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Mikel Arteta declared himself “extremely proud” after Arsenal produced a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich, ending years of frustration against the German champions and extending their perfect Champions League record. The Gunners boss hailed his squad’s depth, attitude, and belief following a statement win that underlined their growing status as one of Europe’s most complete teams.

• Arsenal thrash Bayern in 3-1 UCL win

  Arsenal delivered a superb all-round performance at the Emirates Stadium, beating Bayern Munich 3–1 to maintain their flawless Champions League campaign. The Gunners went ahead through Jurrien Timber’s header from a Bukayo Saka corner before the Bavarians equalised via 17-year-old Lennart Karl after a well-worked passing sequence carved open the Arsenal defence. In the second half, Arsenal overwhelmed the Bundesliga side with intensity and precision, with substitutes Riccardo Calafiori, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli all playing decisive roles in sealing the victory.

  Their second-half dominance came after sustained pressure on Manuel Neuer, as Arsenal’s midfield duo of Declan Rice and Mikel Merino repeatedly tested the veteran goalkeeper. Bayern’s resistance finally crumbled when Calafiori intercepted Dayot Upamecano’s misplaced pass and set up Madueke for a composed finish that restored Arsenal’s advantage. Minutes later, Neuer’s misjudged sprint off his line allowed Martinelli to collect Eberechi Eze’s long pass, skip past the stranded goalkeeper, and confidently roll the ball into an empty net.

  The win marked Arsenal’s first against Bayern in a decade and confirmed their status as the only team in the Champions League with a 100% record after five matches. Harry Kane endured a frustrating return to north London, unable to influence the game as Arsenal’s back line kept him tightly contained throughout. With this victory, Arsenal climbed to the top of the Champions League standings and reaffirmed their position as one of Europe’s most in-form teams.

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  Arteta 'extremely proud' of Arsenal squad

  Reflecting on the victory, Arteta began with unfiltered joy: “Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight. I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted. You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game.” His summary highlighted not only the collective strength on display but the individual excellence that fueled the win.

  Arteta was also asked about the impact of his substitutes, all three of whom contributed to the decisive goals. He replied: “Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already. But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it.” The manager emphasised the importance of trust and readiness across his squad.

  Asked whether Arsenal should now be seen as Champions League favourites, Arteta remained grounded but ambitious. He said: “What I'm really pleased with my players is that we do what we have to do, which is try to be better every single day, perform at the highest level consistently, and win a lot of games, and we need to continue to that.”

• Arsenal now unbeaten in 16 games, go top of UCL league table

  Arsenal’s triumph was significant not only for its quality but for the psychological storyline behind it. Bayern Munich had been a recurring tormentor in Arsenal’s European past, often inflicting heavy defeats that created a mental barrier for supporters and players alike. By outplaying Bayern in every department, Arsenal demonstrated the evolution of their identity under Arteta — a side with authority, courage, and a clear plan honed through years of development.

  Inter’s slip against Atletico Madrid made Arsenal the only team left with a perfect record in the competition, enhancing both their confidence and their seeding prospects. The win also extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches, adding fuel to discussions about whether this could become a defining year for the club. Arteta may resist the label of Champions League favourite, but results like this inevitably reshape the external narrative.

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  Arsenal suffer Trossard injury but welcome Odegaard back

  Arsenal will now look to secure top spot in the Champions League league-phase table, a finish that would give them a more favourable knockout route and further reward their blistering start. The fitness of Leandro Trossard will be monitored closely, while Martin Odegaard’s return provides a timely boost as the fixtures continue to pile up. With momentum on their side, Arteta will aim to sustain the team’s rhythm while managing rotation to keep the squad fresh.

  Speaking about Trossard and Odegaard, Arteta concluded by saying: “With Leo, he felt something. We didn't wanna take any risk. I don't know the extent of that injury or if it's an injury. And Martin, yeah, is our captain. Great to have him back in the team and contributing. So he's welcome.”

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

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'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.

