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It’s all well and good that Liverpool are dominating the Premier League’s possession charts this season, but a distinct absence of creativity and fluency has soured the mood on Merseyside.

Liverpool are nine games unbeaten in all competitions, and only left Craven Cottage without the spoils after substitute Harrison Reed’s frankly ridiculous last-gasp Howitzer.

But this is almost immaterial for the legions of Liverpool supporters, who cannot discern an identity about Arne Slot’s squad, so slow and laboured and uninteresting.

Premier League 25/26 – Possession Leaders

Team

Position

Av. Possession (%)

Liverpool

4th

61.2

Man City

2nd

58.6

Arsenal

1st

58.3

Chelsea

5th

58.0

Man United

6th

53.3

Data via FBref

Changes are needed, and as FSG are sure to persist with their struggling manager, it may be worth making an improvement in the transfer market, with the midfield in desperate need of fresh inspiration.

Liverpool targeting Premier League midfielder

Liverpool are struggling. To have gone nine games unbeaten and failed to shake the malaise and instead aggravated it says something of Slot’s tactical problems.

It’s not fair to say the Reds aren’t creating big chances – with 41, they are third in that Premier League micro table – but stats can be misleading, and clear-cut, sharp opportunities are not being fashioned with regularity or expected endeavour.

Alexis Mac Allister has fallen by the wayside, and Ryan Gravenberch does not boast the level of incisive surgical passing to create channels for the forwards. It’s all a bit tricky.

But FSG are aware of this, and they are firmly in the race for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, though Spanish sources have revealed that Real Madrid have joined the race.

Palace are determined not to sell this winter, but Wharton’s long-term future surely sits with a European superpower, though the Eagles are determined to cash in for a base fee of €70m (converting to about £61m), with Wharton awarded a significant salary to boot.

What Wharton would bring to Anfield

There is a reason Real Madrid want to bring Wharton to the Santiago Bernabeu. He has flair and resourcefulness. Should he fulfil his potential, he would not look out of place in one of the Spanish superpowers of old.

Hailed as a “cheat code” by analyst Ben Mattinson for his range of passing, Wharton could even emerge as Liverpool’s new version of Xabi Alonso, who starred in Istanbul way back when and enjoyed a glittering career for a number of Europe’s top clubs – leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2009.

Could lightning strike twice? Were Liverpool to prevail in their bid for Palace’s central star, he would go from strength to strength, and Los Blancos’ interest would not disappear.

This is a top talent. As per data-driven platform FBref, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 7% of Premier League midfielders this season for shot-creating actions and the top 13% for through balls completed per 90, underscoring his Alonso-esque skill on the ball that is now being propped up by improvements in the defensive department.

Wharton is showing sharp progress. Last season, though Oliver Glasner’s side were on the up, the young England international left something to be desired. He’s made headway this year, looking more like the all-encompassing midfield star that Alonso was at the height of his playing days.

Adam Wharton’s Premier League Form

Match Stats (* per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

20 (16)

18 (18)

Goals + Assists

0 + 2

0 + 2

Touches*

45.7

52.8

Accurate passes*

26.7 (79%)

30.2 (79%)

Big chances created

5

7

Key passes*

1.3

1.3

Ball recoveries*

5.1

5.2

Succ. dribbles*

0.1

0.5

Tackles + interceptions*

2.7

3.2

Duels (won)*

3.2 (46%)

4.6 (55%)

Data via Sofascore

Creativity and on the ball, Wharton is enjoying a continuation of his most notable quality, but his combative approach to defending, and his mobility and skill in carrying the ball forward, have both intensified.

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Described as “the best U21 player in the Prem” by one analyst, Wharton is still younger than Alonso was when he moved from Real Sociedad to Liverpool in 2004, going on to become one of the maestros of his generation.

He has the sparkle about his skillset to make a real difference at Liverpool, charging Slot’s depleted midfield batteries and adding a central talisman of a likeness to Alonso, once one of the best midfielders in the world.

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There were plenty of significant outgoings at Manchester United in the summer, but one of the most notable departures was Marcus Rashford.

He moved to Barcelona on loan with an option to buy him at the end of the summer, essentially calling time on his wonderful Old Trafford career.

The Wythenshawe-born superstar made 426 appearances for his boyhood club since breaking through as a teenager, scoring 138 goals and assisting 79 times.

