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Jansen misses out as he’s recovering from surgery to his left thumb while Miller will be playing in the Hundred

Firdose Moonda24-Jul-2025

Temba Bavuma had missed the Zimbabwe Tests with a hamstring injury•ICC/Getty Images

South Africa’s regular white-ball captains Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma will return to lead the T20I and ODI squads, respectively, for next month’s tour of Australia. Markram was rested from South Africa’s Test and T20I series in Zimbabwe while Bavuma missed the Zimbabwe Tests with a hamstring injury he sustained at the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. Both skippers will have relatively full-strength squads available to them.Notably, the squad was announced a week before Patrick Moroney, the new convenor of selectors, starts work on August 1, which means this was the last squad that all-format Shukri Conrad picked independently.”It’s great to have our senior players back in the mix after their rest following the WTC Final,” Conrad said in a statement. “Their experience and quality add real value to the group as we continue to build a strong core in both formats. Every series from here on plays a part in shaping our squads for next year’s T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup at home in 2027.”Of South Africa’s regulars, Marco Jansen and David Miller are the only two not named. Jansen is recovering from surgery to his left thumb from an issue picked up at the WTC final, while Miller will be playing in the Hundred. He is expected to return for South Africa’s white-ball tour of England in September.South Africa’s squads for Australia tour•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The rest of South Africa’s frontline attack, led by Kagiso Rabada in the seam department and Keshav Maharaj in the spin one, are all included. But Maharaj is not part of the T20I squad.Instead, left-arm spinners George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy, who are both currently in Zimbabwe, will play the T20Is alongside legspinner Nqaba Peter as South Africa assess their options for next year’s T20 World Cup. Tabraiz Shamsi, who opted out of a national contract last year, is not included in either squad. Conrad had indicated prior to the Zimbabwe series that he would speak to Shamsi to discuss his future.”Unfortunately, things got away from me, and I was never able to have that chat,” he said. “The spinners who have been selected have the inside track.”South Africa’s T20I playing group sees the return of Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs to the batting line-up, and the retention of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, who are both in Zimbabwe. Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka make up the seamers, but Gerald Coetzee is not included.Rassie van der Dussen was not included in the ODI squad for Australia•Zimbabwe Cricket

“There are only so many quicks you can put in your team in terms of balance,” Conrad said. “The players who have been selected are ahead of Gerald in the pecking order. In the 50-over squad, I wanted to try and get as many allrounders in the squad. You cannot ignore what Corbin Bosch has done. Gerald sits behind him.”The ODI squad’s batting line-up has the four named above as well Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi. Wiaan Mulder provides an all-round option in Jansen’s absence. While Rassie van der Dussen, who has South Africa’s second-highest ODI average, is not included in the ODI squad, Conrad also conceded that he is “very much in contention for the T20 World Cup”.”He gives you the option of batting at the top and at No. 3, and he is a great in a leadership role. With the 50-over [team], because I’ve got time before 2027, it gives me the opportunity to blood new players and see how they develop.”T20I squadAiden Markram (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der DussenODI squadTemba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen

أكد سيد معوض، لاعب الأهلي ومنتخب مصر السابق، أن نجله عمر يتعرض للظلم بسبب اسمه وليس بسبب إمكانياته الفنية، متغزلا في وليد سليمان زميله السابق.

وقال سيد معوض، خلال استضافته في برنامج ضيف الكورة مع الإعلامي فايق على قناة MBC مصر 2، إن نجله تعرض للظلم منذ فترة طويلة، مؤكدًا أن سبب هذا الظلم هو اسمه سيد معوض وليس إمكانياته.

وأضاف، أن مجرد ارتباط اسم اللاعب بوالده الذي كان لاعبًا سابقًا يضع عليه ضغطًا كبيرًا.

طالع|كريم الدبيس يوضح كواليس رحيله عن الأهلي وسر البكاء بسبب كولر

وأوضح، أن نجله غاب لفترات طويلة بسبب الإصابة، وحتى قبل الإصابة لم يحصل على فرصته بالشكل الكافي، مشيرًا إلى أن الأمر كان سيختلف لو كان يحمل اسمًا آخر.

