Celtic have been meticulously assessing options to succeed Martin O’Neill in the dugout and may now have identified a new figure that could become a serious contender to take the Scottish Premiership champions forward.

At 73 years of age, O’Neill deserves plenty of plaudits for taking a step out of his comfortable stable of punditry work for another spell in charge of his old side, even if he may only be around for a brief period of time.

The victories over Falkirk and Rangers brought back some much-needed morale to the Celtic dressing room. However, the Bhoys’ defeat to FC Midtjylland in midweek prompted the former Republic of Ireland boss to make his stance clear on a longer stay in Glasgow.

He told TNT Sports: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that. That could be at the end of the week, it could be after the Kilmarnock game. I just don’t know.”

Later, he added after being asked if he was in constant discussions with the hierarchy, fuelling speculation that he may not be in charge beyond the international break: “No I’m not and I don’t really want to be. I just want to be told when my time is up.”

Kjetil Knutsen continues to be in the Celtic running as his Bodo/Glimt contract comes to an end. Meanwhile, Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna is a Parkhead candidate due to his sterling work at Portman Road.

With speculation bound to continue over the coming days, a new name has entered the picture as a potential successor to interim coach O’Neill.

Celtic place Brian Barry-Murphy on manager shortlist

According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Celtic have shortlisted Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy as a managerial candidate to take over permanently at Parkhead.

Middlesbrough are also on the hunt for a new head coach as Rob Edwards completes a controversial move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, though the Scottish champions appear ready to throw a spanner in the works amid their links to the City Football Group.

Brian Barry-Murphy at Cardiff City – 2025/26

Wins

13

Draws

2

Losses

6

62% win ratio from 21 matches this season.

Previously, he was head coach at Rochdale before a spell in charge of Manchester City’s elite development squad, and he has also further coaching experience in a technical role at Leicester City.

Celtic could land an alternative manager with a secret release clause

Cardiff City find themselves fourth on 26 points and could go top of the table should they win their game in hand. Predominantly adopting a 4-2-3-1, the Bluebirds have been an attacking force this campaign, scoring the joint-third most goals in League One.

Nevertheless, managing Celtic is a whole different kettle of fish due to the pressures associated with the role. It remains to be seen who will be trusted to lead their bid to retain the Scottish Premiership title.

Ahead of his first IPL season, the hard-hitting opener is still processing the ‘surreal feeling’ of wearing the Punjab Kings jersey

Shashank Kishore24-Mar-2025Had fate played out differently, Priyansh Arya could have opened with Yashasvi Jaiswal at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, but BCCI rules deemed him ineligible even though he met the age criteria. While Jaiswal became a breakout star with Rajasthan Royals, Arya struggled to navigate Delhi’s age-group pathways.After five years and a strong debut for Delhi’s senior team, the 24-year-old Arya, known for hitting big sixes, showcased his power against Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Piyush Chawla on the opening day of the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, just before the IPL mega auction.Arya scored 102 off 43 balls, sparking a bidding war that culminated with Punjab Kings signing him for INR 3.8 crore. A debut in IPL 2025 may be imminent, if head coach Ricky Ponting’s words are anything to go by.Related

• Who is Priyansh Arya, Punjab Kings' new INR 3.8-crore buy?

• Minz, Suryavanshi, Rickelton among IPL's rookies to watch out for

• Ponting: Priyansh Arya is 'a very special potential opening batsman'

