There’s been no update on the nature of du Plessis’ injury, and Axar Patel, the DC captain, is expecting an update from the team physio soon
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Apr-20252:15
Pujara: Fraser-McGurk needs to be aggressive in his first five-ten balls
Faf du Plessis, the Delhi Capitals (DC) vice-captain, hasn’t played since April 10, when he picked up an injury during the match away against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).Axar Patel, the DC captain, isn’t totally sure where du Plessis stands with his fitness – and hasn’t confirmed the nature of the injury – but is hoping he would be back for DC’s next game, away against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Saturday.”I had been told that he wouldn’t be able to play three matches – that’s the time he needs to recover – and two matches are done,” Axar said after DC’s Super Over win against Rajasthan Royals (RR). “Maybe he will play the Gujarat game. But the physio has to confirm how his rehab has been going.”Related
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There was another injury concern for DC when Kuldeep Yadav landed heavily while attempting to field a ball in the deep in the 17th over of the chase. The physio checked his bowling shoulder and he went off immediately.”I have no update on Kuldeep yet,” Axar said. “If something serious had happened, then we would have known by now.”Against RCB, it was off Axar’s bowling that du Plessis put in a sprint from extra cover after an aerial hit from Rajat Patidar. He couldn’t get to the ball and, after that over – the eighth – was done, he walked off. He went out to open the innings later and scored 2 off seven balls.He missed DC’s next game, against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 5. At the time, Axar had just said, “Faf isn’t fit.”DC would want the experienced du Plessis back in their line-up at the earliest, even though they have continued to stack up the wins with or without him.The win over RR was their fifth in six matches, and they have found a solid replacement in Abishek Porel, who is DC’s second-highest run-scorer at this stage – behind KL Rahul – with 156 runs from six innings at a strike rate of 143.11.The concern, though, is Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has played all six matches so far, but has tallied just 55 runs at a strike rate of 105.76 with a best of 38. With Tristan Stubbs going well for DC, averaging 76.00 and scoring at 163.44, du Plessis, when he’s back, could well push Fraser-McGurk out of the team.
Mohammed Siraj. KL Rahul. Yuzvendra Chahal. One by one, ex-RCB players have returned to Bengaluru in IPL 2025 and played a part in beating their former team. Now, the spotlight is on Rahul Dravid.The first RCB captain, now guiding Rajasthan Royals from the dugout, returns home bearing the responsibility of turning around a faltering campaign. RR have won only two out of eight games and are on a four-match losing streak.”Do we have an RCB player from last time? Play him in the XI straightaway!” RR’s head coach Dravid said with a laugh on Wednesday, perhaps having momentarily forgotten that Wanindu Hasaranga and Shimron Hetmyer were once part of RCB. Hasaranga was their highest wicket-taker during their run to the playoffs in 2022.”No, not at all, man. I don’t think about it like that, to be very honest. Just trying to play a good game of cricket,” Dravid was quick to clarify. “We know we have to play well to be still alive in this tournament. I know we’ve lost a couple of close games coming into this, but we’ve played some good cricket as well. It’s one of those tournaments where a few balls going here or there and we might have been in a slightly different position, but you need to play well in those critical moments.”Related