Teenager Ben Mayes gave a glimpse into the future with a match-winning 62 not out as Hampshire kept Metro Bank One-Day Cup men’s competition progression in their own hands.England Under-19 star Mayes, just 17, mesmerised with a catalogue of power, guile and switch hits for his second List A fifty.Mayes put on 111 in 72 balls with James Fuller (54 off 39) to take Hampshire to their fifth win in the competition, after fifties for Fletcha Middleton and Ben Brown.Derbyshire Falcons had been in control after posting 339 thanks to 98 for Caleb Jewell and 76 for Brooke Guest but they were eliminated from the One-Day Cup, and are still yet to win a List A match at Utilita Bowl in seven attempts.Hampshire now know a final fixture win over Gloucestershire will see them into the knockout stage for a fourth straight season.Mayes and Fuller had joined at 206 for five, with Derbyshire boasting a tight grip on the match.Ali Orr and competition top-scorer Nick Gubbins had leaned into the chase with relish, finding boundaries with glee to put on 55 in the first seven overs.But fell in quick succession to Aitchison. Gubbins ended a 257 run, across three innings, without being dismissed when he was bowled and two overs later Orr chopped on.Middleton and Brendon McMullen straightened things back out with a flowing 66-run stand, but McMullen tamely chipping back to Joe Hawkins, drew the Falcons back to favourites.Middleton and Brown both posted their first fifties in the One-Day Cup but neither kicked on but just as Hampshire’s hopes were fading, their wonderkid arrived at the crease.Having scored four off his first 11 balls, he got moving with a cut boundary before a ludicrous reverse paddle found his groove.Mayes scored a fifty on his debut against Glamorgan to stick his name in the limelight, and played off that with a masterclass of modern shot-making. His second half-century came in 39 balls.At the other end, Fuller used brute power to clear the ropes four times in his 38-ball fifty before he was caught and bowled by Hawkins and Felix Organ was bowled.Andrew Neal took out the jitters by middling through midwicket as the hosts took the four points with five balls to spare.Derbyshire were given the first go on a batting paradise, and despite Kyle Abbott’s miserly opening spell, found runs flowed easily throughout.Jewell was the sparkle in the innings as he lusciously and repeatedly drove through the covers during a 99-run stand with former Hampshire batter Harry Came.It was just the start of a series of bulky partnerships that underpinned the visitor’s hefty 339 – stands of 46, 44, 94 and 39 all delivered in quick time.Wickets came in decade intervals, and when they did it often required either magic, or batter error.In the former category, Came was sensationally caught at midwicket by Nick Gubbins and Matt Montgomery had his off-stump glanced by an Abbott pearler,Jewell looked on course for a second century in the competition as he strode through 400 runs in the One-Day Cup.But having been fluently batting at a strike-rate around 120, he slowed up with the milestone in sight, and on 98 he missed a paddle sweep and was bowled by Felix Organ.Brooke Guest and Martin Andersson regained the sweet-striking momentum, the latter with an excellent eighth List A fifty but for the eighth time he couldn’t convert.Any chance of Derbyshire flittering at the end of their innings was kyboshed by Amrit Singh Basra – with 90 runs coming off the last 10 overs. The SACA graduate who signed a two-year contract this week showed off his range of shots in a breathless 15-ball 34 – but it wasn’t to be enough.

Are things in danger of unravelling at Tottenham Hotspur?

Let’s cast our minds back to the Ange Postecoglou era. It all began at a rip-roaring pace before the Aussies’ chaotic team were found out.

Is the same now happening to Thomas Frank’s team? The Dane was enjoying a pretty perfect first few months in the hot seat and with Daniel Levy gone, a promising new era beckoned.

Yet, in recent months, results have not been up to scratch. Spurs have won just two of their last eight games in all competitions, and since their impressive 3-0 win over Everton a week ago, have endured a wretched week.

The Lilywhites crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Newcastle and then turned in arguably their worst performance of the Frank era to date in their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

So bad were Spurs that Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher simply said as the game neared its end that they had been “absolutely awful”.

To make matters worse, clips emerged post-game showing two Spurs players walking straight past the manager at full-time.

That being said, at the front of their woes is the marquee summer signing, Xavi Simons.

Why Xavi Simons is struggling at Spurs

What a peculiar summer Spurs had. The big focus, particularly after James Maddison’s injury, was to sign a creative force.

They missed out on Premier League-proven talents in the shape of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze and were forced to turn their attentions elsewhere. How they must wish they’d got one of Gibbs-White or Eze.