“The day I got my Punjab Kings jersey, I had goosebumps,” Arya tells ESPNcricinfo. “It was a surreal feeling to wear it. Being part of an IPL team and hearing someone like Ricky sir talk to me is an amazing feeling. Every time he speaks, I’m standing there and looking at him, trying to hang on to every word. It feels amazing.”In August 2024, Arya smashed six sixes in an over in a Delhi Premier League game. He put on 286, the highest stand for any wicket in a T20 match, with Ayush Badoni en route to an unbeaten 50-ball 120. Their team, South Delhi Superstarz, smashed 308.”The DPL earned me trials with a lot of teams,” Arya says. “But it’s nowhere near the kind of recognition the auction gave me. Even old acquaintances started calling me. That’s when it struck me that I’d done something.”Arya comes from a middle-class family of schoolteachers. At “9 or 10”, Arya was enrolled at Sanjay Bhardwaj’s academy, where the dream to become a “proper cricketer” grew bigger.”I’d spent hours watching the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Nitish Rana and Unmukt Chand train,” he says. “Sir used to make us observe them from behind the net. For us it was a thrill to watch all of them play from up close.”‘The day I got my Punjab Kings jersey, I had goosebumps’•Punjab KingsArya’s early promise helped him break into the Delhi Under-14s team, but his young career hit a rough patch when he was 17, after he first played for India Under-19s.”When a selector [Amit Bhandari, the former India seamer] asked me if I was in the Under-16s, I told him I wasn’t eligible and was vying for Under-19s. I’d scored runs in Under-19 trial games, so I was confident.”At the time, I wasn’t aware of a rule where if you didn’t undergo an age test at the Under-16s, then you will only be eligible to play Under-19 for two years. By the time I was 17, I was done playing Under-19s.”That decision ruled Arya out of the Under-19 World Cup. It took him three more years to break into the Delhi senior team, and it wasn’t until 2024-25 that his career took off.Arya was Delhi’s highest run-scorer in the SMAT, hitting 325 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 176.63, with the 102 against UP bringing him attention from scouts and coaches prior to the auction.”I’d stuffed a small pillow in my mouth when my name was called out,” Arya says. “I felt a lot of pressure, but when bids started flying, I kept getting calls and messages. My phone hung. After the auction, I used Jonty Sidhu’s [Delhi teammate] phone to ring my parents. I had goosebumps.”What does Arya intend to do with his IPL earnings?”No clue,” says Arya, now a BA graduate from Delhi University. “It’s for mom and dad. They supported me early on, even when studies weren’t my thing. They’re really happy I’m playing in the IPL. They didn’t know anything about sports, all their friends are teachers too, but they didn’t stop me from pursuing my interest. It’s all for them.”Over the past few years, Arya has watched the IPL from snooker parlours and in badminton courts with friends. This year, he will have an opportunity to be at the centre of it all – with Kings, hoping to “face Jasprit Bumrah” and “hit sixes against my friend Ayush Badoni.”” [there’s some banter between us],” he laughs. “When pressure is on both of us, let’s see who comes out on top.”

Celtic have closed the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership table on a potentially pivotal Sunday.

The Hoops demolished Kilmarnock 4-0 at Parkhead, with Johnny Kenny breaking the deadlock, Kieran Tierney adding a second shortly after half time, before Daizen Maeda and then Arne Engels from the penalty spot added a little gloss to the scoreline late on.

With Hearts held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United over at Tynecastle, the Hoops go into the international break now just seven points adrift of the leaders, also with a game in hand.

For Martin O’Neill, since returning to the Parkhead dugout after two decades away, he has enjoyed back-to-back 4-0 Premiership wins, as well as dumping Rangers out of the League Cup semi-finals at Hampden; the less said about Thursday’s Europa League clash with Midtjylland the better!

In this victory, for however long the 73-year-old remains in caretaker charge, he learned that one Celtic player in particular can be counted on.

Will O'Neill still be at Celtic after the break?

After Sunday’s comfortable victory, O’Neill confirmed “I genuinely don’t know” if he will still be in charge for their next fixture, adding that if the board do appoint a permanent manager during the international break that it’ll “be absolutely fine by me”.

When Celtic do return to action later this month, they’ll travel to St Mirren before facing Feyenoord in Rotterdam in a repeat of the 1970 European Cup Final, but who will be in charge of those matches?

Well, could it be Wilfried Nancy?

He is currently the favourite to land the job, reportedly one of the club’s top targets alongside Kieran McKenna, and a move to Glasgow may have edged a little bit closer this weekend, after Nancy’s Columbus Crew were dumped out the MLS play-offs by rivals FC Cincinnati on Saturday, meaning their season is now over, which could expedite any appointment, if he is indeed who they want.

Irrespective of who is sat in the away dugout in Paisley in a fortnight, they surely can’t help but be impressed by the performance of one Celtic player in particular this weekend.

Celtic star enjoys his finest day of the season vs Kilmarnock

The Celtic medical staff may need to paraphrase Police Chief Brody from Jaws: we’re going to need a bigger treatment room!

The Hoops are already without Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston, Jota and Kelechi Ịheanachọ, before Hampden hero Callum Osmand​​​​​​​ suffered a long-term injury in Herning on Thursday, while Marcelo Saracchi was then stretchered off in the first half against Kilmarnock.