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In the two close games that Dravid referenced, RR needed just nine runs to win in the final over with plenty of wickets in hand against both Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants. They lost the first via a Super Over and the second by two runs.The pitches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium have proved challenging for batters so far this season. RCB have made first-innings scores of 169 for 8, 163 for 7, and 95 for 9 in a 14-over game in their home games and lost every time.”You just have to go for it irrespective and that’s a given,” Dravid said when asked about how to approach batting on such surfaces. “But I think every surface will be different. The last one, I was just having a chat with the groundsman, it was under covers for a really long period of time, so it was probably not a good one to judge it on.”The wicket I’m seeing here, from at least what I can make of it, looks a really good wicket, so I can’t really say how those wickets looked in earlier games. But the track that’s been produced for this one looks actually to be a very good cricket wicket and I think it should be a pretty high-scoring game.”Like I said earlier, it’s a very important game for us. Every game from here on, the position we find ourselves in, we can’t afford to make many mistakes. We’ve got to start climbing that table quickly and we’ve got to start winning games quickly, there’s no options, no chances of slipping up anymore.”Dravid was asked his opinion on the trend of teams struggling to win at home in IPL 2025. Only Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians have won more than they have lost at home.”I’m not really sure what specific franchises might have wanted from their curators or from their pitches,” Dravid said. “But I think home advantage, generally, the teams are new as well, right? It’s the first year of a big auction cycle, so for a lot of the players, even though they may be your home players, they are playing for those teams or those grounds for the first time.”For example, at RCB, someone like a Phil Salt was at KKR and he’s coming here for the first time. Someone like Nitish Rana who was not with us and he’s playing for us this year, so for him, Jaipur is actually kind of a new ground in some ways.”So maybe sometimes, I think that when you just have a big auction and there’s a change of squad and a change of team, the home advantage may not be that significant. But maybe as you go later on into the cycle, maybe you might start seeing their significance a little bit more because then your players get to practise and play a little bit more on that compared to the opposition team.”
Inter Milan are one of Italy’s most successful clubs in history and lifted the Serie A title as recently as 2024.
In the 2025/26 season, the Nerazzurri have an annual payroll of €139,700,000, with the average player earning €4.8m per season. But who earns what at the San Siro? Every Inter player in the first-team squad has been ranked in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/2026 season, with the help of Capology.
Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.
1
Lautaro Martinez
€320,577
€16,670,000
2
Nicolo Barella
€231,538
€12,040,000
3
Hakan Calhanoglu
€213,654
€11,110,000
4
Alessandro Bastoni
€195,962
€10,190,000
5
Manuel Akanji
€178,077
€9,260,000
6
Piotr Zielinski
€160,192
€8,330,000
7
Marcus Thuram
€147,885
€7,690,000
8
Federico Dimarco
€142,500
€7,410,000
9
Stefan de Vrij
€135,385
€7,040,000
10
Davide Frattesi
€99,808
€5,190,000
11
Denzel Dumfries
€98,654
€5,130,000
12
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
€93,654
€4,870,000
13
Luis Enrique
€89,308
€4,630,000
=14
Ange-Yoan Bonny
€71,154
€3,700,000
=14
Andy Diouf
€71,154
€3,700,000
=16
Yann Sommer
€61,731
€3,210,000
=16
Matteo Darmian
€61,731
€3,210,000
18
Carlos Augusto
€54,231
€2,820,000
=19
Josep Martinez
€53,462
€2,780,000
=19
Francesco Acerbi
€53,462
€2,780,000
=19
Josep Martinez
€53,462
€2,780,000
=19
Petar Sucic
€53,462
€2,780,000
24
Yann Aurel Bisseck
€36,923
€1,920,000
25
Francesco Pio Esposito
€35,577
€1,850,000
26
Tomas Palacios
€21,346
€1,110,000
27
Raffaele Di Gennaro
€5,385
€280,000
Here's a detailed look at Inter's top 10 earners… 10 Davide Frattesi €99,808 per week
Midfielder Davide Frattesi scored an iconic Champions League winner against Barcelona during Inter’s route to the final in 2025.
He made his transfer from Sassuolo permanent in 2024 and is under contract until 2028.
9 Stefan de Vrij €135,385 per week
Experienced centre-back Stefan de Vrij has now played more games for Inter than any of his previous clubs, having joined in 2018.
Formerly of Feyenoord and Lazio, the Dutchman signed his latest Inter deal in 2023. However, he is currently set to be out of contract in 2026.
8 Federico Dimarco €142,500 per week
Academy graduate Federico Dimarco is arguably one of the best left-wing backs in Europe right now.