وتحدث معوض عن وليد سليمان، مؤكدًا أنه لاعب لا يختلف عليه اثنان، ووصفه بأنه مميز للغاية، مشيرًا إلى أن سوء حظه تمثل في تعرضه لإصابة في توقيت نفسي صعب، رغم أنه كان في قمة مستواه، وكان على بعد شهر أو شهرين فقط من خوض تجربة احترافية.

وتابع، أن وليد استطاع أن يقنع الجميع بقدراته، وأن أمامه مستقبل داخل النادي الأهلي سواء هو أو غيره من اللاعبين.

كما أوضح أن سيد عبدالحفيظ جلس معه وتحدث عن عمر سيد معوض وعدد كبير من لاعبي قطاع الناشئين.

The Tigers' offense woke up just in time to avoid elimination as they scored all nine of their runs unanswered to secure a 9–3 victory over the Mariners in Game 4 of their American League Divisional Series. Javy Báez, one of the few Detroit batters to show any signs of life this postseason, put things out of reach by blasting a two-run homer on a hanging slider that sent Comerica Park into a frenzy.

It was a no-doubter from the moment it left his bat, but Fox Sports' A.J. Pierzynski still deserves credit for putting it on the board before Baez had even completed his swing. Listen to him nail the call in record time.

"And now, two more" Pierzynski said before the ball had even sailed over the infield.

Even better, he quickly got out of the way for his partner Adam Amin to narrate the moment with some context, saying this was Báez's first playoff homer in eight years. That one came as a member of the World Series-winning Cubs.

Pierzynski has seen a lot of baseball and knows what a pitch like that can result in, but still some incredible speed on the processing there.

With their backs against the wall, the Los Angeles Dodgers were able to pull out a win on Friday night and force a Game 7 against the Blue Jays. Los Angeles won 3-1.

Los Angeles is seeking the first repeat MLB title since 2000, while Toronto hopes to win its first World Series trophy since 1993.

As such, we're all winners, because now we get to enjoy one of the finest offerings sports can produce: The magic of a Game 7 with the title on the line.

Here's everything you need to know about the epic conclusion of the 2025 MLB season.

How the World Series has panned out thus far

Game

Winner

Score

Series

1

Blue Jays

11-4

TOR 1-0

2

Dodgers

5-1

TIE 1-1

3

Dodgers

6-5

LAD 2-1

4

Blue Jays

6-2

TIE 2-2

5

Blue Jays

6-1

TOR 3-2

6

Dodgers

3-1

TIE 3-3

When is Game 7 of the World Series?

Here's all the basic info you need for Game 7.

Date: Friday, November 1First pitch time: 8:00 p.m. ETTV Channel: FoxStream: Fubo.tv, YouTube TV, Fox OneLocation: Rogers Centre, TorontoGame 7 home field advantage

Toronto is the home team for Game 7. But will it actually matter?

Toronto's crowd has been all-in and electric, but home field advantage hasn't mattered as much in recent years.

The Blue Jays have gone 5-4 this postseason at home, but two of those wins were in their divisional round series against the Yankees, who they beat handily. Toronto won two of four in the ALCS and one of three in the World Series.

Despite the road team trend, for a World Series Game 7, the Blue Jays will definitely be happy to be at home.

Who is expected to pitch Game 7 for Blue Jays, Dodgers?

The Blue Jays have already announced that if there is to be a Game 7, Max Scherzer will take the mound. Scherzer started two games this postseason. Toronto won his first start against the Mariners in the ALCS, and lost his second in Game 3 of the World Series. That will be on four days' rest after throwing 79 pitches.

For the Dodgers, their plan is up in the air. Tyler Glasnow appeared to be the most obvious option, with Shohei Ohtani serving as a possibility to start as well. But the Dodgers turned to Glasnow in the bottom of the ninth on Friday. Glasnow suggested after the game that he would be available for Game 7.

How will Dodgers use Shohei Ohtani in Game 7?

Shohei Ohtani will be a huge part of the Dodgers' plans in Game 7, but the question is… In what role?

Manager Dave Roberts could opt to have him start the game. He could also consider him in relief, though the latter option opens up a bit of a mixed bag of options.