This obviously is not ideal, but does of course present opportunities for others and, in the absence of Carter-Vickers, his compatriot Auston Trusty has really impressed.

The American centre-back put in an excellent display against Rangers in last weekend’s semi-final victory, but was possibly even more eye-catching this Sunday, with the statistics supporting this assertion.

Trusty stats vs Kilmarnock

Stats

Trusty

Match rank

Accurate passes

98

1st

Passing accuracy %

96%

3rd

Accurate long balls

9

2nd

Dribbles success %

100%

1st

Defensive actions

9

5th

Clearances

7

3rd

Interceptions

1

6th

Duels won

9

1st

Aerial duels won

6

1st

Touches

117

1st

SofaScore rating

8.4

3rd

Stats via SofaScore

As the table documents, the centre-half put in a colossal defensive display on Sunday, ranked first for duels as well as accurate passes and touches.

Meantime, when only Celtic players are considered, nobody accumulated more defensive actions, clearances or interceptions.

Glasgow World documented that he ‘continued his rich vein of form’, while noting that the 27-year-old appears to be the perfect man to fill a rather large Carter-Vickers-shaped void at the back.

The defender, who was named man of the match, was also labelled “composed, dominant and aggressive”, having been “immense​​​​​​​” since Carter-Vickers suffered a long-term achilles injury against Sturm Graz.

As recognition of his form, Trusty has been recalled to the United States squad for their friendlies against Paraguay in Pennsylvania and then Uruguay in Florida next week.

Trusty has not played a single minute for the USMNT since November last year, but could well change that as Mauricio Pochettino continues to experiment ahead of the World Cup.

Back at club level, Celtic will need Trusty to remain fit, available and in form because, frankly, they don’t have any other options and, if a new manager is appointed in the next fortnight, he has really staked a claim to remain a key figure. This was undoubtedly his finest day of the campaign to date.

Related The new Rodgers: Celtic make "incredible" manager their new No.1 target

Celtic could be looking to appoint another Brendan Rodgers-type figure.

Posts ByRobbie Walls Nov 9, 2025

Mayank Agarawal led from the front, seasoned pros were discarded, and a bunch of new faces made their presence felt in the winning run

Shashank Kishore20-Jan-2025Mayank Agarawal leads from the frontOver the past two seasons, the selectors had moved on from a number of seasoned players, who have had to find new teams or wait for answers on their future – R Samarth and Karun Nair have shifted to Uttarakhand and Vidarbha, respectively, while Manish Pandey and K Gowtham are out.Related