However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Dimarco, who has had spells with Ascoli, Empoli, Sion, Parma and Hellas Verona before starring with Inter.
7 Marcus Thuram €147,885 per week
Inter were able to offer Marcus Thuram an eye-catching €7.69m per-year salary in 2023 after the forward became a free agent.
Thuram left Borussia Monchengladbach and has impressed at the San Siro since joining Inter, with his deal not expiring until 2028.
6 Piotr Zielinski €160,192 per week
Another free agent brought in at the San Siro was midfielder Piotr Zielinski, who left rivals Napoli in the summer of 2024.
The Poland international had spent eight years with the Partenopei and four years with Udinese, so has plenty of experience in Serie A – something Inter will hope to benefit from until 2028.
5 Manuel Akanji €178,077 per week
Inter Milan signed Manuel Akanji on loan from Manchester City on deadline day in the summer of 2025 and have the option to make a move permanent in 2026.
The Swiss defender will collect €9.2m in wages during the 2025/26 season from the Italian giants.
4 Alessandro Bastoni €195,962 per week
Alessandro Bastoni was signed as a teenager back in 2017, arriving from Atalanta in a deal worth more than €30m.
In recent years, the Italy international has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe, and luckily for Inter, he signed a five-year deal in 2023.
3 Hakan Calhanoglu €213,654 per week
Hakan Calhanoglu
Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu swapped city rivals Milan for Inter in 2021 after leaving the former as a free agent.
HIs controversial move didn’t go down well with Rossoneri supporters, but Inter are the ones who have benefited from having the experienced Turkey international on their books, with his current deal running until 2027.
2 Nicolo Barella €231,538 per week
Italy international Nicolo Barella joined Inter on loan with an obligation to buy from Cagliari back in 2019 and has been an ever-present figure since then.
He has scored more than 20 goals and provided over 60 assists in blue and black, justifying his €230k per week wage. Barella’s deal doesn’t expire until 2029.
1 Lautaro Martinez €320,577 per week
Comfortably Inter’s highest-paid player is striker Lautaro Martinez, who signed his latest €16.67m per year deal in 2024 to end speculation of a move away.
The Argentinian, now the club captain, has been with Inter since 2018 and has won seven major honours with the Italian giants.
Things have gone a bit mad at Chelsea since Todd Boehly completed his £2.45 billion takeover back in 2022. The Blues currently have a whopping estimated annual payroll of £164,216,000, with the average Blues player earning more than £4.5m per season.
A clear out in the summer helped things a bit, as the likes of Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ben Chilwell headed for the exits, however, the Blues still spent more than £250m on new signings for Enzo Maresca.
Football FanCast has ranked every Chelsea player in the first-team squad in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.
Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.
1
Raheem Sterling
£325,000
£16,900,000
2
Reece James
£250,000
£13,000,000
3
Wesley Fofana
£200,000
£10,400,000
4
Enzo Fernandez
£180,000
£9,360,000
5
Marc Cucurella
£175,000
£9,100,000
6
Pedro Neto
£160,000
£8,320,000
7
Moises Caicedo
£150,000
£7,800,000
8
Cole Palmer
£130,000
£6,760,000
9
Joao Pedro
£125,000
£6,500,000
=10
Tosin Adarabioyo
£120,000
£6,240,000
=10
Jorrel Hato
£120,000
£6,240,000
12
Alejandro Garnacho
£110,000
£5,720,000
13
Jamie Gittens
£108,000
£5,616,000
=14
Mykhailo Mudryk
£100,000
£5,200,000
=14
Liam Delap
£100,000
£5,200,000
=14
Levi Colwill
£100,000
£5,200,000
17
Benoit Badiashile
£90,000
£4,680,000
18
Axel Disasi
£80,000
£4,160,000
=19
Robert Sanchez
£60,000
£3,120,000
=19
Estevao
£60,000
£3,120,000
=21
Marc Guiu
£50,000
£2,600,000
=21
Filip Jorgensen
£50,000
£2,600,000
=21
Trevoh Chalobah
£50,000
£2,600,000
=24
Malo Gusto
£45,000
£2,340,000
=24
Romeo Lavia
£45,000
£2,340,000
=26
Gabriel Slonina
£40,000
£2,080,000
=26
Dario Essugo
£40,000
£2,080,000
28
Andrey Santos
£35,000
£1,820,000
29
Facundo Buonanotte
£25,000
£1,300,000
30
David Datro Fofana
£15,000
£780,000
31
Tyrique George
£7,500
£390,000
=32
Josh Acheampong
£5,000
£260,000
=32
Leo Castledine
£5,000
£260,000
34
Jimmy-Jay Morgan
£2,500
£130,000
Here's a detailed look at the top 10 Chelsea earners… 10 Tosin Adarabioyo £120,000 per week
After securing the services of Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham in 2024, Chelsea were able to offer the defender a big contract.