If Ohtani enters in relief, the Dodgers would lose their designated hitter, and the pitcher would need to hit. So, if in relief, the Dodgers would likely call on Ohtani to close the game if he is to pitch in relief.

The Dodgers could also use Ohtani in the outfield, a role he hasn't played since 2021 with the Angels.

It remains to be seen.

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.

Ligue 1 referee chief Amaury Delerue has defended the controversial decisions made by both the on-field and VAR officials during Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-2 win over Lyon. The last-minute defeat left Lyon players furious but Delerue has explained the process behind the officials' decisions and insisted that each call was made correctly.

• Lyon frustrated with calls all in favour of PSG

  Lyon were left furious after a series of key moments went against them in their match against PSG. In the 27th minute, Ilia Zabarnyi’s apparent handball inside the penalty area went unpunished. Soon after, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal stood despite Vitinha’s tackle from behind on Tanner Tessmann. Just before half-time, a challenge by Kang-in Lee on Nicolas Tagliafico inside the PSG box was ignored. The controversy deepened when Tagliafico was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Vitinha, leaving Lyon with 10 men. VAR upheld the decision, sparking outrage from the Lyon players and staff.

  Lyon’s assistant coach Jorge Maciel launched a scathing post-match rant, claiming that only the four referees on the pitch failed to notice the fouls committed during the game. He said: “I think there are 59,000 people in the stadium, and only four of them didn’t see the fouls we analysed. We don’t even need to watch the replays. When it happens one way, we don’t understand it. When it happens with the arrogance of not even having the opportunity to discuss it, we don’t understand it.”

  Maciel went on to accuse the officials of favouring PSG, suggesting that the champions didn’t need to “play with 16 men” as they are already the best team in Europe.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Delerue defends the referees

  In an interview with, Ligue 1 referee association chief Delerue defended the officials appointed for the match and explained the reasoning behind their key decisions.

  He clarified why no handball was called on Zabarnyi, saying: “The VAR followed IFAB protocol by reviewing all available angles and images, none of which clearly showed that the decision not to award a penalty was definitely wrong, or whether Zabarnyi actually touched the ball.”

  Delerue also justified the decision regarding Lee’s challenge on Tagliafico, stating: “Lee’s intervention is not punishable under the laws of the game. It was natural contact that did not prevent Tagliafico from playing the ball.”

• Vitinha finds the loophole

  PSG, who were without key players such as Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Nuno Mendes due to injury, took an early lead through Warren Zaire-Emery within the first ten minutes. Lyon quickly equalised through Moreira, but Kvaratskhelia restored PSG’s advantage soon after. Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck again to make it 2-2, and the match appeared to be heading for a draw until Joao Neves rose highest to score from a late corner, sealing the win for Luis Enrique’s side. The result moved PSG back to the top of the table, while Lyon slipped to seventh.

  Kvaratskhelia’s goal came right after Vitinha’s foul on Tessman. Delerue admitted that Vitinha took advantage of a loophole in the rules to avoid punishment when he said, “This is a very complex situation on which the DA was unable to reach a 100 percent unanimous decision. The contact affected Tessman’s ability to maintain control of the ball, which is why we would primarily consider it a foul during recovery and disallow the goal. But we are in a grey area, which is why the VAR’s decision not to challenge the central referee is understandable.”

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  PSG using the international break to grow stronger

  Enrique will use the international break to recover key players from injury and refine his tactical system. The PSG manager aims to learn from their defeat against Bayern Munich, make the necessary adjustments to avoid similar mistakes in future matches, and further strengthen his team’s overall performance.

  They sit top of the French top flight with a two-point lead over Marseille and Lens, while Lyon's defeat – winless in four games – are seventh in the table and seven points adrift of the reigning champions.

Leeds United made it three defeats in succession in the Premier League when they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites had the lead at half-time thanks to a goal from Lukas Nmecha, who bundled the ball in from close range after Anton Stach competed with Emi Martinez for a high ball.

Unfortunately, though, the away side struck twice in the second half, both goals coming from Morgan Rogers, and walked away from West Yorkshire with all three points.

Daniel Farke only made one change to his starting line-up from the side that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest before the break, and it backfired on the Leeds boss.