TN's young star Siddarth eager to carry forward legacy of uncle Sharath

'I'm amazed myself' – Karun Nair reflects on record-breaking run

The long-winding rise of Krishnan Shrijith

Karnataka hadn’t come close to winning the title in any of the formats last season, and in this one, 2024-25, they exited in the quarter-finals of the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and have had a tough time during the first half of the Ranji Trophy season. Against this backdrop, Mayank Agarawal’s four centuries and 651 runs at an average of 93 in a title-winning campaign came at a time when there was a growing sense that the selectors were looking towards youngsters.”I thought I had a great tournament,” Agarawal told ESPNcricinfo. “To be overshadowed by somebody who had a record-breaking run like Karun – it was absolutely stunning for him to achieve what he did and I’m delighted for him – but, at a personal level, those four hundreds made a massive difference personally and for the team.”A slight shift in technique was the starting point. “I made subtle changes in my setup and backlift,” Agarawal explained. “It was also more about breaking down different phases in the game and making plans for those phases and executing those. When you execute it once, you get the confidence and a rhythm and hunger to keep going it again and again.”Agarawal’s upturn in form came after not finding any takers at the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2025 season.”To be honest, I gave myself six-eight hours to soak in what had happened and then said to myself, ‘listen, this is what has happened, this is where I’m at – what do I do next?’ I didn’t want to sit and brood over why it didn’t happen.”It was a knock on the chin and instead of getting upset, I tried to figure out what I need to do, what my immediate focus should be and how I get back on track. So the hundreds and runs was the coming together of all these processes I set for myself in rediscovering myself.”[File photo] Krishnan Shrijith is one of the bright new finds in the batting department•KSCARevamped middle order: KV Aneesh, R Smaran and K ShrijithAgarawal picked out Karnataka’s ability to win key moments regularly as a major reason for their success. It started from the go, with Karnataka chasing 381 against Mumbai in their tournament opener. “That instilled a lot of belief, because this is after all a team in transition,” Agarawal said.K Shrijith scored 150, and Praveen Dubey bounced back from an expensive spell with the ball (2 for 89) with an unbeaten 65. “You suddenly saw fearlessness that the younger group carried forward from there – it was as if that chase unlocked something within the youngsters.”In the second game against Puducherry, R Smaran got his first List A hundred in his maiden season. Smaran had been a standout player in the Under-23s last season for Karnataka. His temperament and ability to soak in pressure was evident again in the final. With Karnataka in choppy waters at 67 for 3, he put together a remarkable partnership with Shrijith to set up the finish for Abhinav Manohar.Smaran finished as Karnataka’s second-highest run-getter, hitting 433 runs in seven innings at an average of 72.16 with two hundreds and two half-centuries. Shrijith made 303 runs, 228 of those in two innings alone – against Mumbai and in the final against Vidarbha – which points to some thought in team selection, since they persisted with him despite a dip in the middle of the tournament.Like Smaran, KV Aneesh is a product of the Under-23s, and he flourished to play a crucial role in the middle order in Pandey’s absence. Aneesh, who grew up in the UAE but returned home to be able to give his cricket career the best shot possible, broke through into the state side on the back of 922 runs, including a double-century in the final, in the CK Nayudu Trophy last season. At the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Aneesh hit a crucial 83 against Saurashtra and 52 in the quarter-final against Baroda.It also helped that Devdutt Padikkal, who was available for the knockouts after the Australia Test series, hit 102 and 86 in their quarter-final and semi-final wins over Baroda and Haryana.”I thought I had a great tournament”•Mayank Agarawal Abhilash Shetty, the new left-arm pacer on the blockIt’s a dimension to Karnataka’s bowling attack that has been missing since S Aravind exited in 2017-18. While there have been a few left-armers, like Prateek Jain, who have played sporadically, they hadn’t found that one seamer capable of playing across formats. Until the Vijay Hazare Trophy.Abhilash Shetty arrived in style, taking a five-for against Punjab on his List A debut, and carrying on that form to finish with 17 wickets in seven games, the joint-third-highest in the tournament. Seven of those wickets came in the semi-final and final.”In the game against Punjab, Abhilash picked up two wickets in an over [Anmol Malhotra and Ramandeep Singh] as he came back for his second spell – which was the turning point I’d say between us having to chase 290 and chasing 248,” Agarawal said. “He’s a very talented bowler, who understood what he needed to do whenever he was brought on to bowl.”Shetty’s arrival coincided with Karnataka’s bowling stocks having been depleted. Vidwath Kaverappa and Vyshak Vijaykumar were both out injured, while Prasidh Krishna was away with the Test squad in Australia, though he rejoined the team on his return.This made Shetty the partner to the consistent V Koushik, who not only contributed 18 wickets (just two short of Arshdeep Singh’s chart-topping 20) but also made a crucial 7 not out at No. 11 in an unbroken 47-run stand with Agarawal to seal a tense win against Punjab, which was massive in the overall context of their qualification to the knockouts.Shreyas Gopal delivers on his returnThere had been a debate within the state circles over the decision to go back to legspinning allrounder Shreyas Gopal, who returned after a season with Kerala. But Shreyas showed that his rich experience counted for a lot, finishing as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker, his 18 wickets coming at an economy of 4.98. This included two thrifty spells of 2 for 36 and 2 for 38 in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. He also contributed a useful 29 with the bat in the low-scoring one-wicket win over Punjab.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is continuing to build what he hopes will be a long-term dynasty at Anfield, though he may well need to plan for the future without Ryan Gravenberch.

The Reds are keen to push once again for the Premier League title. They will feel a renewed sense of optimism on that front with the international break to come, helped in no small part by Arsenal’s last-minute collapse at Sunderland on Saturday.

No matter what happens as the campaign continues to take shape, Liverpool know that their presence near the top of the pile has the potential to make other sides feel uneasy, even if a mixed start to the season has left supporters searching for more out of their side.

Florian Wirtz has failed to fully ignite at Anfield and there are still question marks over Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak’s form. Nevertheless, one man Slot has been able to hang his hat on over the course of his tenure is Ryan Gravenberch.

