a striker, and nowadays, being a world-class centre-forward is more than just scoring goals.

Starting the press without the ball and linking up play are also two important attributes, but more often than not, a striker is judged by their goal to game ratio.

Currently, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are viewed as some of the best strikers in world football.

The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a list of 20 of the most iconic centre-forwards football has ever seen, factoring in longevity and consistency at the highest level, while also looking at their personal accolades and honours they have won.

20 Hristo Stoichkov

An all-rounded forward and the greatest Bulgarian player in history, Hristo Stoichkov kicks off the countdown.

The powerful left-footed striker was famously signed by Johan Cruyff at Barcelona when he was at the top of his game and made the Catalan giants even better.

Stoichkov won five La Liga titles at the Nou Camp and collected the Ballon d’Or in 1994 after picking up the 1994 World Cup Golden Boot.

19 Kenny Dalglish

Arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever player, Kenny Dalglish wasn’t just a goalscorer and could run games of a football as a centre-forward.

‘King Kenny’ starred in the 1970s and 1980s, scoring more than 200 goals and winning 24 trophies during an iconic career.

18 Gabriel Batistuta

Argentine powerhouse Gabriel Batistuta was a goalscoring machine in the 1990s for Fiorentina, outscoring every other Serie A player in that decade.

Named by Pele in the FIFA 100 list in 2004, Batistuta was known for his aerial ability and physical presence, but when he had the ball at his feet, he was an excellent dribbler and clinical in front of goal and had an unbelievable World Cup record.

17 Harry Kane

Harry Kane is one of the most clinical strikers around, and he’s been finding the back of the net on a regular basis for Tottenham, Bayern Munich and England since 2014.

In fact, Kane has scored 17 or more league goals in 12 successive seasons, and his goalscoring record is remarkable. Now England’s all-time top scorer, Kane may not have the trophies to match his individual brilliance, but he is more than just a goalscorer with an incredible passing range.

16 Karim Benzema

One of the most underrated strikers in recent times, Karim Benzema often hasn’t got the plaudits he’s deserved after starring at Real Madrid for 14 years.

Finally lifting the Ballon d’Or in 2022, Benzema has won 33 honours during his career and scored more than 350 goals during his time at the Bernabeu.

Whether it be in the air or with the ball at his feet, the Frenchman was a nuisance for centre-backs and was often overshadowed by a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

15 Jimmy Greaves

Part of the England side that won the 1966 World Cup, Jimmy Greaves was nominated for the Ballon d’Or on six occasions in the 1960s and starred for Chelsea and Tottenham during his career.

A Spurs legend with two FA Cup triumphs, Greaves also won Serie A with AC Milan. He finished his career as the highest scorer in England’s first tier of football with 357 goals, highlighting how much of a prolific goalscorer he was.

14 Alan Shearer

The Premier League has been regarded as the best league in the world over time, so Alan Shearer, the divisions all-time top scorer, had to be in the list.

The Englishman netted 260 times in the English top flight for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, winning the title once.

Long range strikes, in the air or from the spot, Shearer could score any type of goal and came third in the 1996 Ballon d’Or.

13 Luis Suarez

Despite plenty of controversies during his career, Luis Suarez’s footballing ability at his peak for Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona was incredible.

The Uruguayan has scored goals on a consistent basis for 20 years now and was named the IFFHS World’s Best Goalscorer in 2010, 2014 and 2016.

Suarez has proven he can score all across the world and his 2013/2014 season with Liverpool is arguably one of the best individual seasons the Premier League has ever seen.

12 Wayne Rooney

One of four English strikers on the list, Wayne Rooney is Man Utd’s all-time leading goalscorer and had every attribute an iconic centre-forward required. From physicality to pace and world-class technical ability, Rooney scored 253 times for the Red Devils and netted 53 times for England.

Dropping deeper in midfield throughout his career, Rooney was unstoppable in his prime as a striker, winning 16 major honours.