Simons has been a wonderful talent out in the Bundesliga but much like fellow attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, has really struggled to make an impact in English football.

The Dutchman has failed to score across 12 outings in Spurs colours and has just one assist to show for his efforts.

Chalkboard

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

While there have been flickers of brilliance, he is clearly struggling with the physicality of the league and is suffering from the lack of time you are given on the ball.

That was particularly notable during the 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday evening, perhaps the nadir of Simons’ time in north London to date.

The Netherlands international wasn’t initially selected to start the game but was thrust into the action after just seven minutes when Lucas Bergvall went off injured.

To sum up his woes, Simons was then withdrawn from the action with 17 minutes of normal time to go.

He trudged off the pitch having not completed a key pass or provided an accurate cross. He also gave away possession 15 times and completed a solitary dribble from three attempts.

Aged just 22, Simons does at least have time on his side but he will need to improve quickly. Another of Spurs’ big underperformers may not be quite so fortuitous as far as time is concerned.

Spurs underperformer is as big of a problem as Simons

While the summer signing has become a large issue for Frank in recent weeks, so has one of the club’s most experienced players; Pedro Porro.

Donning the captain’s armband, more should be expected of the Spaniard but the fact of the matter is that his form is waning under the new regime.

While Porro has never been the most awe-inspiring from a defensive point of view, it’s not just been that aspect of his game to let him down in 2025/26.

Handed a 4/10 rating post-game by football.london, they wrote that he ‘struggled to make things happen with his passing loose for much of the encounter’.

Minutes played

73

Accurate passes

18/30 (60%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/6

Touches

51

Possession lost

23x

Shots

0

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Recoveries

2

Duels won

3/7

That was certainly showcased in the stats with the full-back not impressing in many of his duties at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He dismally completed just 60% of his passes, ceding possession on 23 occasions. The Spain international also failed to complete a tackle or make an interception.

It’s safe to say he didn’t leave a strong impression on the fanbase with one Spurs content creator describing it as Porro’s “worst performance in a long time.” Quite.

So, as Frank’s side get ready to face Copenhagen in midweek, perhaps it would be advantageous to drop Porro, moving Djed Spence to right back and bringing Destiny Udogie back in at left-back.

Liverpool ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions by claiming all three points against West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arne Slot’s team had lost 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester City in their last two outings in the top-flight, which is why it was so important for them to bounce back with a win against the Hammers.

Alexander Isak scored his first league goal for the Reds after his £125m move from Newcastle United in the summer, as part of an attack that looked very different after some impressive tweaks from the head coach.

The key tactical tweaks Liverpool made against West Ham

Instead of playing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slot opted to go with a natural defender in Joe Gomez in the back four and it was a tactical decision that paid off big time.

The former England international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, and provided an assist for the second goal with an excellent cross after Szoboszlai, who was able to play further up the field, did well to lay the ball off to him.

Slot also played Florian Wirtz in the number ten role, after he was left on the bench against PSV, and the Germany international completed 93% of his attempted passes in a controlling and metronomic display in the middle of the park.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The Liverpool boss also made the bold call to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting line-up to play Szoboszlai out wide on the right, days after Alan Pardew suggested that the Egypt international has looked “lost”.

In Salah’s absence, though, Reds forward Cody Gakpo showed that he is the manager’s most clutch player this season with an impressive display.

Liverpool's most clutch player

In March of last year, the £40m signing from PSV was criticised by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed that the Dutchman “plays like the game is in slow motion”.

Believe it or not, that’s not the first time the former centre-back has criticised the Dutchman.

Indeed, just after he signed, Carragher wrote that he was ‘baffled watching Gakpo’s early performances,” further stating that ‘Gakpo is not a typical Klopp signing, lacking lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press.’

There is a languid demeanour to the way that Gakpo plays for Liverpool on the wing, but that is not an inherently bad thing because it is not down to a genuine lack of effort, as shown by his output this season.

The Netherlands international added a goal and an assist to his tally in the 2-0 win over West Ham, setting up Isak for the opener before burying a finish late on to seal the win.

With Salah out, Gakpo once again showed that he is the most clutch player in the squad in the Premier League this season, because he has been the most productive player in front of goal.