Strutting his stuff and getting on the scoresheet against Aston Villa last weekend, the Netherlands international followed that performance up with an excellent engine room display as the Reds edged past Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Enjoying life in midfield, Gravenberch has been in fine form since returning from an ankle injury sustained against Manchester United. Fundamentally, his availability is crucial to Liverpool’s title bid, and he is now firmly one of the first names on Slot’s teamsheet.

Either way, the Reds are constantly pitting themselves against the elite sides in world football, and they have witnessed first-hand that rival heavyweights aren’t daunted by the prospect of trying to steal players from under their nose.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a key example of that practice. However, they could now face a battle on their hands to retain Gravenberch amid recent developments from Spain.

Barcelona want to seize opportunity to sign Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona want to capitalise on Ryan Gravenberch’s Liverpool situation and retain an element of confidence that they may be able to reach an agreement to sign the Netherlands international next summer.

Intriguingly, the former Ajax man values the opportunity to fulfil a career dream by signing for a top-level side such as the La Liga giants, though La Blaugrana will need to balance their finances before making an official approach.

Ryan Gravenberch’s 2025/26 season – Premier League

Shots

12

Successful dribbles

7

Chances created

5

Pass accuracy

87.7%

Duels won

42

Despite no exact price being named by the outlet, Liverpool’s valuation of their star midfielder has soared due to his recent performance and role in last term’s Premier League title triumph, making Gravenberch a hard player to attain for any elite side.

Liverpool may have their next Gini Wijnaldum in midfield

Like any potential move, selling the project on offer in Catalonia will be key to initiating movement. In contrast, the Reds will hope their upward trajectory as a club will convince the 23-year-old to stay put on Merseyside.

For two seasons, signing Arda Guler looked like it might have been a mistake by Real Madrid. There were, in fact, reports that they really didn't want him in the first place, and that he was instead only brought to Santiago Bernabeu because Barcelona were so keen on signing 'The Turkish Messi' from Fenerbahce. Fast-forward, though, and that assumption now seems massively misguided.

Over the past few months, Guler has become indispensable to Xabi Alonso – and Kylian Mbappe. Rather than producing Messi-esque moments, Guler has taken on a midfield role more akin to his former team-mate and mentor, Mesut Ozil. The results have been extremely positive, as while Mbappe continues to work on his on-field relationships with fellow superstars Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, he has found a player in Guler who can provide him with the final pass and ensure that he at least keeps up his end of the bargain by banging in goal after goal.

• Getty Images
  

  Barca hijacked

  When Guler first broke onto the scene as a teenage prodigy in Turkey, it was Barca – along with Arsenal – who were most routinely linked with his signature. The Blaugrana lacked a creative player of his ilk, and there was a feeling in Catalunya that Guler could be developed into a star of the future alongside the club's homegrown talents. 

  In early 2023, Barca club president Joan Laporta went on record promising that the deal was all-but done – with the condition that Guler would not arrive until the start of the following campaign. 

  “Today [Barca sporting director] Deco was in Istanbul,” said Laporta. "La Liga allows us to carry out operations for next season without impacting ‘Financial Fair Play’. Arda Guler is a very talented player who Deco likes a lot, and we are trying to close the operation."

  And then Madrid stepped in. Los Blancos insist that they had their eye on Guler for months before Barca made their move, but their Clasico rivals weren't so convinced. Madrid offered an initial €20 million (£17m/$22m), with the promise of another €10m in add-ons, and ensured Guler that he would be given minutes in the first team from day one. Laporta later came out, in very Laporta style, and insisted that it would have been a mistake to sign Guler anyway.

  "We moved away from the Guler operation because of the magnitude it was reaching. We thought it would be a mistake on our part," he said after Madrid announced the teenager's signing. "There are more players that I think we can get without entering such a bidding war.

  "We could have come to compete for Guler, but we decided not to. We have a certain line and we don't cross it. Neither with Arda nor with other players who want to come to Barca."

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Made to wait

  When Guler arrived into the Spanish capital, his quality on the ball could not be denied, but there were clearly physical limitations given the stage of his development, and perhaps unsurprisingly he swiftly picked up an injury which forced him to watch from the Bernabeu stands for months before he was eventually handed his debut in January 2024. Even then, though, Carlo Ancelotti seemed unconvinced.

  "He did an hour well but obviously he is not at his best physically," the then-Madrid boss said. "The important thing was for him to get used to playing with the team, to show his quality. You have to be patient. He showed the quality he has in the first half. He has personality and character, it’s true. That’s a good thing. He stands out for the quality he has above all, but character is important to do well at Real Madrid."