11 Josef Bican

Josef Bican represented both Austria and Czechoslovakia on the international stage and was one of the most prolific forwards during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Capable with finishing with ease with either foot, Bican scored more than 800 goals during his career despite making just over 600 appearances.

A ridiculous goal to game ratio, Bican has rightly gone down as a Slavia Prague legend.

This week, Tottenham Hotspur fans will get to see Heung-min Son again. On Tuesday, he will be there, down N17, beaming and emotional as he waves goodbye to the club he devoted the prime years of his iconic career.

Poetry has a funny way of weaving its way into so many narratives in football, and there was certainly something romantic about the South Korean legend sealing silverware on his final game for Spurs, ending the endless drought.

Tottenham haven’t really replaced their former captain, just as someone on a level with Harry Kane at number nine has not been signed either.

That may change in 2026.

Spurs lining up new forwards

In October, Tottenham announced a £100m equity injection. What this pertains to could go on interminably, but it effectively means Frank’s first-team squad will be seeing some improvements in the near future. Investment is imminent.

And it’s clear that additions are needed up top, with the potency Son provided – even on the decline, the 32-year-old scored 24 goals and assisted 19 more across his final two Premier League campaigns – yet to be matched.

Should the Lilywhites win the race for RB Leipzig prospect Yan Diomande, with their interest confirmed by Caught Offside, Frank might just land the talisman he is looking for.

The report claims Spurs are among the myriad of top clubs to have sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old winger this season, and such competitive intrigue indicates a market value or around €80m (equating to £68m).

The news comes just days after it was revealed by separate sources that Spurs were in ‘very advanced talks’ with the player’s agents last week to sign the player.

Why Spurs should sign Yan Diomande

Diomande might be in the hatchling stage of his career, but already, he is proving that he can throw down with the heavyweights, having made an electric start to his career in Germany with Leipzig, scoring seven goals and supplying four assists across 15 matches this term, having joined from

The Ivorian winger’s technical skills stand out, and a slippery dribbling style makes him a force to be reckoned with. Coach Harry Brook believes he will “be worth £100m plus” in the not-too-distant future, and so it’s worth Tottenham snapping him up promptly.

Already, we can observe startling progress across a range of areas for Diomande. He is physical and he is fast, and he is also fostering a natural-born clinical edge in front of goal, with his defensive work-rate not leaving much to be desired either.

Remind you of anyone? This could be the new Son, especially since he hails from the Bundesliga, with Tottenham signing their departed hero from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.

Goals scored

0.36

0.31

Assists

0.21

0.31

Shots taken

2.08

2.75

Shot-creating actions

5.23

4.51

Touches (att pen)

7.16

5.55

Pass completion (%)

81.2

76.4

Progressive passes

3.44

4.25

Progressive carries

6.66

4.30

Successful take-ons

4.01

1.61

Ball recoveries

6.01

3.16

Tackles + interceptions

2.72

0.83

Diomande is showing signs of elite balance in output. He’s got an eye for goal, but that doesn’t detract from his playmaking, and nor does it mean he shirks away from defensive duties, from using his speed to cover plenty of ground and influence in different areas.

Son, in many ways is irreplaceable, and perhaps that’s why the board opted against trying to find a carbon copy, as they did with Kane.

But now, real quality, bona fide quality, is needed up top, else Tottenham will find themselves struggling to match the might of rivals at the top of the Premier League.

Diomande has talent in spades, and he might just find himself developing into a winger of a similar level with Son, following that Korean legend’s footsteps from Germany over to English shores.

Kolo Muani upgrade: Spurs prepare move for "one of the best CFs in the PL"

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in a deal to sign a centre-forward who could be an upgrade on Randal Kolo Muani.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

Manchester United have been on the hunt for a new central midfielder over the last couple of months, with Ruben Amorim wanting added reinforcements at the heart of the side.

The 40-year-old has made such a position the priority for the upcoming window, in an attempt to strengthen their standing in the Premier League before the end of the season.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes have largely been the go-to partnership over recent months, but given that the Brazilian is now 33, a long-term solution is undoubtedly needed.

