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For the first time in a long time, West Ham fans had something to celebrate on the weekend.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side had the daunting task of hosting a Newcastle United side that had just brushed aside Tottenham Hotspur during the week, so expectations were low.

However, much to the surprise of pundits and fans alike, the East Londoners were comfortably the better side, thanks to goals from Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, and Sven Botman, and ran out 3-1 winners.

There were impressive performances across the pitch for the hosts, with Freddie Potts looking particularly impressive. So fans should be delighted that the academy may be about to hand them someone who could be an even bigger prospect than the Englishman.

Potts' performance vs Newcastle

Given West Ham’s poor form over the last few months and the lack of dynamism in the midfield, there have been calls for Potts to be given a chance for some time.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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Nuno finally gave in to those calls on Sunday afternoon, and instead of bringing the 22-year-old off the bench, he handed him his first competitive start for the club.

It turned out to be an excellent decision as, even before getting onto his technical qualities, the academy graduate added some desperately needed dynamism and physicality into the midfield.

He is by no means a fast player, but compared to the midfielders that Nuno has been starting in recent games, the difference was night and day.

Moreover, as journalist Alex Crook put it, he was “a real driving force for the Hammers,” and his statistics more than back up such an appraisal.

In his 90 minutes of action, the Barking-born monster played two key passes, completed two crosses, took 57 touches, won 66% of his tackles, made one interception, won three of four ground duels and made six clearances.

In short, it was a dream start for the academy product and one that could have been even better had it not been for the thinnest of offside margins.

With that said, while Potts could go on to become a star for West Ham, there is another prospect in the academy who could be even better.

West Ham's next Potts

West Ham have a proud history of producing brilliant young players, and while Potts is the name in the headlines today, it could be Preston Fearon in a couple of years.

The 18-year-old gem joined the Hammers in 2022 and, since then, has gone from strength to strength, progressing through the youth sides to sign his first professional contract last year and then secure another, longer-term deal just a few days ago.

One of the teenager’s significant strengths is that he can, and has played in several positions during his time in the academy, but like Potts, he thrives in the middle of the park.

Fearon’s West Ham Record

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Central Midfield

15

0

5

Defensive Midfield

9

0

2

Attacking Midfield

2

0

0

Right Winger

1

0

0

Right Midfield

1

2

0

Centre-Back

1

1

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, since joining the Irons’ academy set-up, the youngster has made 40 appearances across the U18s and U21s, of which 15 have been in central midfield and nine in defensive midfield.

However, don’t be fooled into thinking that he can’t offer much going forward, as across those 40 appearances, totalling 2692 minutes, he has scored three goals and provided seven assists.

That works out to a goal involvement every 269.2 minutes, which for someone in his position is not bad at all.

Moreover, when discussing him on the website, Jarrod Bowen described the 18-year-old as a “special player” and noted that he has “never seen someone nutmeg so many people in training.”

Finally, the club also clearly rate the academy gem as they took him on the pre-season tour, where he featured against Manchester United.

Ultimately, Potts is the man of the moment, but in four years, when Fearon is the same age, don’t be surprised if he is already a first-team regular for West Ham.

Related West Ham player ratings v Newcastle United as Nuno secures first victory

The Hammers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win against Newcastle this afternoon.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

The defending champions were well placed on 133 for 2 before legspinner Swepson sparked a collapse

AAP15-Oct-2025

Mitchell Swepson sparked a South Australia collapse•Getty Images

Queensland 26 for 0 trail Michael Neser continued his hot start to the summer with he and Mitchell Swepson taking four wickets each to bowl South Australia out for 228.Queensland went to stumps on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash at 26 without loss in reply to South Australia, with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 22 at Adelaide Oval.Related