  Guler was subsequently made to wait for more opportunities, with Luka Modric preferred to him on a number of occasions while Bellingham thrived in the other advanced midfield role. The Turkey international did score six goals in his final seven La Liga appearances of the season as Ancelotti rotated in a bid to win the Champions League after sealing the league title, but that did little to convince the legendary Italian coach of Guler's capabilities, and he was trusted to start just 18 games across all competitions in 2024-25, averaging just 41 minutes per appearance.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Impressive numbers

  Alonso has, by contrast, had no such reservations and has instead made Guler a crucial part of his set-up from his very first games in charge at the Club World Cup. The ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss brought the playmaker on at half-time in Madrid's opening game against Al-Hilal, and he subsequently remained in the line up for the rest of their run to the semi-finals.

  That faith has continued into the 2025-26 campaign, where Guler has started 14 of Madrid's 16 games in all competitions thus far, returning three goals and six assists. When you consider his performances for Turkey in World Cup qualifying, and he has totalled 15 goal contributions in around 1,700 minutes on the pitch.

  Within La Liga, Guler's average of 0.91 goal contributions every 90 minutes for Madrid puts him in the 98th percentile within the division, while the 40 chances he has created in all competitions makes him the leader among players in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

  Alonso has also called on Guler to improve the defensive side of his game, and the numbers suggest he is well on his way to doing so. His 0.74 interceptions per 90 minutes are in the 74th percentile among attacking midfielders, while his tackles won, 1.78, puts him in the 84th percentile. Those numbers are hardly elite, but they aren't bad either – especially for a team that consistently has more of the ball than their opponents and has a real desire to win it back as quickly as possible. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Strong connection

  Perhaps most important for Madrid's chances of success in the coming months, however, is Guler's connection with Mbappe. The Frenchman and Vinicius might profile as a devastating attacking duo, but they are seldom on the same wavelength, and that can lead to promising attacks breaking down when the pair try to combine.

  By comparison, Guler and Mbappe have developed far more of a connection. All six of the Turkey midfielder's assists this season have been for Mbappe, and Guler has spoken of how they "understand each other very well," while being compared to another devastating duo of recent Madrid past.

  “I like the comparisons between Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil and Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler," the 20-year-old said when asked whether he can replicate Ozil, who assisted goals for Ronald on 39 occasions during their time together at the Bernabeu. "They’ve achieved great things, but significant success is always achieved by a team, never just two players."  

  Guler's ability to pick a pass has helped Mbappe maintain his central position far more this season, with the Frenchman much more keen to combine with Madrid's No.15 rather than edge away from Guler's position on the right of the midfield three and towards his favoured left-hand side. As such, Alonso's Madrid look much more balanced than they did under Ancelotti last term.

Despite dropped points at the Stadium of Light, Arsenal supporters are rightly feeling generally pretty good about things.

On Saturday night, goals from Bukayo Saka and then Leandro Trossard turned the game around and had the Gunners on course for a precious three points on Wearside, only for Sunderland to snatch a 94th minute equaliser.

Prior to this, Mikel Arteta’s team had won ten successive matches across all competitions, keeping eight consecutive clean sheets too, equaling the club record set in 1903, so go into a huge week in which they’ll take on Tottenham, Bayern Munich and then Chelsea four points clear of a rather ominous-looking Manchester City.

Nevertheless, in hindsight, it was remarkable that Arsenal managed to string together so many victories considering they currently have six attackers sidelined.

Four of those sidelined forwards are forecast to be back in time for the North London derby, but which member of this sextet will be hoping to dislodge the Gunners’ most productive attacker?

Where Leandro Trossard ranks at Arsenal this season

During the summer, if reports are to be believed, numerous clubs were interested in signing Trossard, Aston Villa, Brentford and Fenerbahçe to name just a few, and many Gooners were of the opinion that an upgrade was required and now was the time to cash in on the 30-year-old.

Well, Arteta certainly did not agree, even rewarding the Belgian with a pay rise, and this decision has been vindicated, given that Trossard currently leads the way at Arsenal this season for combined goals and assists, as the table below documents.