Kobbie Mainoo would undoubtedly be the supporters’ first choice to fill the void, but it appears as though the youngster could be heading closer to the exit door.

As a result, numerous options have appeared on their radar in recent weeks, with the hierarchy evidently making moves ahead of the window opening in a couple of weeks.

United’s hunt for a new central midfielder this January

Adam Wharton has been one name on the tip of many United fans’ tongues over the last few weeks, with rumours circulating over a possible move for the Englishman.

It was reported earlier this week that the Red Devils are preparing a bid in the region of £87m to land the Crystal Palace star – a deal that would be a huge investment from INEOS.

However, it’s thought that the Eagles are hugely reluctant to offload their star man, which could make a deal somewhat tricky to complete this winter.

As a result, other options are being considered, which has led to rumours over a deal for Atlético Madrid star Conor Gallagher resurfacing once again.

Journalist Ben Jacobs stated this week that Amorim’s men could be tempted to revisit a move for the 25-year-old, who only joined the LaLiga side last summer.

He also stated the hierarchy could be tempted by a potential loan deal, but it’s unclear if Diego Simeone’s side would be willing to let him leave on a temporary basis.

Why United’s latest target would be the next Mount

Back in the summer of 2023, United secured the £60m signing of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea – a deal that massively raised eyebrows at the time.

Such a figure was seen as too expensive for the Englishman, something which was only magnified as a result of his constant battles with injuries in his first two years at Old Trafford.

He could only make 47 appearances in his first two seasons in Manchester, but it appears she’s put his struggles behind him in 2025/26, with the 26-year-old now in the form of his life.

Amorim has stuck by him in recent months, with Mount repaying the favour, as seen by his tally of three league goals this season – two of which have come in the last three games.

At present, he’s a key member of the United squad and could play a massive role when the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo go to AFCON in the coming weeks.

However, the hierarchy could complete a similar deal to Mount with a move for Gallagher, with the Atlético star also coming through the ranks at Chelsea before starring as a professional.

Like a deal for the midfielder a couple of years ago, many supporters have voiced their displeasure at a deal for the LaLiga star, but it could prove to be a shrewd addition.

His stats from the ongoing campaign showcase his talents, with many of which massively bolstering the options currently at the disposal of the manager at Old Trafford.

Gallagher, who’s been dubbed a “monster” by one analyst, has won 2.5 tackles and made 1.6 interceptions per 90, with such numbers showcasing his dominant ball-winning presence that Amorim craves.

Games played

16

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

88%

Shots taken

1.4

Progressive carries

2.7

Progressive passes

3.9

Tackles made

2.5

Interceptions made

1.6

Carries into opposition box

0.9

He’s also made 0.9 carries into the opposition box as part of his 2.7 progressive carries per 90, highlighting his ability with the ball when winning it back for his side.

Gallagher, who earns £150k-per-week, has completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted to date, with 3.9 of which per 90 going into the final third, further reaffirming his incredible ball-playing talents.

Such a deal may be tricky to conduct for the Red Devils this window, but it would be a superb piece of business and one that could take the side to the next level.

If he can achieve the heights achieved by Mount, it would be an excellent deal and one that could finally end the hierarchy’s hunt for a new number eight in 2026.

Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo

Manchester United have one star in their ranks who could suffer the same fate as Kobbie Mainoo.

ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago

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.

The need for results over the coming weeks has been heightened. Arne Slot made a telling comment on his hopes of Liverpool progressing deep into the Carabao Cup when fielding a much-rotated team with a bench full of youngsters (average age of 19) against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

The Eagles won 3-0, their third win over the Reds this term, and that’s now six losses from seven matches in all competitions for Slot’s side, who are very much in crisis mode.

The Dutch boss had turned his attention toward the daunting run of upcoming fixtures before the opening whistle screeched in midweek, and now there is not an emphasis but an expectation that wins will be struck to stop the rot and turn back toward the compelling title defence that was anticipated after a summer of record-breaking spending.