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Almost the forgotten man in the great pace-bowling debate ahead of the Ashes, Neser ripped the heart out of Tasmania with 4 for 75 in the opening round. And he backed it up again on Wednesday with 4 for 30, after South Australia had done well to build a base of 133 for 2.After taking the top of Nathan McSweeney’s off stump when the right-hander left a ball after lunch, Neser claimed the last three wickets on day one. He first had a pulling Wes Agar caught at slip, edged off a driving Liam Scott for 44 and also had Jordan Buckingham caught behind.While the wickets came late in the innings for Neser, it still won’t have hurt his push to add to his two Tests for Australia.Scott Boland is all but certain to replace Pat Cummins for the first Test if Australia’s captain does not recover from a back injury in time.But Neser could well be the next option if Cummins does not return for later in the series and one of Australia’s quicks needs resting. That situation appears even more serious after fellow-hopeful Sean Abbott split the webbing on his bowling hand while playing for NSW on Wednesday.While Neser’s wickets could have Ashes implications, former Test spinner Swepson was the pick of the bowlers for Queensland on day one.He took four wickets in South Australia’s collapse from 133 for 2 to 188 for 7, including the crucial wicket of Conor McInerney lbw for 60.The legspinner also had Jason Sangha well caught by Khawaja close to the ground at slip, before the in-form Jake Lehmann hit him straight to square leg.Swepson’s fourth scalp came when Nathan McAndrew drove him on the up to cover, capping a fine day for the Queenslander.

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is a baseball marvel.

Pitching and hitting both seem to come so easily to Ohtani, who has won three MVPs and has finished in the top-five of the Cy Young Award voting once in his decorated eight-year career. So much so that it's hard to believe that wasn't the case at one point in his life.

Ohtani, during an appearance on on Monday, was asked if he views himself more as a pitcher or a hitter.

"I feel like I was more talented as a hitter growing up," Ohtani said through his interpreter Will Ireton. "And it was hard for me to pitch actually. So I feel like I'm more of a hitter who learned how to pitch more than a pitcher learning how to hit."

It's incredibly difficult to believe that it was once hard for Ohtani to pitch. This is a man who just three seasons ago ranked among the top-five American League pitchers in ERA (2.33) and strikeouts (219). In 2025—his return to the mound after undergoing elbow surgery in September of 2023—he has permitted just one earned run and has struck out 10 in nine innings.

If pitching didn't initially come naturally to Ohtani, it's scary to think how much better he'd be on the mound if it did. Nevertheless, it's astounding how good he's become at a skill that once didn't come as easily to him.

All this to say: imagine the havoc a young Ohtani wreaked in Little League once he learned how to pitch.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown into a difficult situation when he decided to take on the job as Russell Martin’s replacement at Ibrox.

The former Gers boss only won five of 17 matches in charge of the club, whilst the summer transfer window was navigated by Kevin Thelwell, who has since been relieved of his duties.

Now that Thelwell has departed, Rohl will have a chance to lead the charge to recruit his own players in the upcoming January transfer window, and a new winger has to be on the agenda.

Ranking Rohl's winger options for Rangers

Rohl has plenty of options who can play on the left or the right flank, but very few of them have shown that they have the quality to be reliable options in the present day.

Oliver Antman and Nedim Bajrami are both currently out through injury, which means that they are not current options for the manager, whilst Kieran Dowell has only just returned from injury and has yet to be given a chance to shine.

1

Mikey Moore

2

Djeidi Gassama

3

Findlay Curtis

4

Danilo

5

Kieran Dowell

N/A

Nedim Bajrami

N/A

Oliver Antman

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Mikey Moore as the best current option on the wing for Rangers, because he has scored two goals in his last two Scottish Premiership games.

No other natural Gers winger, with Danilo a striker by trade, has scored more than one league goal for the Gers this season, with Djeidi Gassama on one goal and one assist.

Gassama has been particularly disappointing of late, with one goal and no assists in his last 11 matches, and Rangers could finally replace him as a starter by signing Yelimay Semey left winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek in January.

Why Rangers should sign Galymzhan Kenzhebek

The 22-year-old forward has been the subject of a bid from Rangers ahead of the January transfer window opening for business, and they should push to get a deal done for him because he could be an upgrade on Gassama.

Rangers should bolster their options in the wide areas in the winter market because we have ranked the Frenchman as their second-best wide option, despite the fact that he has only scored one league goal for the club.

A return of one goal and one assist in 15 Premiership matches for the Gers, per Sofascore, is not a good enough return for a team that should be competing to win the title, which is why Kenzhebek should be considered as a possible replacement for the starting XI.