Viktor Gyökeres

6

0

Bukayo Saka

6

0

Leandro Trossard

4

4

Gabriel Martinelli

4

1

Mikel Merino

3

1

Declan Rice

2

5

Jurriën Timber

2

2

Gabriel

2

3

Martín Zubimendi

2

1

Eberechi Eze

2

3

Riccardo Calafiori

1

2

Ethan Nwaneri

1

0

Myles Lewis-Skelly

0

3

Martin Ødegaard

0

2

William Saliba

0

1

Max Dowman

0

1

As the table documents, Trossard ranks first at Arsenal in terms of combined goals and assists with eight.

To date, all four of his goals have come away from home, netting at Athletic Club, Port Vale and Fulham, (bet those three clubs have never been in a list together before!), before this rocket that fired his team in front at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night.

Thus, Trossard remains a key figure in this team, almost certainly set to start against Spurs after the international break, but, as the season progresses, he could once again find himself beginning matches as a substitute.

Equally, in the long-term, while he did receive a bumper wage increase, his contract length was not actually extended, ensuring his current deal will still expire in the summer of 2027 – placing doubt on whether he will still be on the books beyond next summer.

Set to turn 31 next month, the former Brighton star is almost certainly nearer the end than the start of his Emirates journey, with a potential replacement already in the building.

The Arsenal attacker aiming to take Trossard's spot

As already alluded to, the Gunners currently have six attackers sidelined, hence why Arteta has had to return to the well that is Mikel Merino up front in Prague and on Wearside last week.

There is optimism that Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres, Martin Ødegaard and Noni Madueke could all be involved in the North London derby, with the returns of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus likely to be another few weeks away.

However, it is Madueke who the majority of supporters are most looking forward to seeing in action once again.

The 22-year-old’s £52m move from Chelsea in the summer was controversial, albeit this was nothing to do with him personally, with a certain section of, how shall we put this diplomatically, vocal online supporters simply tired of signing Chelsea’s cast-offs.

Nevertheless, Madueke, who reportedly earns £150k-per-week, quickly proved his worth, starting the second Premier League game of the season against Leeds on the left-hand-side.

During that match however, Saka suffered an injury, meaning Madueke deputised on the right for the next four matches, before himself suffering a knee injury against Manchester City, the day Saka made a timely return.

Of course, with Man City leading 1-0 at half time, everyone was pleased to see Saka introduced, but there was general bewilderment that Madueke was the man replaced, given how sharp he had been both in the first 45 minutes but in general, fans in the stadium not yet aware that this was an enforced change due to injury.

In total, Madueke has only played 396 minutes for Arsenal, about the same as the flight time from London to Lagos, which is not very much at all, leading to the feeling that what we’ve seen so far is merely an amuse-bouche of what is to come.

When he arrived, Arteta asserted that the “exciting and powerful” 23-year-old is “one of the most talented wide forward players in the Premier League”, showing glimpses of this potential before his injury.

Meantime, back in September, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker exclaimed, “I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka”, after Madueke, also deputising for his club team mate at international level, scored his first goal for England during their 5-0 demolition of Serbia at Stadion Rajko Mitić.

That is obviously an bold assertion and, if there is one thing we’ve learned during Arteta’s six-year reign, it is that if Saka is fit and available, he is going to play.

Thus, it is unrealistic to suggest that Madueke can dislodge the Gunners’ joint-top scorer on the right, but the left flank is very much up for grabs.

Martinelli and Eberechi Eze have both started there at various points this season, with Trossard the current tenant, further underlining that the position is up for grabs.

With games against Spurs, Bayern Munich and then his former side Chelsea next on the agenda, Madueke’s electric dribbling and explosive pace will add an extra dimension to the Gunners attack and will prove invaluable assets, suggesting he could make the left-wing spot his own, permanently demoting Trossard to the role of super sub.

Arsenal "warrior" is being given the Smith Rowe treatment by Arteta

Another Emile Smith Rowe situation could be playing out at Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 11, 2025