Last season, Salah was the player Liverpool looked to when they needed a goal, as he ended the campaign with a staggering 29 goals and 18 assists, per WhoScored.

xG

3.8

1st

Goals

4

1st

Big chances created

7

1st

Chances created

25

1st

xA

2.6

1st

Assists

3

1st

Goals + assists

7

1st

As you can see in the table above, it is Gakpo who has been the go-to man for Slot in the top-flight so far this term, leading the way in pretty much every significant attacking metric.

These statistics show how clutch the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season, because he has been their main star for both goals and creativity at the top end of the pitch, which was on full display with a goal and an assist on Sunday.

Until Salah is able to get back to his best in the Premier League, which will hopefully happen in the coming weeks, Gakpo should be considered the most clutch player in the squad for his output so far.

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Liverpool are starting to prepare for Mo Salah’s departure from Anfield.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

Real Madrid turned in a solid performance but made some key defensive mistakes to suffer a 2-1 home loss to Manchester City in a Champions League loss that will put further pressure on Xabi Alonso. Los Blancos took the lead, but threw it away and were unable to mount a second half comeback to drop their second game in a row.

The game simmered for the first 30 minutes. Madrid thought they had a penalty early when Vinicius was tripped by Matheus Nunes – but VAR ruled that the foul was outside the box. Otherwise, the home side were happy to dig in and defend. Los Blancos were rewarded for their rearguard efforts after 28 minutes, though, with Rodrygo giving them a 1-0 lead thanks to a tidy finish from a tight angle. 

But City charged back. They got their first off a corner. Thibaut Courtois spilled the initial effort and Nico O'Reilly tapped home the loose ball. The second came from the spot. Antonio Rudiger dragged Erling Haaland in front of a gaping net. Haaland appealed. VAR determined he was fouled. The Norwegian dutifully finished from 12 yards. 

Madrid had a clear chance immediately in the second half, but Jude Bellingham lifted over with the goal gaping. There were further looks, too. Vinicius had two of them, putting a free header wide before volleying over off a corner. But they simply couldn't find an equalizer – and Alonso could be in trouble. 

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

At fault for the first goal, made some vital saves after, but was beaten from the spot. 

Federico Valverde (5/10):

Had a rough time against Doku, and didn't get forward loads. Can't be faulted for his effort, though. 

Raul Asencio (5/10):

Absolutely torched by Jeremy Doku. Won his headers but was burned in transition over and over. 

Toni Rudiger (5/10):

Gave away an entirely meaningless penalty, and never looked particularly steady at the back. Should have picked up a second yellow. 

Alvaro Carreras (8/10):

Immensely effective. Shut down his wing and scampered forward down the left. 

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Dani Ceballos (6/10):

A surprise inclusion. Brought in for some midfield control but never really got in the game. 

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Effective when the game slowed down but was complete torched on the break a few times. 

Jude Bellingham (6/10):

Allowed to be the main man in midfield. In on all the action and very impressive… until he missed a sitter. 

GettyAttack

Rodrygo (8/10):

Handed a start on the right. Then moved to the left. Absolutely excellent throughout, both as a goalscorer and creator. 

Gonzalo Garcia (6/10):

A bit mixed. Did well as a focal point at times, but didn't get involved enough. Can't be blamed. 

Vinicius Jr (6/10):

Never stopped running at his man, but City doubled up on him effectively. Missed a couple of good chances, too. 

GettySubs & Manager

Arda Guler (6/10):

A decent 30 minutes, but never fully got involved. 

Brahim Diaz (6/10):

Barely had a kick. 

Endrick (N/A):

No time to make an impact. 

Xabi Alonso (5/10):

Oversaw a pretty good performance, but this is a results based business and Madrid should have gotten one here. Can he survive another week?

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now in advanced talks to sign Independiente’s Patrik Mercado, with a deal for the midfielder, who is in line to become Rob Edwards’ first signing, almost done.

Wolves are looking to sign a new midfielder amid the uncertainty surrounding Joao Gomes’ future at Molineux, with it recently emerging the 24-year-old would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford.

The Old Gold really would be gambling with their Premier League status if they sanctioned Gomes’ departure next month, but they are already very much up against it, having taken just two points from their opening 11 matches.