Transfer Focus

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The young winger currently plays in Kazakhstan, which makes it hard to predict how he will adapt to the Premiership, but it is worth remembering that Hearts, who top the league, signed Alexandros Kyziridis from Slovakia and Claudio Braga from the second division in Norway.

There are hidden gems to be found in more obscure leagues, as evidenced by those two signings, who have combined for 15 goals and nine assists for Hearts, per Transfermarkt, this season.

Appearances

11

15

Goals

6

1

Minutes per goal

162

1,171

Key passes per game

1.7

0.9

Assists

4

1

Successful dribbles per game

8.6

2.0

As you can see in the table above, Kenzhebek’s form for his current club is far more impressive than anything Gassama has produced at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues in the Premiership.

Whilst there is no guarantee that he can translate that form over to Scottish football, there is also no guarantee that signings from the Championship or other top leagues in Europe can adapt to the league or Ibrox.

It is also worth taking into account that Kenzhebek, who was hailed as a “very pacy” player by Rangers Journal creator Kai Watson, has also shown promise at international level.

The Rangers target has scored two goals and provided one assist in six World Cup qualifiers for Kazakhstan, per Sofascore, which shows that he can compete on the international stage, as well as impress for his club domestically.

On top of being an attractive target on paper because of his statistics, Kenzhebek’s contract with his club is due to expire at the end of this month, per Transfermarkt, which means that the Gers can pick him up on a free transfer.

Therefore, Rangers must push to get a deal done for the talented youngster because he could be a hidden gem, away from the usual markets that the club shop in, who could come in and take Gassama’s place in the side.

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If he can then translate his current form over to Ibrox, Rohl would finally have a consistent winger who can provide goals and assists on a regular basis.

ودع منتخب مصر الثاني بطولة كأس العرب 2025، من دور المجموعات، بعد الخسارة أمام الأردن بثلاثة أهداف نظيفة، اليوم الثلاثاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات.

وتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثالثة رفقة منتخبات الأردن والإمارات والكويت.

وتعادل منتخب مصر في الجولة الثانية أمام الإمارات بهدف لكل فريق، كما تعادل بنفس النتيجة أمام الكويت في الجولة الأولى.

طالع|فيديو | الأردن يسجل الهدف الثاني أمام مصر في كأس العرب

وجاء هدف الأردن الأول عن طريق اللاعب محمد أبو حشيش في الدقيقة 12، بعد تسديدة قوية ارتطمت بدفاع المنتخب المصري، لتصل إلى أبو حشيش الذي تابعها ووضعها في شباك محمد بسام.

أما الهدف الثاني، فقد جاء عن طريق محمد أبو زرايق في الدقيقة 41 بعد تسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، فيما سجل علي علوان الهدف الثالث من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 92.

وودع منتخب مصر بطولة كأس العرب بعد احتلاله المركز الثالث برصيد نقطتين، بينما الأردن حقق العلامة الكاملة بتسع نقاط، فيما صعد الإمارات في الوصافة، برصيد 4 نقاط، بعد الفوز على الكويت 3-1 في لقاء أقيم في نفس الجولة اليوم. أهداف مباراة مصر والأردن في كأس العرب 

Eberechi Eze spoke to Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the 'Beast Mode on Podcast', opening up on the only difference between representing Crystal Palace and wearing the colours of Arsenal, the club that took him in as a child and eventually returned for him in a £60 million deal this summer. The 27-year-old midfielder, released by Arsenal at 13 and later rejected by Millwall at the end of his youth scholarship, has come full circle by rejoining the club he supported as a boy.

Realising his boyhood dream

Eze opened up on his new life at the Emirates in the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast. The Gunners triggered a package worth £60m, including £8m in add-ons in the summer, beating Tottenham to a player long admired across north London. Spurs believed they had secured Eze's services, having agreed terms with Palace and with the player’s representatives, until a dramatic late twist saw Arsenal walk away with the prized asset. Their move was only made possible after Eze himself phoned Mikel Arteta to check whether the door to the Emirates was truly closed. It wasn’t, and within hours, Arteta called an internal meeting, the board approved the deal, and Spurs were left stunned. Eze signed a four-year contract, with the option of an additional season, and now inherits Arsenal’s iconic No. 10 shirt, which was previously worn by legends such as Dennis Bergkamp and Mesut Ozil, and academy favourites Jack Wilshere and Emile Smith Rowe.