If we can take a sliver of optimism from this abject run of form, it’s that, having played an overload of matches away from home, four of the next five take place down Anfield Road, having lost on home soil to Palace on Wednesday too.

There simply has to be a swift upswing. Looking at it from a wider lens, though, it may well be that some Redmen have entered the final phase of their careers on Merseyside.

The Liverpool players Hughes needs to sell

Sporting director Richard Hughes was lauded after his emphatic summer transfer window, overseeing a staggering rebuild at Liverpool after Slot defied expectations to win the Premier League in his first year at the helm.

But the summer upheaval has sent it all in a bit of a spin. Still. Though we must reserve judgement on under-firing newbies such as Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, there are certain veterans at the club who aren’t pulling their weight.

Take, for example, Joe Gomez, who is Liverpool’s longest-serving player but now shows the rust of a man who has been afforded few chances to impress in recent years, with injuries and superiorities elsewhere in defence keeping him on the fringe.

Against Palace, the England international struggled to impress, lacking any semblance of command in a backline that was without the calming presence of Virgil van Dijk.

Wataru Endo has been something of a stalwart since arriving at the club for a smart fee in 2023, but the 32-year-old’s role has diminished as his time in England has dragged on.

Stodgy athleticism and limitations on the ball have kept the Japan captain from being anything more than a tackle-first substitute under Slot’s wing, and now it appears he is approaching the end of an illustrious couple of years in Liverpool, unable to offer a viable solution at number six.

Liverpool should have better options in the middle of the park, in any case, but that doesn’t appear to be so as the 2025/26 campaign rolls into its fourth month.

The Liverpool midfielder who's failing Slot

We’ve been here before. Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit Premier League champions were overwhelmed across the 2020/21 campaign, and scrambled to salvage Champions League football toward the end of the term.

But the deterioration of 2022/23 was more concerning, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho flattering to deceive in the middle of the park. The Reds needed to rebuild, and so fashioned together the title-winning engine room of the past few years.

The standout of that rebuild has been Alexis Mac Allister, instrumental to lifting Liverpool back off the ground in 2023/24, after joining from Brighton for around £35m, and then revelling in winning the Premier League last season.

Now, he’s fallen off a proverbial cliff, with his sedentary performances in midfield not those of an elite, robust midfielder. One Liverpool content creator actually said it “looks like Fabinho’s season”, when the Brazilian slumped from his formerly imperious level as the midfield anchor, his legs gone.

The data does suggest that Mac Allister lacks his former vim and vigour, but given that he is only 26 years old and regarded as a “superstar” of a midfielder, as has been said by pundit Joe Cole, this is deeply worrying for those of a red persuasion.

For Fabinho, though only 29 at the time of his £40m transfer to Al-Ittihad, had played 219 high-octane, turbo-charged matches as the heartbeat of Klopp’s Liverpool team, and going from 1.25 carries per game in his first season in England to an average of only 0.51 in 2022/23 emphasises his loss of athleticism.

For a player of Mac Allister’s all-encompassing midfield quality, it’s imperative that Slot gets a tune out of him once again. If the Argentine does not click into gear this season, Liverpool will struggle to hit their stride.

There will be an expectation around Anfield that Mac Allister’s dip in form is not permanent, and that he’s back on his A-game before long.

However, this startling drop-off dredges up unwanted memories of Fabinho’s own fall from grace at Anfield, and Slot will be gravely hoping that lightning hasn’t struck twice on the Liverpool squad.

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

Liverpool have a shrewd solution to one of their biggest problems this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 30, 2025

The series between West Indies and Australia has been dominated by the bowlers and it would be no surprise if that were to continue at Sabina Park as the teams prepare for the ground’s first day-night Test.It will be just the second pink-ball Test staged in the Caribbean after the match featuring Sri Lanka in Barbados in 2018, which was a low-scoring contest that only went into the fourth day because of rain.This Test match is being played with a Dukes ball, with both teams having just one training session with the pink ball under lights. It is Australia’s first day-night Test away from home, where they have played 13, their only defeat coming against West Indies at the Gabba in 2024.Related