Those at Stamford Bridge handed Adarabioyo a four-year deal on more than £6m a year, and he has gone on to become a regualr under Maresca.
9 Joao Pedro £125,000 per week
Chelsea splashed the cash on Joao Pedro early in the 2025 summer transfer window, with the Brazilian even able to jet out to the USA and play a part in the Blues’ Club World Cup triumph.
Pedro scored some important goals at the CWC and cost an initial £55m from Brighton.
8 Cole Palmer £130,000 per week
Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s standout signing under Boehly, going from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge after struggling to break into Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.
Some may have questioned the Blues for paying £40m to sign Palmer, but he’s been the star man and was rewarded with a new extension to his £130,000 per week deal through until 2033 last year.
7 Moises Caicedo £150,000 per week
Moises Caicedo is Chelsea’s second most expensive signing of all time after they pipped Liverpool to a deal back in 2023.
Arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a transfer worth a whopping €116m, Caicedo looks set to play an important role over the coming years as he looks to justify that price tag.
6 Pedro Neto £160,000 per week
Pedro-Neto-Chelsea
Another big-money signing, Pedro Neto swapped Wolverhampton Wanderers for Chelsea in Maresca’s first transfer window to add yet another attacking star to the Blues’ ranks.
He starred at Molineux and was arguably their most important player when fit, and he’s been a reliable performer so far in London.
5 Marc Cucurella £175,000 per week
Left-back Marc Cucurella is next on the list, picking up £175,000 per week. The Spaniard was another to swap Brighton for Chelsea and has had his ups and downs in west London.
He now appears to be first choice under Maresca, though, so he’ll be hoping to become one of the first names on the teamsheet while under contract.
4 Enzo Fernandez £180,000 per week
Chelsea’s club record signing, Enzo Fernandez is only the fourth highest-paid player at Stamford Bridge, something which may surprise some.
The Blues did fork out a whopping €121m for the Argentine’s services from Benfica, and now, they’ll be hoping Fernandez and Caicedo can star in midfield over the coming years.
3 Wesley Fofana £200,000 per week
On £200,000 per week is central defender in Wesley Fofana. Signed from Leicester City in 2022, Fofana has also had his injury issues at Stamford Bridge.
He managed just 29 Premier League appearances across his first two seasons with the Blues.
2 Reece James £250,000 per week
Club captain Reece James picks up £250,000 per week. The right-back has struggled to stay fit in recent seasons but is under contract until 2028.
His injury history appears to be a cause for concern for the Blues, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with one of their top earners if he can’t remain fit.
1 Raheem Sterling £325,000 per week
Top of the charts is Raheem Sterling, who actually isn’t in Maresca’s first-team plans at Stamford Bridge. The winger spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Arsenal, however, the Gunners didn’t want to make a move permanent.
Sterling is still under contract until 2027, picking up just under £17m a season with the Blues.