Edwards will be looking to oversee a major turnaround, starting this weekend against Crystal Palace, and if the new manager is able to get his side within touching distance of 17th place by January, a few new additions could help propel them to safety.

Wolves now in advanced talks to sign Patrik Mercado

According to a report from El Diario (via Sport Witness), Wolves are now in advanced talks to sign Independiente midfielder Mercado, having emerged as frontrunners in the race for his signature, and the deal is almost done.

As such, the 22-year-old is in line to become Edwards’ first signing at Molineux, and the deal is likely to be relatively inexpensive, with a €5.96m (£5m) fee being touted.

Sevilla and a number of unnamed Portuguese clubs are also in the race for the maestro, but it is looking like he could be heading to Wolves, even though the Ecuadorian would be a risky signing, amid their struggles at the wrong end of the table.

The versatile midfielder, who is capable of playing in defensive and attacking midfield roles, is yet to prove himself outside his home country, and may take more time than Edwards’ side have available to adjust to life in the Premier League.

That’s not to say the Tena-born ace isn’t a future star, having remained a regular source of goals and assists for Independiente across the 2025 campaign, chipping in with 18 goal contributions.

Patrik Mercado’s attacking record in 2025

Appearances

Goal contributions

Liga Pro Serie A

28

11

Liga Pro Championship Round

4

2

Copa Sudamericana

7

4

Copa Libertadores

6

1

Given that a deal for Mercado would be relatively cheap, a deal is still worth pursuing, but having failed to win a single league game so far this season, Wolves may need to bring in more established players to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.

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The Old Gold have submitted an offer for a new forward, who could be available for a bargain fee.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 16, 2025

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.

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We've arrived at MLB's All-Star break, and while most of the early award buzz surrounds the riveting offensive outbursts from players such as Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Yankees reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge and Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani, less love has been shown to those who keep runs off the board.

We're going to take a look at the crop of players this season that have stood out above their peers as the best defensive players in the league, and thus potential Platinum Glove candidates to follow the lead of the 2024 winners: Raleigh and Brewers second baseman Brice Turang.

American League Platinum Glove

Ceddanne Rafaela, CF, Boston Red Sox

Ceddanne Rafaela has been lights out in center field and is tied for third in MLB in outs above average with 15. He's prevented 13 runs in center field, according to Statcast, and covers a tremendous amount of ground while patrolling the outfield grass.

Of all players in MLB, only Pete Crow-Armstrong ranks higher then Rafaela in Statcast's Fielding Run Value category, which combines all of the tracking technology's most crucial defensive stats. Opposing baserunners should tread carefully when Rafaela is throwing the ball, as he's a threat to gun them down no matter how speedy they are—his arm strength and range both rank in the top five percentile.

Denzel Clarke, CF, Athletics

Denzel Clarke has already made a handful of highlight-reel catches in center field this season, most notably his jaw-dropping home run robbery in which he scaled the wall before reaching over and hauling in a sure homer. Clarke has center field covered for the Athletics and boasts 13 outs above average, second among American League outfielders, and 11 runs prevented, which is tied for fourth in MLB. He ranks well despite playing just 44 games thus far, putting him on a pace that could help him run away with the AL’s Platinum Glove if he keeps up his pace.

Clarke's ability to cover so much outfield ground has resulted in him recording a 94% success rate on balls hit his way in the outfield. He comes in 7% above his estimated success rate of 87%, which is the highest differential in the league. In other words, Clarke is incredibly effective at making plays on balls hit his way that would typically not be expected to result in an out.

Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals

Bobby Witt continues to be one of baseball's best defensive players, in addition to his prowess at the plate. The 25-year-old has 15 outs above average while manning the most important position in the infield, and he's also prevented 11 runs, the most at his position in the AL. In fact, no other qualified shortstop in the league has prevented more than three runs this season.

After winning the Gold Glove at shortstop in 2024, Witt looks likely to repeat that feat this year while perhaps leveling up and taking home the Platinum Glove, too.

Honorable Mentions: Raleigh, Astros 2B Mauricio Dubon, Mariners CF Julio Rodriguez

National League Platinum Glove

Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Chicago Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong has a knack for running down baseballs that seem almost certain to touch down for hits. The 23-year-old center field has unbelievable range and ranks first among outfielders with 16 outs above average and is first in all of MLB with 14 runs prevented, according to data from Statcast.