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“There might be a few things going on at night with the pink Dukes,” Mitchell Starc said, having batted against it on Wednesday. “It’s a new one for us as a group. I think Usman [Khawaja] is the only one who’s played with a pink Dukes, and it was an English Dukes, and he said the county game went for a day-and-a-half.”Starc added that the Australia top-order batters had reported “swing and nip” during training and, albeit over a limited time span, the balls had retained their hardness. There have been a considerable number of ball changes during this series with the red Dukes going soft and out of shape.When it comes to bowling, Starc is the master of pink-ball cricket, having taken 74 wickets at 18.14. He plays his 100th Test in Jamaica and needs five wickets to reach 400. “I don’t think it’s poetic, but it’s quite funny that I’m playing [the] 100th in a pink-ball game.”Starc noted that the pitch looked the most even of the series to date where variable bounce and significant seam movement have been a feature in both Barbados and Grenada.”It looks like it’s probably the most even covering of grass we’ve had,” he said. “It’s a bit of a lottery to see what the wickets do, but at first look it looks the best of the three.”The installation of the floodlights was only completed close to deadline after having faced numerous delays. They are built to a lower height than many around the world, but the brightness (Lux) levels reach or exceed all the requirements. There are a couple of slightly darker areas in pockets near the boundaries in front of Kingston Cricket Club and at the Courtney Walsh End, but the Australians didn’t have any significant problems.”Not anything too dark,” Starc said. “Just the different levels of lights were something that people were getting used to. But, overall, I think pretty good.”Mitchell Starc should back himself to get the five wickets he needs to get to 400 – he is the greatest pink-ball bowler in the world, after all•Randy Brooks/Associated Press

West Indies have played five previous day-night Tests, their only victory being the one against Australia last year. At most, they will have four survivors from that match. Their only century in a pink-ball Test was made by Darren Bravo against Pakistan in 2016. This current series has yet to see a three-figure score with Brandon King’s 75 the highest individual score to date.”It’s a challenge, but an exciting challenge,” King, who is from Jamaica, said of the day-night Test. “It’s something I’m looking forward to. You want to play against the best in any arena that you’re in. They’ve played the most pink-ball games, so they’re very experienced”Sabina Park is usually a decent wicket. It’s usually a balanced wicket, something for the bowlers, something for the batters. And that’s what you want. Obviously, the previous two [Tests] were very challenging [for the batters].”The previous Test at the venue, against Bangladesh last year, produced a highest innings total of 268. Pace dominated for the majority of the match before left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took five in West Indies’ second innings to secure the visitors’ victory.

With the title race having already swung back and forth while the top-four and relegation battles are as open as they have been for a few years, the Premier League is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Sure, the odd match still follows the formbook, but a number of teams are proving tough to pin down and figure out what to expect from them on a game-to-game basis.

As such, knowing what shape the news cycle is going to take is anyone's guess at the start of a round of fixtures. Refereeing controversies, outrageous managerial quotes and even the reactions of big-name pundits can drive the narrative around the English top-flight, and thus it's difficult to figure out what will be dominating the newspaper back pages, website homepages and fan reaction shows in the hours and days that follow.

That hasn't stopped us at GOAL from trying, though. Rather than merely predicting the weekend's results, we have looked into our crystal balls to figure out what headlines you, the fans, will be reading and clicking on as you digest the latest Premier League action…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Slot sliding towards Anfield exit'

  Liverpool have now lost six of their last seven games in all competitions, with the already under-fire Arne Slot having brought more unwanted attention on himself after he basically sacrificed the Reds' hopes of progressing in the Carabao Cup by resting the majority of his regular starters for Wednesday's clash with Crystal Palace. The result was an entirely predictable 3-0 home defeat, and the only way in which Slot can salvage any positive press from his controversial selection call is to oversee an upturn in results before the November international break.

  He certainly would not have handpicked Liverpool's upcoming fixtures were he looking for straightforward routes to victory, with Saturday's home game against Aston Villa set to be followed by a Champions League clash with Real Madrid and then a visit to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City. Given the standard of performance that Liverpool are currently churning out, there is a world where defeats seven, eight and nine of the season arrive in the next 10 days.