Somerset opener peels off boundaries during century stand with James Rew

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Sep-2025Somerset’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit a typically aggressive half-century against his old club as only 42 overs were possible on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One match with Yorkshire at Taunton.The home side had reached 155 for 3 after losing the toss when a thunder and lightning storm engulfed the Cooper Associates County Ground at shortly after 2pm, Kohler-Cadmore having made 76 and James Rew 54 not out. George Hill claimed two of the wickets.Heavy rain left the outfield saturated. Umpires Rob Bailey and Mark Newell inspected at 4.30pm, but decided conditions were not fit for play to resume.Yorkshire’s decision to field first looked set to reap dividends when Hill struck twice in the opening ten overs of the match. Archie Vaughan edged through to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and departed for 10 with the total on 20. Then Tom Lammonby played down the wrong line to a ball angled into him and saw his off stump sent cartwheeling.That was as good as it got for the visitors in the morning session. Rew overcame a scratchy start, while Kohler-Cadmore was not afraid to advance down the pitch to seam and spin alike in moving to a 55-ball half-century.Twice the former Yorkshire player lofted ex-Somerset offspinner Dom Bess back over his head for six as he and Rew took the total to 114 for 2 off 30 overs at lunch. The shortened afternoon session saw Rew bring up his fifty, off 91 balls, with eight fours.Kohler-Cadmore took one chance too many when advancing to a delivery from Jordan Thompson and edged a sharp shoulder-high catch to Hill at first slip to make 147 for 3. He had faced 110 balls and extended his boundary count to 11 fours and two sixes.Tom Abell made a watchful start and only eight more runs were added before the first crash of thunder sent the players to the pavilion with black clouds closing in.

South Africa overcame an early collapse to chase down 230

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2025

Anneke Bosch made 58•BCCI

Anneke Bosch and Sune Luus scored half-centuries to help South Africa clinch a four-wicket victory over Pakistan in their Women’s World Cup warm-up match in Colombo.Chasing a target of 230, South Africa recovered from a shaky start – losing three wickets for 27 runs inside six overs. Bosch and Luus, who made 58 and 54 respectively before retiring, put on a composed 118-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Their efforts laid the foundation for a successful chase, which was completed in just 40.1 overs.Chloe Tryon added a vital 45 not out off 39 balls to guide South Africa home after a minor middle-order stumble. Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Diana Baig (2 for 32), put up a spirited fight but they managed to take only six wickets.Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 229 in 45.6 overs. Captain Fatima Sana top-scored with 64 at No. 7, helping to lift her side out of early trouble. The middle order showed resistance, but regular breakthroughs from Masabata Klaas (2 for 26) and Ayabonga Khaka (2 for 40) kept Pakistan in check.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians segue interessado na contratação do meia Erik Lamela, mas se preocupa com a condição física do jogador, que possui histórico recente de lesões. Para buscar mais informações, o presidente corintiano Augusto Melo se reuniu na noite desta terça-feira (8) com José Maria del Nido Carrasco, presidente do Sevilla, clube no qual o atleta argentino tem contrato até junho deste ano e não irá permanecer.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansPaulinho detalha oferta do Corinthians por renovaçãoCorinthians08/05/2024Fora de CampoMovimentação da esposa de Cássio na web agita torcedores do Corinthians; entendaFora de Campo08/05/2024CorinthiansAntónio Oliveira busca substituto no Corinthians para ‘jogador mais inteligente que treinou’Corinthians08/05/2024

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

O encontro aconteceu em um restaurante na zona sul de São Paulo. O representante do clube espanhol está no Brasil nesta semana, onde, nos últimos dias, realizou uma visita à Federação Paulista de Futebol e palestrou no Sports Summit, feira de esportes que acontece na capital paulista.

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

A ideia de Augusto também foi de estreitar relações com o dirigente do Sevilla. No entanto, o maior interesse foi obter mais informações sobre Lamela.

continua após a publicidade

O Timão está em contato com o estafe do jogador há algumas semanas e chegou até mesmo a oferecer um salário alto em relação a média do elenco, além de um contrato de três temporadas. Os representantes do argentino se mostraram satisfeitos com a oferta corintiana, mas deixaram claro que a preferência do jogador é permanecer na Europa.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos da Sul-Americana

Sem retorno nos dias seguintes ao contato inicial, a diretoria da equipe paulista recuou na possibilidade do negócio, até o encontro de Augusto Melo com o presidente do Sevilla, que foi motivado pelo interesse do dirigente do Corinthians em fazer um movimento de impacto no mercado. O presidente do clube alvinegro considera Lamela um atleta com essas credenciais e, também, capaz de elevar o nível técnico do elenco corintiano.

continua após a publicidade

Erik Lamela tem 32 anos e disputou duas Copas América pela seleção argentina. Ele foi revelado pelo River Plate, que também fez sondagens e está interessado no futebol do jogador. Na Europa desde 2011, o atleta tem passagens por: Roma, da Itália, e Tottenham, da Inglaterra, além do Sevilla, no Velho Continente.

Tudo sobre

Corinthians