AdvertisementGOALEze's take on the difference between Arsenal & Palace

Speaking exclusively to GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze said: "It’s up a level in terms of attention. There's a lot more surrounding Arsenal than there is surrounding Palace. You have to consider so much more. There's a lot more eyes on you. You get noticed a bit more."

While the off-pitch scrutiny has increased, he insisted that the football itself remains on a similar level.

"It's different off the football pitch, on the pitch it’s the same," he said. "Playing the same game, you're playing to win, you're having the same types of conversations. Different processes and systems, but still the same principle. But yeah, off the pitch is a big shift and I feel like that's a natural progression in football as you move club, move upwards. Things start to shift a bit, so this was expected. But it’s something I'm enjoying, I'm trying to handle with grace. So it's a blessing."

The long road back to the top

Eze’s path back to Arsenal is a fairytale. He first joined the Gunners at eight years old, only to be released five years later. After spells with Fulham, Reading and eventually Millwall, where he failed to earn a professional contract, his future seemed on the brink of collapse. A chance trial at Queens Park Rangers changed everything. Technical director Chris Ramsey was instantly convinced, offering the playmaker a contract that would become a lifeline. A productive loan at Wycombe Wanderers helped Eze develop his craft before he flourished at Loftus Road.

He went on to make 104 league appearances for QPR, prompting Crystal Palace to pay around £17 million in 2020. Eze made himself indispensable at Selhurst Park across five influential seasons, culminating in scoring the winner in last year’s FA Cup final. That success sparked a wave of interest, with Tottenham first, then, decisively, Arsenal.

Reflecting on the first major leap in his career, Eze admitted that going from QPR to Crystal Palace was an overwhelming experience.

"Shock. The intensity that you're playing at and the quality of players," he said. "They're thinking faster, they're more technically able. So things that maybe took two or three seconds in the Championship are now taking one-and-a-half seconds. You’ve got to be quicker in how you’re processing information. So for me going up, my mind was being stretched – as it is now – moving into a new environment. You're learning and you're being forced… you’re being put into an uncomfortable state. You’ve got to figure out, which was good. I felt like I needed that at that time.

“But of course, as time goes on, you start to acclimatise, feel more comfortable, and then you start being able to be your full self in that environment, which is for me, that's what I love about football.”

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قدّم النجم البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو، لفتة رائعة لزملائه في المنتخب وأخرى لأسرة الراحل ديوجو جوتا، لاعب ليفربول الذي لقى مصرعه قبل أشهر.

وكان منتخب البرتغال قد حسم التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026 والذي يقام في شهر يونيو القادم، وتستضيفه الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك.

وبحسب ما ورد في صحيفة “ذا صن” البريطانية، كشف الصحفي نونو لوز، من قناة SIC، على التلفزيون البرتغالي أن رونالدو، قائد المنتخب البرتغالي، أرسل ساعات من ماركة Jacob and Co الفاخرة، لزملائه في الفريق.

كما أرسل رونالدو ساعة مصممة خصيصًا تحمل اسم جوتا ورقمه وأرسلها إلى عائلة اللاعب البرتغالي الراحل.

وعرض صانعو الساعات على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي شكل التصاميم، ولا يوجد سوى 35 ساعة فقط بإصدار صنع خصيصًا للاعبي البرتغال.

وقالت شركة Jacob & Co: “مينا هيكلي، تصميم مُخصص، وشعار النبالة البرتغالي – ساعة استثنائية كالأبطال أنفسهم”.

وقال لوز: “هذه تفاصيل تُصنع دون ضجة إعلامية، وتُظهر أصالة كريستيانو رونالدو، غالبًا ما تكون لدى الناس صورة عنه لا تتوافق مع الواقع”.

اقرأ أيضًا | فيفا يعلن عقوبة رونالدو بعد واقعة “الكوع”.. وموقفه من أول مباراة في كأس العالم

ولم يعلن عن تكلفة الساعات، لكن أشارت صحيفة “ذا صن” البريطانية إلى أن ساعات Jacob & Co تُباع بعشرات الآلاف من الجنيهات الإسترلينية، والساعات المُخصصة ستكون أعلى سعرًا بالتأكيد.