He was sensational for a decade or so, helping to guide United to two Carabao Cup wins, the Europa League and two FA Cup titles.

Now, with Rashford having essentially left the club, United are looking to bring in a new left-winger.

Man Utd targeting new teenage winger

Rashford was not the only left-winger to leave Old Trafford in the summer. His fellow academy graduate, Alejandro Garnacho, also left for Chelsea, leaving the Red Devils depleted in that area of the pitch.

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Thus, it might not be a surprise to learn that United are in the market for a new left-sided attacker.

The Daily Mail are reporting that Ruben Amorim’s side ‘are now asking about’ terms to sign RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande in the coming weeks.

However, this is not going to be an easy deal to do. The Ivorian international is a player in demand, with Bundesliga side Bayern Munich and Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur having also enquired about the deal.

In terms of the fee, United’s owners INEOS, and indeed other interested parties, could be looking at upwards of £61m to sign the winger.

What Diomande can bring to United

Signing Diomande would certainly be a huge statement for the Red Devils. He is arguably one of the most highly rated young attackers on the planet and has already become a key player for Leipzig in his first season at the club.

So far, the 19-year-old, who is a full international with Cote d’Ivoire, has made 16 appearances for the Bundesliga side this term.

In that time, he’s scored seven times and assisted four, averaging a goal involvement every 94 minutes, which is certainly an impressive return.

One of the most striking things when you watch Diomande is how deadly a dribbler he is.

Described as an “explosive” winger by football scout Antonio Mango, he thrives in one-vs-one situations, isolating a defender before looking to drive at them with his power and quick feet.

It is interesting to consider the similarities between Diomande now and Rashford as a teenager. Funnily enough, 1999 treble winner and fellow academy graduate Nicky Butt said the now-Barca winger was an “explosive” player in his younger days, too.

Like the Ivorian, he played with fearlessness, really looking to get at defenders on the front foot.

Indeed, the former United number ten played a lot more first-team football as a teenager than Diomande has. Rashford hasd notched up 87 appearances by his 20th birthday, scoring 26 times.

Strikes like this against West Ham United highlight that explosive nature Butt mentioned.

It is easy to see the similarities between a teenage Rashford and Leipzig’s own young talent, and the stats further highlight this.

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For example, in 2016/17, a campaign the Englishman began as a teenager, he averaged 4.08 progressive carries and created 1.09 chances per 90 minutes. In comparison, Diomande averages 6.26 progressive carries and 1.41 key passes each game.

Diomande vs Rashford

Stat (per 90)

Diomande (25/26)

Rashford (16/17)

Goals & assists

0.81

0.6

Goals per shot on target

0.46

0.35

Key passes

1.41

1.09

Passes into penalty area

1.41

1.19

Progressive passes

6.26

4.08

Stats from FBref

When he first broke through at Old Trafford, Rashford was a dynamic attacking option who continued to thrive for years in his 20s.

Now he’s departed, there isn’t really anyone of that profile at the club, be it an established player or someone breaking through.

Well, signing Diomande could solve that. He has certainly got similar attributes to Rashford, with that previously acknowledged explosive nature and a threat in the final third.

£61m is a fair value for such a talent in the current market, and he could add a new dimension to Amorim’s side.

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For the second successive home game, MICT were asked to complete the highest successful chase in the SA20 and for the second time, they were unable to do so. The defending champions remain winless from three matches and at the bottom of the table, swapping places with Pretoria Capitals. The Highveld team registered their first win of the competition, in their third match, thanks largely to an explosive batting performance.They were in early trouble on 38 for 3 in the fifth over before an 88-run fourth-wicket partnership between Shai Hope and Wihan Lubbe took them to 126 for 4 in the 15th. Both Hope and Lubbe dismissed before the death overs, but that only allowed Capitals’ finishers to shine. Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford shared a stunning stand of 84 off just 27 balls, which included 72 runs in the last three overs, to push Capitals to 220.As they did in the tournament opener, when they were chasing 233, MICT made a fist of it but only for the first half. They were ahead of the asking rate on 100 for 2 in the ninth over but lost 7 for 35 to deny their home crowd early celebrations on the last day of 2025. They didn’t even have the joy of avoiding conceding a bonus point, with Capitals scooping all five points on offer. Rutherford followed his death-hitting with 4 for 24.