The Leeds change that backfired on Daniel Farke

The German head coach opted to take Jaka Bijol out of the team, after he won four of his six duels against Forest, and brought Pascal Struijk back into the side, possibly to have a natural left-footer in that position.

Whilst the Dutchman certainly opens up more passing angles as a left-footer on the left side of the defence, his defensive work left far too much to be desired against the Villans, and that is why the change backfired on the manager.

Per Sofascore, Struijk only won three of his eight duels, losing both of his ground duels, and did not complete a single tackle in the game, which shows that he struggled with the physicality of the match.

The one tackle that the former Ajax man did attempt was his late lunge on Ross Barkley, which resulted in the free-kick from which Rogers scored the winning goal.

Struijk was far from the only poor performer on the pitch, though, as Brenden Aaronson is another player who should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up.

Why Leeds must drop Brenden Aaronson

The USA international had delivered a goal and an assist in the three Premier League matches prior to the international break, which made his inclusion in the side an understandable call from Farke.

However, the return to fitness of Dan James has thrown his place in the line-up into doubt, and their respective performances against Aston Villa on Sunday suggest that the Wales international deserves a chance from the start.

Aaronson, who was awarded a 4/10 player rating by LeedsUnitedNews, lower than Struijk’s 6/10 rating, failed to create a single chance for his teammates in 80 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, as he came inside and got crowded out all too often.

Vs Aston Villa	Brenden Aaronson	Dan James
Minutes	80	19
Shots	3	3
xG on target	0.15	0.15
Crosses attempted	1	5
Key passes	0	1
Big chances created	0	0
Dribbles completed	1/5	1/1
Possession lost	12x	6x
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, James offered more to the team on the right flank in 19 minutes than the American lightweight did in his 80-minute outing against the Villans.

The fact that the Welshman attempted five times as many crosses as Aaronson, in roughly an hour less on the pitch, speaks to the difference Leeds could make to their attack by bringing him into the starting XI.

Aaronson, for all his hard work, is not a natural winger who is going to hug the byline and test teams consistently with runs in behind and crosses into the box.

James, however, is that player and almost made an instant impact when his brilliant run and ball across the box led to Dominic Calvert-Lewin finding the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for a handball by the striker.

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The Welshman deserved an assist for his play. Now, he deserves a place in the starting line-up because Aaronson was even worse than Struijk in the defeat to Villa, as he offered little to the team in or out of possession, whilst Struijk, at the very least, completed 95% of his passes and made five clearances, per Sofascore.

علق محمد فضل لاعب الأهلي السابق على خروج منتخب مصر الثاني من كأس العرب بعد الخسارة من الأردن بثلاثية في ختام دور المجموعات.

وودع منتخب مصر كأس العرب من دور المجموعات بعدما حصد نقطتين فقط من تعادلين وهزيمة.

وقال فضل في تصريحات لقناة “أون سبورت”: “الأمس كان يومًا سيئًا على الكرة المصرية وهذا ليس طبيعيًا، دائمًا أقول إن الناس يأخذون النتيجة وينسون البداية”.

طالع.. شوبير: لاعب واحد أشفق عليه في منتخب مصر بكأس العرب.. ويرد على مُبررات طولان

وتابع: “من المسؤول؟ وزير الشباب أم رئيس اتحاد الكرة أم رئيس الرابطة أم المدير الفني أم اللاعبين أم المحللين؟ لماذا لم يتم التخطيط ويتم التركيز على الجزء الأخير؟”.

وكشف: “هناك عدم تنسيق بين حسام حسن وحلمي طولان، مصر لو لاحظت لغة الجسد ستفهم أنه ليس هناك تنسيق بينهم، لم أحدثك عن الشعب المصري ولكن أحدثك عن المغتربين المصريين الذين ينتظرون أي مصري”.

وعن أداء منتخب مصر في كأس العرب: “سيئ من أول البطولة، ليس لك شكل وحلولك قليله جدًا، والحارس محمد بسام تم اكتشافه بالصدفة، ومروان حمدى مسؤول ويحاول بشكل جيد جدًا وإسلام عيسى مفاجأة، عنده ثبات جيد وغنام جيد جدًا”.