New Zealander takes three-for before Patterson leads hosts’ reply with half-century
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-May-2025
Nathan Smith chipped away at the Essex order•Surrey CCC/Getty Images
Surrey dismissed Essex for 217 as events on day one at the Kia Oval followed a familiar pattern.Having won the toss, the champions fielded first on a well-grassed surface and despite Michael Pepper’s 75 they bowled Essex out in two sessions.Australian left-hander Kurtis Patterson led the reply with 51 as Surrey reached 94 for three at stumps, 123 behind.Pepper provided much of the resistance in front of a crowd of 5,861 and helped Essex’s last three wickets add 71 while at the start of the day Surrey didn’t use the new ball particularly well. But Surrey have got themselves into a familiar position and will try to bat into the third day before putting Essex back under pressure in their second innings.There had been the promise of a different story unfolding in the first half hour when Dean Elgar and Paul Walter helped themselves to ten boundaries in the opening eight overs as they posted a half-century stand with few alarms against some unusually indifferent new-ball bowling by Dan Worrall and Nathan Smith. But when Sam Curran, who was making his first Championship appearance of the season, replaced Worrall at the Vauxhall End he broke through with his second ball, which darted off the seam and Elgar edged it to second slip.From 50 without loss Essex slipped to 95 for four as the Surrey seamers profited from bowling a better length. Walter played well for his 38 but was one of three wickets to fall in 7.4 overs for seven runs as the champions tightened the screw before lunch.Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes snapped up a simple opportunity when Walter poked at Jordan Clark’s outswinger but there was nothing ordinary about his next intervention when he dived in front of first slip to remove Charlie Allison after Smith had switched ends – a fine way for Foakes to claim his 450th catch in first-class cricket.Smith had a second wicket before lunch and Foakes a third catch after skipper Tom Westley was surprised by extra bounce and Essex would have been in further strife had Jamie Overton, like Curran playing his first Championship game of the season, not dropped straightforward catches at slip to reprieve first Pepper and then Matt Critchley off successive deliveries. Overton took himself out of the cordon but Pepper apart, Essex failed to make the most of their good fortune.Critchley, aiming to leg, was beaten by Tom Lawes’ late inswing and Foakes had his fourth catch – and Worrall his first wicket – when Noah Thain followed an away swinger. Simon Harmer was lbw unwisely offering no shot when Curran switched ends.But from 146 for seven Pepper led a tail-end revival, first with Shane Snater with whom he added 51 in 65 balls. Snater contributed 28 before edging to second slip in Overton’s third over but Pepper brought up Essex’s 200 by driving Overton handsomely over long-on for six while adding another 24 with Sri Lankan Kasun Rajitha. Rajitha eventually played on to Smith and Pepper holed out to deep mid-wicket for a season’s best 75 from 94 balls with nine fours.Burns was caught at slip aiming an expansive drive at Jamie Porter and Surrey suffered a setback when Patterson was squared up by Porter shortly after the Australian left-hander had reached an attractive half-century. Nightwatchman Lawes fell in the penultimate over but Surrey are still well placed.
Liverpool’s summer transfer window was defined by big spending, but also by letting some of their most promising youth talent depart.
While the Anfield hierarchy pursued marquee signings such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Hugo Ekitike, a quieter narrative was simultaneously unfolding.
Several academy graduates, once thought of as future first-team players, left the club in search of regular gametime and development opportunities that Liverpool could not immediately guarantee.
Harvey Elliot went on loan to Aston Villa with a £35m obligation next summer, Jarell Quansah moved to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m, and Ben Doak joined Bournemouth for £25m.
These departures, while financially reasonable, highlight the ongoing challenge Liverpool face in balancing youth development with immediate competitiveness.
Sometimes, trusting homegrown talent pays dividends, as 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha demonstrated with his 100th-minute winner on Premier League debut against Newcastle, reminding the club of the potential locked away in its academy.