Rabada roars back but then gets taken apart

It’s a day short of ten weeks since Kagiso Rabada last played a match, in the Rawalpindi Test, and concerns over his readiness for a T20 World Cup that is just five weeks away were growing. They shouldn’t have been. Rabada came back with a trademark back-of-a-length ball that beat Bryce Parsons as he tried to glance it fine and then followed up with a fuller ball that shaped away from Parsons’ attempted drive and nicked him off. The rest of Rabada’s over was near-perfect as he varied his lengths, surprised Will Smeed with a bouncer, and ended up conceding only two runs. In his second over, Hope hit a slower ball for a huge six but Rabada pulled it back well as his first two overs cost 12.He was brought back in the 16th over, once the Hope-Lubbe stand was broken and with Lubbe keen to up the ante. He top-edged Rabada over slip but then tried to swipe across the line and top-edged over mid-on. Rabada charged back to try and take the catch but stood down when seeing Reeza Hendricks, who charged in from long-on, was in better position. He could have a had a fourth and a fifth but Corbin Bosch put Brevis down – a difficult, swirling chance – and Nicholas Pooran dropped Rutherford in the final over. Rabada finished with figures of 2 for 48,

Brevis and Rutherford unload six-shooters

After returns of 6 and 12 in his first two matches, Brevis had done very little to justify the R16.5 million (approx US$980,000) Pretoria Capitals paid for him but he started to earn some of his money here. His first boundary was the signature no-look six, this time off a Trent Boult slower ball, and his next two were also sixes. He sent a Bosch full toss over long-off and then sliced a short ball over third to rack up 24 runs off the first nine balls he faced.But it was not all Brevis. At the start of the next over, the penultimate one, Sherfane Rutherford made sure his power-hitting stole the spotlight. He sent a wide Dwaine Pretorius offcutter over long-off, a slower-ball bouncer over square leg, a full toss over deep cover and then got inside the line of a length ball to hit it over long-off. Pretorius pulled out of his run-up for the fifth ball and broke Rutherford’s momentum with a yorker but the damage had been done.

Rickelton rides his luck until he doesn’t

After being dropped twice on his way to 113 in the opening game, Ryan Rickelton was put down twice more as the rub of the green continued for him at Newlands. He was on 13 when he skied Lizaad Williams toward mid-on. Rurtherford had an age to get under it and did but the ball slipped out of his hands to give Rickelton a life. In the next over, he was on 23 when he miscued a Lungi Ngidi slower ball to third. Williams was running in and seemed to have it covered only for Brevis to come into view, charging towards the ball from deep backward point. In the end, the ball fell between them as they tumbled to the ground, almost colliding.Rickelton kept hitting but his fortune ran out when he pulled Williams to deep backward square where Parsons took the catch, diving forward. The opening stand was broken on 60, and Brevis redeemed himself when he took the catch that removed Rassie van der Dussen, two overs later.

Maharaj makes NYE his own

Things started out tough for Keshav Maharaj at his new franchise but he took control with a statement performance on the last day of 2025. Maharaj brought himself on after the powerplay, with MICT on 63 for 1, and quietened things down in an opening over that cost just five. His second over started with a wide, and then he was hit for back-to-back sixes by Pooran but Maharaj had the last laugh. Pooran slog swept but didn’t get enough on it and was caught at deep backward square. Maharaj’s third over was the charm as he got turn and bounce and beat Jason Smith’s outside edge to bowl him. MICT were 113 for 5 at that stage and in the middle of a huge collapse that saw them fall 85 runs short. The chase was over in the 15th over with 34 balls to spare.

ScorecardChris Tremain claimed his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket (file photo)•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

South Australia will aim to knock over Victoria’s lower order and set up a smallish chase on the third day at the MCG after they reduced the hosts to 6 for 123 at stumps on a rain-affected second day. Victoria’s lead was 104 at stumps in the low-scoring contest, with John Hastings at the crease on 15 alongside Dan Christian on 11.Daniel Worrall had continued his excellent match and had 3 for 34 in the second innings to add to his five-wicket haul in the first, enjoying the assistance provided by a pitch still boasting some grass. Joe Mennie had claimed two wickets and Chadd Sayers had one in the second innings, with opener Travis Dean’s 33 so far the best score for Victoria.The Redbacks had started the day at 6 for 156 in their first innings and they added 43 for the loss of their last four wickets. Chris Tremain was the most effective of Victoria’s bowlers and finished with a career-best 5 for 52, which was his second five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.