وواصل: “منتخب مصر ضمن أكبر معدل أعمار في البطولة، والأرقام الكلية سيئة جدًا في الفرص الضائعة والاستحواذ”.

واختتم: “لم ينجح أحد في المنظومة الفترة الماضية من المدربين لأن المعطيات سيئة جدًا، وهناك مدير فني أجنبي للاتحاد يتم النظر في تعيينه، ولكن هل هناك مدربين مؤهلين أو لاعبين أو ملاعب مؤهلة؟، الحل هو وضع خطة من المسؤولين عن الرياضة بشكل عام وإن كانت الخطة طويلة الأمد”.

The Lahore Qalandars batter played for the franchise as an emerging player, but his registration appears to have contravened the PSL’s own rules

Danyal Rasool10-Jun-2025What is the emerging category?Since the start of the PSL in 2016, the league developed a category to propel talented young players into the spotlight. Each side was required to field at least one in every game; current rules stipulate each franchise must have at least two in their squad.What classifies a player as an emerging cricketer?This is somewhat loosely defined, and, as a result, poorly understood; more than one franchise ESPNcricinfo spoke to said they were unclear on the eligibility. Basically, players need to be under 23, and should not have played in the Pakistan national team. More recently, the PCB made an exception for players discovered under their talent hunt programmes, such as the Lahore Qalandars Player Development Programme, which, in certain cases, permits players over the age of 23 to be registered as emerging players.Mohammad Naeem raised three half-centuries during the season•PCBDid those exceptions apply to Naeem?That’s what everyone believed. Naeem was Qalandars’ emerging player in the line-up for all but one game. Qalandars have said they picked Naeem through their player development programme, and invested in him over the years. Since he was registered under the talent hunt discovery programme, he was exempt from the age requirement. Naeem is 26.However, according to the players draft guide from 2017 – the most recent edition that is publicly available – any player to have played competitive domestic cricket becomes ineligible to be registered as an emerging player. At the time, the rules excluded anyone who played Under-19 cricket, too, which Naeem did in 2017. His profile on the PCB’s official website lists him as having played for the FATA Region U-19s.In 2023, before making his PSL debut, he also played senior competitive domestic cricket with regional side FATA.How was he registered as an emerging player, then?This is at the heart of the controversy. When ESPNcricinfo reached out to the PSL, they sent a document insisting Naeem was correctly registered as an emerging player. It said that Qalandars “nominated and protected Mohammad Naeem prior to his debut in competitive domestic cricket in December 2023”. It went on to say that the rules allowed for him to be “protected until the next draft cycle” and that no other franchises raised any concerns at the time.Related

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The rules mentioned by the PSL’s statement to ESPNcricinfo do not appear in any official document publicly available that concerns the rules governing emerging players. ESPNcricinfo could not find any official update to the draft guide in 2017, which is notable since the PSL’s statement referenced rules governing talent hunt discovery programmes over the past five years.A copy of the playing conditions from 2023 on the PCB’s website does not detail what constitutes an emerging player, and does not mention the talent hunt discovery programme.What do the other franchises think?Multiple franchises that ESPNcricinfo reached out to said they were not aware of this stipulation. Nearly all believed that Naeem’s inclusion under the emerging rules – as they understood them – was a mistake. Karachi Kings nominated and protected fast bowler Fasih Ali, and were under the impression he would lose his emerging status if he went on to play competitive domestic cricket over the next years, as Naeem did.The PSL’s statement mentioned three times that none of the franchises objected at the time of Naeem’s registration. Every franchise ESPNcricinfo spoke to accepted this, though more than one pointed out the obligation upon the PSL to enforce its own rules did not hinge on objections from the franchises.Did Naeem’s performances significantly help Qalandars?Demonstrably so. Naeem was the eighth-highest run-scorer of the tournament with 314 runs including three half-centuries. None of the seven who scored more matched his strike rate of 162.69.What happens now?Well, nothing. Other franchises told ESPNcricinfo they wished to put this behind them and move on, but hoped that the rules would be more clearly spelled out in future. There is no indication of any wrongdoing by Qalandars, given the PSL accepted the franchise’s registration of Naeem as an emerging player. Naeem will no longer be able to be registered as an emerging player in the PSL’s next edition.

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.

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