  Slot is desperately searching for a solution, as illustrated by him deploying a 4-4-2 formation against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Reds' last European outing while he matched Palace's 3-4-3 in midweek to little effect. Finding a system to get the best out of his newly-assembled, uber-expensive squad will likely make or break Slot's tenure, and current signs suggest to it eventually being the latter.

  Certainly Villa arrive on Merseyside in buoyant mood after three successive league wins, the most recent of which came over Man City last week, and though Unai Emery has had his own issues in getting the best out of the attacking talent he has available to him, Saturday's encounter presents the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers the opportunity to get their seasons back on track.

  As such, we expect the misery surrounding Liverpool to remain, and given the games they have coming up thereafter, questions will begin to be asked of just how long Slot, the man who delivered the Premier League title in such emphatic circumstances six months ago, can survive if things don't improve.

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• AFP
  

  'Maresca losing control of immature Chelsea'

  Slot isn't the only 'Big Six' manager to be feeling the heat, with Enzo Maresca also coming under fire from sections of the Chelsea support after the Blues' inconsistent start to a campaign that promised plenty following the Blues' Club World Cup success. Saturday's last-gasp defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland has left the Conference League winners languishing in ninth in the table, and though they won through in the Carabao Cup in midweek, they had to survive an almighty scare as Wolves fought back at Molineux.

  A Saturday evening trip to take on rivals Tottenham is next on the agenda for Maresca's side, and usually a visit to north London would be exactly the tonic for the Blues given recent results, as they have won six of their eight games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened in 2019, scoring four goals in each of their last two victories there. However, Chelsea's current performances, coupled with their continued discipline issues, suggest there is an opportunity for Thomas Frank's side to further bloody the Blues' noses.

  Expect this one to be ill-tempered given the importance of the fixture to both sides, and we're backing Spurs to narrowly come out on top while Chelsea end the game with nine men. If that plays out, the knives could be out for Maresca before too long.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Mbeumo might be the signing of the season'

  Liverpool and Chelsea's respective slumps have opened the door for others to push themselves into contention for top-four places, and Manchester United already look well placed to push for Champions League qualification after three successive wins for Ruben Amorim's side. Bryan Mbeumo has scored three goals and assisted one other during that stretch as he looks well on his way to repaying his initial £65 million ($85.5m) transfer fee.

  Despite him coming off a 20-goal season with Brentford and the interest of others, that outlay did feel a little steep at the time, but Mbeumo has shown himself to be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim's system while striking up a strong relationship with wing-back Amad Diallo. The pair's combination has been so effective, in fact, that Amorim is already having to answer questions as to how they will be replaced when they head off to the Africa Cup of Nations in December.

  For now, Mbeumo will have the Nottingham Forest defence in his sights, and the Cameroon international will fancy his chances of maintaining his strong form in front of goal. Another two goals to take down Sean Dyche's strugglers will even have some asking whether Mbeumo should be considered the signing of the season so far.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Man City need to make their Iraola move ASAP'

  Across town from Old Trafford, the presumed revival of Manchester City has been a slow process thus far, with Erling Haaland's remarkable goal record having carried Pep Guardiola's side. The Norwegian sat out the midweek cup win over Swansea City after drawing a rare blank against Villa last weekend, but should be back in action when City host Bournemouth on Sunday.

  The Cherries enter the weekend sat second in the table after a remarkable start to the campaign that has seen them go on an eight-match unbeaten run following their opening-night loss at Liverpool. Despite losing his starting goalkeeper and three-quarters of his first-choice defence over the summer, Andoni Iraola has maintained the positive momentum that he has built at the Vitality Stadium, with Antoine Semenyo having emerged as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the division while teenage striker Eli Junior Kroupi has begun to hit his stride in front of goal.