Crow-Armstrong also has baseball's best success rate in the outfield at 96%, thanks to his ability to chase down balls just about anywhere in center field. The Cubs star also leads the league in putouts at center field, boasts a perfect fielding percentage and is one of only three center fielders in MLB without a single error this season.

Nick Allen, SS, Atlanta Braves

Nick Allen has been vital for the Braves this season, as he overtook the starting job from former teammate Orlando Arcia thanks to his excellent glovework. While he's no world beater at the plate, logging a .580 OPS, Allen's defense is what sets him apart. He's arguably the best defensive shortstop in baseball, a notion the numbers back up.

Allen is tied with Crow-Armstrong for the most Outs Above Average in MLB with 16, and he's prevented the most runs among shortstops with 12, one more than Witt. He boasts a pristine .993 fielding percentage at shortstop, having committed just two errors.

Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals

If anyone's rivaling Allen for the title of best defensive shortstop in the National League, it's Masyn Winn. Winn has been sensational on defense for St. Louis, leading the league at the position with a .994 fielding percentage. He's tied with Witt for second among MLB shortstops with 11 runs prevented and boasts 15 outs above average.

Only Witt, Winn and Allen have 15 or more outs above average, while no other shortstop in MLB has more than nine. Winn excels at charging in quickly on the ball and firing a hard throw over to first base, having made several breathtaking plays in such fashion this season.

Honorable Mentions: Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, Cardinals CF Victor Scott II, Giants C Patrick Bailey

Newcastle United are far from perfect this season, but there is enough quality at Eddie Howe’s disposal for the manager to craft another knockout campaign.

While the Magpies have claimed seven points from nine in the Premier League, they are 12th in the standings; however, the congested nature of the campaign means fourth-place Chelsea only hold a five-point advantage.

Whether Newcastle consolidate a fine run of form over the winter months – as they did last year – remains to be seen, but Howe will take understandable solace in his side’s more polished and coherent recent performances after a tumultuous transfer window.

However, it feels like some outside aid is needed, and with midfield emerging as a priority position for technical director Ross Wilson, it’s no surprise that Elliot Anderson continues to be linked with a return home.

The latest on Elliot Anderson to Newcastle

We all know the story. Newcastle’s PSR problems. Selling Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to circumvent a ban. Shaving fringe quality instead of selling a superstar.

But the 23-year-old midfielder has grown into a force to be reckoned with, Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel going as far as to call him “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”.

This is a sentiment shared by Howe, who was candid in discussing why Newcastle sold their prized homegrown talent to a Premier League rival, and underlined his desire to win him back.

Anderson is now a sensation, though, and Premier League tax has been levied by the Tricky Trees, who are set to demand in excess of £100m for a player now being chased by Manchester City and Manchester United too.

Newcastle will try, but this is sure to prove an elusive signature to land.

It’s important that the St. James’ Park side learn from their past mistakes, though, and don’t part with their new version of the Three Lions star.

Newcastle have an even bigger talent than Anderson

He’s had a tough time of late in regard to injuries, but Lewis Hall’s emphatic return to the field at Newcastle has remind English football of the calibre of their exciting up-and-comer.

The 21-year-old has now started three Premier League games in a row for Newcastle, and already he has reshaped the tactical fluency that was sorely missing in the early stages of the campaign. He was instrumental in taking control against Tottenham, and unfortunate not to have claimed three points.

Hailed as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith, Hall has only just regained full fitness but is indeed reminding the Premier League of his elite quality.

Minutes played

90′

Touches

75

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

Accurate passes

36/43 (84%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

6

Tackles won

4/4

Interceptions

2

Clearances

4

Duels won

8/15

He’s so defensively sound while playing dynamically and always looking to develop Tottenham’s attacking patterns through intelligent build-up work and calculated movement.

This is further evidenced through FBref’s data. The platform reveal the England international to rank among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 7% for through balls, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles won per 90.

Journalist Harry De Cosemo claimed that the young full-back “makes such a difference” when starting from the opening, and no mistake there.

The vultures are bound to start circling before long, and while Newcastle may struggle to re-sign a homegrown talent in Anderson, they may have an even bigger talent in their ranks, and it is crucial that Howe is given the security to build around him.

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