For one player, however, leaving Liverpool has opened the door to a role that is allowing him to flourish at one of the European elite in a role that had long been earmarked for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, who ultimately moved to Arsenal for £60m.
The lesson for Liverpool's youth talent
Liverpool’s history of allowing talented youngsters to leave and succeed elsewhere is not new.
Raheem Sterling’s departure is one of the most notable examples.
Former Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling.
Sterling left Anfield in 2015 for Manchester City at just 20 years old in a £44m deal, making him the most expensive English player at the time.
His career trajectory underlines the risks of selling promising youth too early, even at a premium.
Sterling went on to score 131 goals and register 86 assists in 339 appearances for City, winning four Premier League titles and earning inclusion in the 2018/19 PFA Team of the Year.
Sterling’s success serves as a benchmark for evaluating the club’s current youth departures which include the likes of Dominic Solanke, Neco Williams and most recently Jarell Quansah.
Quansah, however, was not the only Kirkby graduate to flee Merseyside for Europe in the summer of 2025.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
From Liverpool to Lyon
Tyler Morton, a 22-year-old local talent, joined Liverpool’s academy at just seven years old.
After progressing through the ranks, he experienced loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and Hull City before making his Premier League debut against Arsenal and his Champions League bow against Porto.
During his time at Liverpool, Morton made 14 appearances in all competitions, gaining valuable experience in a squad filled with international stars, while also contributing to the U21 European Championship victory over the summer.
This summer, Morton left Liverpool for Lyon in a £15m deal, a move that has allowed him to start playing consistently in Ligue 1 as a deep-lying playmaker.
This role mirrors the one Martin Zubimendi excelled at in La Liga before his £60m transfer to Arsenal, making Morton’s progression particularly noteworthy.
Liverpool had a bid for the Spain international rejected last summer, even though they may have already have their equivalent in the squad. Ultimately, Zubimendi went elsewhere, and Liverpool lost one of their most promising academy graduates too.
Regardless, Lyon and Morton have started the season strongly, winning three games from three, with the ex-Liverpool midfielder earning praise for his performances.
Against Metz, he played the full 90 minutes, recorded 84 touches, completed 63 of 69 passes (91%), delivered four key passes, three accurate crosses, four long balls – all successfully executed – and won four ground duels.
Bence Bocsák described Morton as a “quality midfielder,” highlighting the attributes Liverpool’s coaching staff have long admired, while Jurgen Klopp labelled him as an “outstanding” player.
His ability to control tempo, execute progressive passes, and contribute defensively makes him a versatile asset, one that Liverpool could have nurtured as in-house but instead allowed to blossom elsewhere.
Statistically, Morton’s style closely mirrors the deep-lying playmaking role that Zubimendi has excelled in.
Matches Played
36
Goals
2
Assists
1
Progressive Carries
38
Progressive Passes
195
Both operate in the transitional midfield zone, blending defensive awareness with progressive passing and the vision to influence play across the pitch.
While Zubimendi’s high-profile switch made headlines, Morton’s development in Lyon represents a potentially missed opportunity for Liverpool to cultivate a similar talent internally.
The youngser’s exit also underscores a recurring theme at Anfield and within the wider Premier League.
Clubs are increasingly letting promising youngsters leave only to see them thrive elsewhere.
Sterling set the precedent; Morton is now another example of Liverpool’s academy producing talent that, for reasons ranging from tactical fit to financial prudence, finds success beyond Merseyside.
While investing in high-profile signings is essential for immediate results, the club continues to face the delicate task of integrating its academy graduates into a star-studded first team.
Not Frimpong: Liverpool man who's "not at the races" is this season's Trent
Liverpool could have the next Trent Alexander-Arnold on their hands…
“Right now it looks like a mess”. Those were the words of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, speaking after his former side slipped to a frustrating 1-0 defeat away to Galatasaray on Tuesday evening.
Victor Osimhen’s first-half penalty proved enough to clinch all three points for the Turkish giants in that Champions League tussle, with the trip to Istanbul a particularly damaging one amid notable injury blows for both Alisson and Hugo Ekitike.