  As such, City are unlikely to have things all their own way at the Etihad, and we're predicting a 2-2 draw that will leave the Super Sunday panel purring to the extent that Iraola will end the day being touted as the ideal man to replace Guardiola when the Catalan eventually steps aside from his role.

Josh Davey, Tom Lammonby also pass 50 on tough day for bowlers in Birmingham

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025

Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck his 12th first-class century as Somerset laid the platform for an imposing total against Warwickshire in the Rothesay County Championship at Edgbaston.Somerset chose to bat on a pitch offering bowlers no help and closed the opening day on 327 for 3. Opening pair Kohler-Cadmore, 104 from 138 balls, and Josh Davey, 64 from 121, added 186 and Tom Lammonby followed them with an unbeaten 75 (129).It was a gruelling day in the field for a Warwickshire side without Chris Rushworth due to a tweaked hamstring, and including Australian spinner Cory Rocchiccioli, on his debut at the start of a short-term contract.Somerset’s decision to bat proved fruitful and their decision to promote Davey to open was also emphatically vindicated as he and Kohler-Cadmore eased to 100 in the 24th over. Davey offered Jacob Bethell a bracing reintroduction to county cricket when he lifted the spinner’s third ball straight for six. Bethell, brought on early and ahead of overseas specialist Rocchiccioli, went for 23 in his first two overs.Kohler-Cadmore exploited the benign pitch to reach 50 from 67 balls and advance to 100 in 128, reaching three figures with his 16th four, pulled off Che Simmons. The young seamer soon gained his revenge, however, when he removed both openers in six balls.Davey, a sixth first-class half-century banked and a career-best (75) beckoning, hoisted a short leg-side delivery to long leg. Kohler-Cadmore gloved a pull to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Somerset’s record opening stand against Warwickshire, in peril while the batters chugged comfortably along, remains the 223 by Jimmy Cook and Peter Roebuck at Taunton in 1990.Warwickshire had a glimmer of opportunity with two new batters at the crease, but Lammonby and James Rew played responsibly to reassert their side’s control with a stand of 68 in 26 overs. Rew departed livid at himself for lifting a wide, slower ball from Olly Hannon-Dalby to point but Lammonby pulled Simmons for four to post a 93-ball half-century and, with Tom Abell, prevented further damage.Warwickshire’s bowlers persevered nobly to keep the scoring slow in the last hour of what was a tough baptism on an unresponsive track for Rocchiccioli. He finished the day with none for 68, but bowled well enough and can take solace from the fact that fellow spinners Eric Hollies and Jeetan Patel also suffered on their Warwickshire debut at Edgbaston (1 for 150 against Sussex in 1932 and Yorkshire in 2009 respectively) and they didn’t do too badly in the long run: 3,743 wickets.

Liverpool have confirmed that fans have successfully raised more than £225,000 in Diogo Jota's memory, with the club also revealing their plans to create a permanent memorial sculpture at Anfield. Jota tragically lost his life in a road traffic accident on July 3, 2025. He passed away, alongside his brother Andre Silva, while travelling to return to the United Kingdom for pre-season training.

Supporters come together to raise money for charity

Liverpool supporters have raised a total sum of £226,995 in the loving memory of Jota. The money will be used to fund a grassroots football programme in honour of the late Reds star, as confirmed by the Premier League champions. Since Jota and his brother's tragic deaths in July, Reds fans have paid tribute by either writing the player's name on the back of their shirts or by purchasing commemorative T-shirts from club stores. The profits have gone to LFC Foundation, Liverpool's official charity, which will now create a grassroots football programme in the Portuguese star’s name.

AdvertisementAFPLiverpool to create permanent memorial sculpture

Liverpool will also create other permanent tributes, with the floral tributes set to be used in flower beds across all Reds' facilities, including Anfield and their AXA Melwood Training Centre. The rest of the artefacts will be recycled by a company to create a memorial sculpture.

Liverpool to pay full contract amount to Jota's widow

Reds boss Arne Slot revealed last month that the Premier League giants are planning to pay Jota's contract in full to the grieving family of the Portuguese forward.