كان جوتا قد لقى مصرعة هو وشقيقه أندريا سيلفا في حادث سيارة مروع بشهر يوليو الماضي، وأُقيمت جنازته في البرتغال، بحضور العديد من زملائه في ليفربول والمنتخب، ولم يتواجد رونالدو.

وغياب رونالدو عن جنازة جوتا كان محل سخرية كبيرة آنذاك، وصرّح البرتغالي في مقابلة مع بيرس مورجان مؤخرًا: “أمران، ينتقدني الناس كثيرًا، لا يهمني ذلك، عندما يكون ضميرك مرتاحًا وحرًا، لا داعي للقلق بشأن ما يقوله الناس”.

وأوضح: “لكن أحد الأشياء التي لا أفعلها؟ بعد وفاة والدي، لم أزر مقبرةً مرةً أخرى، عندما تعرفني وتعرف سمعتي؟ أينما ذهبت، يكون الأمر أشبه بسيرك، لا أخرج، لأني إن ذهبت، ينصبُّ عليّ الاهتمام. لا أريد هذا النوع من الاهتمام”.

وأكد رونالدو: “لا يعجبني أن تذهب إلى لحظة حساسة لإجراء مقابلات، للحديث عنه، للحديث عن كرة القدم، هذا يُظهر كيف أن السيرك هو الحياة أحيانًا، لستُ جزءًا منها، إذا أردتَ أن تكون جزءًا من هذا العالم، فحظًا سعيدًا، لكنني سأكون جزءًا من جانب آخر، يمكن للناس الاستمرار في انتقادي. شعرتُ بالارتياح لقراري”.

Siddique took a four-for in the chase where Oman crumbled in the powerplay

Alagappan Muthu15-Sep-2025A skillful half-century from Alishan Sharafu and a dogged one from Muhammad Waseem took UAE to 172 for 5, and then a 42-run victory as well, in their Asia Cup game against Oman on Monday.Sharafu’s methodBoth teams were searching for their first points of the tournament and their challenge in Abu Dhabi was to negotiate a slow and low pitch. Sharafu did so by charging out of the crease. Twelve attempts just within the powerplay fetched all six of his fours.On the back of that, UAE, who were 11 for 0 after three overs, collected 39 runs off the next three and never looked back. Sharafu’s best shot, though, came outside the field restrictions, an inside-out drive over cover for six against legspinner Samay Shrivastava.Waseem’s recordWaseem became the fourth-quickest batter to 3000 T20I runs, behind Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. He wasn’t really at his best in this game. The 69 off 54 balls was often a struggle, but there were also clever moments, like when he saw a new bowler – Aamir Kaleem – coming on in the powerplay and smashed him for three fours in the over. Waseem went to his fifty with a trademark six down the ground.ESPNcricinfo LtdOman didn’t help themselves in the field. They had a chance to dismiss Waseem on 27 off 22 but the fielder wasn’t all the way back on the long-on boundary, and not only did he miss the catch but he also let it go for four. Then with Waseem on 34 off 33, Shakeel Ahmed dropped a dolly at short fine leg.UAE finished on 172 for 5 with their middle-order players chipping in with crucial runs. Harshit Kaushik and Muhammad Zohaib put together hit 40 off 21 balls.Oman’s collapseJatinder Singh briefly looked like the best batter on show as he found ways to time the ball in slow and low conditions. He raced to 20 off 10 but soon enough hitting through the line on a surface where the ball wasn’t coming on came back to bite him. The Oman captain dragged Junaid Siddique back onto his stumps during a period where his team lost three wickets in 14 balls.The powerplay was still going and Oman had lost nearly half their side. Four of their top five bagged single-digits and from a start like that – 32 for 4, then 50 for 5 – all they could do was try and play out the overs. Siddique threw a spanner in those works too, taking two wickets in the 16th over and finishing with 4 for 23. Oman were bowled out for 130.