While the reigning Premier League champions remain top of the pile domestically, this has been a challenging week for Arne Slot’s side, having been deservedly beaten by an in-form Crystal Palace at the weekend.
This is certainly no time to panic, amid a difficult seven days in what has largely been a flawless tenure for the Dutchman to date, although with the warning signs having already been there in recent weeks, something needs to change.
As Carragher alluded to on CBS, the Merseysiders “haven’t gained anything going forward, but they’ve lost a lot defensively” following the summer squad overhaul, with the backline looking all at sea thus far.
With just two clean sheets in ten games in all competitions in 2025/26 – the last of which came away at Burnley – the Reds need to find a way to plaster over the cracks that are emerging…
Konate & Frimpong's display vs Galatasaray
While there were few who could hold their heads high on Tuesday night, among those who particularly underwhelmed were Ibrahima Konate and Jeremie Frimpong, with the pair enduring another worrying display against the Super Lig side.
In the case of Frimpong, there may well be concerns brewing over his ability to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back for the long-term, with Slot even favouring him in a more advanced role, in order to afford Mohamed Salah a well-earned rest.
That switch certainly didn’t pay off, however, with the diminutive Dutchman hooked on the hour mark after a desperately disappointing showing, having lost the ball on 16 occasions from just 35 touches, as per Sofascore, while winning just two of his nine attempted duels.
Such lightweight quality hardly inspires any confidence that the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man can flourish when moved back into a full-back berth, with Slot perhaps wise to avoid pairing the summer signing with the hapless Konate in that right channel.
Indeed, the Frenchman endured another sorry outing up against the rampant Osimhen, having notably gifted possession to the Nigerian in the second half, after a slack pass back was intercepted by the ex-Napoli striker.
As noted by the Liverpool Echo’s Paul Gorst, the former RB Leipzig man ‘looks worryingly out of form of late’, with the failure to get the Marc Guehi deal over the line looking set to haunt Slot and co over the coming months.
Even despite the lack of alternatives, Slot needs to find a way to take Konate – and Frimpong too – out of the firing line, with the same perhaps true of this season’s Alexander-Arnold…
The new Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool
While ‘Trent’ may now be old news at Anfield, it is worth noting that the struggles of the injury-hit Real Madrid man last season now appear to be being repeated in this new-look Liverpool side.
There is a sense that the Reds romped to the title in 2024/25 in spite of the Englishman, not because of him, with the contract rebel never seemingly managing to win over Jurgen Klopp’s successor in the dugout.
Indeed, while the attacking quality remained – with his 14 goals and assists eclipsing his tally of 13 from the previous campaign – the 26-year-old’s defensive woes were plain to see.
Substituted off on 16 occasions in the top-flight, the academy graduate notably made four errors leading to a shot, while being dribbled past 1.7 times per game, as per Sofascore, with Slot certainly not wholly impressed by what he saw:
That scenario now looks to be repeating itself with the case of £40m man, Milos Kerkez, with the Hungarian youngster also emerging as something of a liability at full-back, following his summer switch from Bournemouth.
Much like Alexander-Arnold, the 21-year-old – who registered five Premier League assists last season – is a real asset in an attacking sense when at his best, with that form also seeing him create eight ‘big chances’ under Andoni Iraola’s watch.
Unfortunately, that quality is yet to be seen in a Liverpool shirt, with Kerkez still waiting to register his first goal involvement for his new side, after making ten appearances in all competitions.
Targeted on the opening weekend by former teammate Antoine Semenyo, the rampaging left-back has regularly come under the microscope since then, not least following his early withdrawal amid the threat of a red card at Turf Moor.
It was also his errant clearance which led to the throw-in that saw Palace clinch victory at the weekend, while in midweek, the £75k-per-week menace won just three of his seven attempted duels, while failing to provide a single successful cross or long ball.