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AFPPortugal struggling to cope with Jota's death

The national team players of Portugal are still mourning Jota's death and have been going through a difficult period since his untimely death. The Selecao will be back in action in October as they take on Ireland and Hungary in back-to-back World Cup qualifying games.

Australia’s men will begin their home season in the Top End during August before an intense white-ball period ahead of the Ashes

Andrew McGlashan30-Mar-2025Darwin’s return as an international venue for the first time in 17 years has been confirmed with the hosting of two men’s T20Is between Australia and South Africa in August while India will tour for eight white-ball matches in 21 days ahead of the men’s Ashes which begins in late November.Cricket Australia confirmed their home international schedule on Sunday which will see the men’s team in action from mid-August, a couple of weeks after completing a tour of West Indies, with three T20Is and three ODIs against South Africa stage in northern Australia across Darwin, Cairns and Mackay, the latter hosting Australia’s men for the first time.Related

Darwin to host Australia A-Sri Lanka A series

Ashes 2025-26: CA schedules Brisbane day-night Test after Perth opener

Darwin set to host international cricket after 17 years

Darwin last staged international cricket in 2008 when Australia played Bangladesh. Its return means the men’s team will play in all state and territories during the 2025-26 season.Northern Australia is also due to host a two-Test series against Bangladesh later in 2026 – which has been moved from March 2027 due to the 150th anniversary Test at the MCG – with Darwin in contention for one of those games alongside Cairns, Mackay and potentially Townsville.India, who were beaten 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this season, will tour from mid-October for three ODIs and five T20Is before the Ashes, the fixtures for which had already been confirmed, starts on November 21 in Perth.The India series will also begin in Perth with the first ODI on October 19. Starting in the west is the preferred option to avoid a short turnaround into Perth matches with lengthy flights. One of the five T20Is will be staged on the Gold Coast in Queensland. There is also a larger gap between the India white-ball games and the start of the Ashes compared to they very short turnaround between the Pakistan and India series this season which gives a better chance of a full-strength home side being selected.Prior to India’s arrival, Australia will make a brief trip across the Tasman in early October for a three-match T20I series against New Zealand with those dates still to be confirmed.Following the Ashes, which concludes in early January, there will again be a window for multiformat players to appear in the BBL, dates for which will announced later in the year but it will fill largely the same window as the 2024-25 season.It is hoped that availability may extend to the finals before the T20I squad begins preparations for the T20 World Cup which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from mid-February, although that will depend how much of a lead-in the Australia hierarchy decide on with an away series against Pakistan set to provide build-up. This summer, a number of internationals missed the BBL finals due to a training camp in Dubai ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests series.Australia A are also set for an extensive schedule, which will be confirmed at a later date, which is expected to feature a home series in the middle of the year. They are also due to tour India, with those dates to be announced by BCCI, as part of a new reciprocal arrangement for A tours across the men’s and women’s game.There are also expected to be Australia A fixtures against England Lions who will tour concurrently with the start of the Ashes series.Australia Men 2025-26 home schedulevs South Africa
August 10: 1st T20I, Darwin (N)
August 12: 2nd T20I, Darwin (N)
August 16: 3rd T20I, Cairns (N)
August 19: 1st ODI, Cairns (D/N)
August 22: 2nd ODI, Mackay (D/N)
August 24: 3rd ODI, Mackay (D/N)vs India
October 19: 1st ODI, Perth Stadium (D/N)
October 23: 2nd ODI, Adelaide (D/N)
October 25: 3rd ODI, SCG (D/N)
October 29: 1st T20I, Canberra (N)
October 31: 2nd T20I, MCG (N)
November 2: 3rd T20I, Hobart (N)
November 6: 4th T20I, Gold Coast (N)
November 8: 5th T20I, Gabba (N)Men’s Ashes (previously announced)
November 21-25: 1st Test, Perth Stadium
December 4-8: 2nd Test, Gabba (D/N)
December 17-21: 3rd Test, Adelaide
December 26-30: 4th Test, MCG
January 4-8, 5th Test, SCG