The 4pm starts, designed to better suit a UK TV audience, were a disaster, for the team batting first and the locals who can’t watch the match

Cameron Ponsonby18-Nov-2024Well, here we go again. It’s time to learn.I hate learning. In the wider educational sense, I understand it has its benefits. The pen being mightier than the sword and all that. But in a cricket context, it is code for low-stakes cricket.This was true for the ODI series, where a sub-strength England took on a West Indies side who hadn’t qualified for the Champions Trophy and duly took their beating. But it shouldn’t have been the case for the T20 series, where the West Indies are a cohesive, exciting cricket team taking on an England side boosted by the return of a white-ball genius in Jos Buttler and sporting young talents like Jacob Bethell. This was set to be a lot of fun.But forget Phil Salt and Akeal Hosein for a second. Because the fundamental takeaway from this series is an administrative one. Don’t mess with timings. The 4pm starts, designed to better suit a UK TV audience, were a disaster, creating a double disadvantage for the team batting first, with the wickets being at their worst under the afternoon sun, before dew settles in the evening making the pitch good for batting and the ball slippery for bowling. No team won a match on this tour after losing the toss.Related

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After the deciding ODI, Liam Livingstone said he’d never played a match where conditions had altered so much from one innings to the next. “It’s no excuse,” he said to remain professional. “But even if we’d got 350 I don’t think it’d have been enough,” he added to say what he really meant.West Indies T20I captain Rovman Powell was consistent on the issue throughout. After losing the first match of the series, he said, “the best case is for the games to start at 7pm. When we looked at the schedule and realised it would start at 4pm, we knew that would be a problem.”And then after the coin fell his way and his team won the fourth match: “It’s one of the first times I’ve seen in the Caribbean that once you win the toss, you win the game. It’s too skewed.”We all get it. Cricket bends to the will of the broadcaster. These are shows designed for those on the sofa at home, not for those in attendance at the ground – and that is true across sports and has been the case for a long time. The ultimate example of this is US car manufacturer Chevrolet’s sponsorship of Manchester United. From 2012 to 2019, they spent $559m for their logo to be on the front of United’s shirt. Chevrolet doesn’t sell cars in the UK.The argument goes that this is where the money comes from. Cricket needs cash and so it is better to have a few thousand fewer people in the ground with an inconvenient start time, but with more money gained as a result from the broadcast rights being of a greater value.

“The best case is for the games to start at 7pm. When we looked at the schedule and realised it would start at 4pm, we knew that would be a problem.”Rovman Powell, West Indies T20 captain

As a matter of opinion, that argument is short-sighted. Because the TV product you’re selling will lose value over time if every time people turn on the TV they see empty stands. Keep selling a crappy product and those TV rights will drop in value. And then eventually you’re left with no one watching in the crowd and no one watching at home either.But as a matter of fact, shifting times cannot impact the integrity of the result. That is ludicrous and devalues the sport.In every T20I match across the series, the stands started off empty and then gradually filled as the match ebbed into the times that they should have originally been starting. By the end of Saturday’s match at Kensington Oval, there was a superb atmosphere supporting what was a genuinely excellent sporting event and then even in the seemingly sparsely attended fourth T20I in St Lucia, when the West Indies chase got going later in the atmosphere was excellent.At risk of labouring the point. There is a genuine desire and enjoyment of cricket in the Caribbean. Put it at a time when locals can watch and stop playing Sweet Caroline. We’re not at Edgbaston. If then it fails. Fine. But give it a chance. Don’t, as happened here, put it at a time where the main event took place thirty minutes before a ball was bowled.For what it’s worth, we did have one match where the toss wasn’t set to be the be-all and end-all. Ahead of the fifth T20I, Sherfane Rutherford said he reckoned on this occasion, because of how good the pitch was after it had been baked by three days of sun, that the toss shouldn’t matter. And then it rained. Good stuff.The lopsided nature of the contest also framed how much the teams could really learn themselves. West Indies are searching for greater depth in bowling, but spent three matches having to defend inadequate totals because they’d lost the toss. That doesn’t help anyone. England, blessed with playing in favourable conditions, were excellent. You can’t blame a team for making the most of their opportunity. Saqib Mahmood, in particular, was superb, Bethell is worth the hype, Buttler is back with a smile on his face, Salt is superb against the West Indies and Jamie Overton could be anything. But in the one game England had to bowl second, West Indies were 136 for one in nine overs.At the end of it all, England posed with the T20 trophy in the pavilion at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground as the rain fell outside. Bethell is in the middle, holding the cup. And if you zoom in close enough, you can see it engraved with West Indies vs England T20 Series 2024: The Caveat Cup.

Manchester United’s hunt for a new central midfielder became apparent in the summer transfer window, after the hierarchy stated their desire to land Brighton star Carlos Baleba.

The Cameroonian international was a key target for INEOS, but they were evidently put off by the Seagulls’ £100m asking price, which led to the Red Devils pulling out of a deal.

Ruben Amorim has since had to rely upon the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro at the heart of the side, with the aforementioned duo being the most consistent partnership at present.

The likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte have both struggled to break into the side in the Premier League, which could lead to either of the pair being offloaded in the winter window.

Such funds could certainly be directed towards a new addition in the coming months, which has led to numerous players being touted as potential options for the upcoming market.

United’s hunt for a new deep-lying midfielder this January

Over recent weeks, rumours have gathered huge momentum after United reportedly held talks with Nottingham Forest over a possible deal to land Elliot Anderson.

The 23-year-old has been in tremendous form for the Reds during the 2025/26 campaign, which has led to the youngster becoming a mainstay in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

However, any deal could likely be a club-record one for Amorim’s men, after his current employers placed a £100m price tag on his head ahead of the upcoming window.

He’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton another option being considered by INEOS before the opening of the window.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Red Devils are set to make a £70m bid for the 21-year-old, but the Eagles are currently reluctant to offload him in the near future, with some sources saying it may take £100m to prise him away from Selhurst Park.

The report also states that the player himself would be open for a switch to Old Trafford this window, but it it could hinge on the club’s ability to secure European football come the end of the season.

How Adam Wharton compares to Elliot Anderson

In 2025/26 alone, there’s little debate that Forest star Anderson has been one of the leading stars in the division – with his figures this campaign nothing short of remarkable.

The United fans have had the chance to witness the Englishman’s talents first hand, with the youngster thriving in the meeting at the City Ground at the start of November.

The 23-year-old featured for the entire contest and created three chances and completed 100% of the dribbles he attempted – subsequently showcasing his talents in possession.

Without the ball, he was just as impressive, as seen by his 100% tackle success rate and 14 recoveries made – with the latter the highest of any player on the pitch.

The £100m asking price would certainly be an excellent investment, but ultimately, it could be outside of the hierarchy’s budget in the upcoming window.

Therefore, a deal for Wharton could certainly be more feasible in January, but that’s not to say the club would be getting a lower quality player in the process.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats in the current campaign, the Palace star has managed to better him in numerous key areas – showcasing why he would be a better addition.

Aptly described hailed as “the best English midfielder since Paul Scholes” by one CONCACAF B certified coach earlier this year, Wharton is certainly Scholes like in his ability to evade the press and battle hard from the middle of the park.

For a United side needing a bit more spark, Wharton crucially has completed more key passes per 90 – arguably being a more threatening option when in possession and living up to that Scholes comparison.

However, despite his talents in such an area, his ability in possession is where he’s struggled compared to Anderson, with his ball-winning ability more impressive to date. Like Scholes, he’s got a bit of extra bite present in his game.

How Wharton & Anderson compare in the PL (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Wharton	Anderson
Games played	11	13
Minutes played	861	1170
Key passes	1.8	1.7
Tackles made	1.7	1.6
Interceptions made	1.2	1.1
Clearances made	1.5	1.1
Take-on success	55%	50%
Miscontrols	1.2	2.2
Stats via FBref

He’s made more tackles and interceptions per 90 than the Forest star, which could make him the perfect number six that Amorim has been craving in recent months.

Wharton has also made more clearances per 90, whilst also miscontrolling the ball on fewer occasions – subsequently making him a more reliable option than his compatriot.

£70m for a player of Wharton’s quality is an excellent piece of business for United, with the sky truly being the limit for the 21-year-old England international.

Whilst many fans may favour Anderson at present, the Eagles star certainly has a higher ceiling, with the youngster having bags of potential that he could fulfil at Old Trafford.

Better than Dorgu: Man Utd plot move to sign 'the world's most coveted LB'

Manchester United look set to make yet another big-money move in the defensive department.

By
Ethan Lamb

Dec 2, 2025