Games
38
6
Goals
2
0
Assists
5
0
Big chances created
8
0
Key passes*
1.0
0.5
Pass accuracy*
80%
87%
Possession lost*
13.9
9.3
Total duels won*
54%
61%
Errors leading to goal
1
1
It is, of course, still early days, with the at-times hot-headed defender also perhaps not aided by the woes of those ahead of him, having yet to strike up a fruitful partnership with Cody Gakpo down that left flank.
That being said, as was the case with Alexander-Arnold’s demotion behind young Conor Bradley on occasion last term, Kerkez may find himself ousted for a more steady presence in the form of the long-serving Andy Robertson.
Like Trent, at his best, the former Cherries starlet can be such a weapon from the flanks with his wicked delivery and attacking instincts. Like Trent, too, however, at his worst, he can be a costly figure in a defensive sense for Slot’s side.
Liverpool star who's "on par with Salah & VVD" had his worst game under Slot
Liverpool endured a night to forget as they were beaten by Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Nottingham Forest haven’t enjoyed a positive start to life under Ange Postecoglou and a key update on his future has now emerged from the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest suffer damaging Europa League defeat
The fairytale return of Nottingham Forest to the European scene was a just reward for an excellent campaign last term. However, their shock 3-2 defeat at home to FC Midtjylland was a stark reminder of the frailties present within Postecoglou’s side.
Despite being alive in the majority of the Australian’s matches so far, conceding at awkward times has led to six games without a win under the former Celtic boss, breeding an elevated level of pressure on him to get it right in the East Midlands.
Speaking post-match, Postecoglou remained unbothered by chants calling for his dismissal, claiming that nothing surprises him in football anymore.
He said: “I heard it. They’re fans, they want to see their team win, and they’re entitled to their opinion. Nothing surprises me in football any more. We’ve just got to keep going. There is no hiding in the sport we’re in. Got to keep your head up and recover. We have a tough game against Newcastle at the weekend.”
With high-profile pundits such as Tim Howard among his detractors, Postecoglou has work to do in order to prove the doubters wrong, but that sort of challenge saw him win the Europa League last term, hence why it would be premature to count him out.
Nottingham Forest star fumes at something he's "never seen" before vs Sunderland
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BySean Markus Clifford Sep 28, 2025
Newcastle United await on Sunday and won’t be an easy outfit to overcome. Nevertheless, their indifferent start to the Premier League season may offer a sliver of hope to the travelling supporters.
Either way, a change in mood is needed at the City Ground, though how are the Nottingham Forest hierarchy feeling about Postecoglou’s situation? Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on that front.
Fabrizio Romano on how Nottingham Forest view Ange Postecoglou
Writing in his GIVEMESPORT newsletter, Romano has confirmed Nottingham Forest are being patient with Postecoglou and believe that he simply needs time to adapt before results improve at the City Ground.
Truthfully, Postecoglou is between a bit of a rock and a hard place, though he is certainly made of strong stuff and has shown he has the thick skin to come through adversity.
However, his side need to find a level of stability, as two draws and four defeats isn’t going to cut it if Nottingham Forest want to survive. Making their priorities clear, Evangelos Marinakis and company are opting to keep the faith for now.
Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has sent a message to Kylian Mbappe ahead of Sunday's Clasico clash against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid head into the match against the defending Spanish champions on top of the table and with Mbappe in red-hot goalscoring form. Mbappe has 10 goals in just nine league outings this season and will be out for more against Hansi Flick's side.
Real Madrid and Barca to renew hostilities
The first Clasico of the 2025-26 season takes place on Sunday as Barcelona travel to the Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid. The Catalan giants won all four meetings against their bitter rivals last season, meaning revenge will certainly be in Madrid minds ahead of the match. Real Madrid lead Barca by two points ahead of kick-off but know that victory will extend that gap and give Los Blancos a boost in the title race. However, another victory for Barca will see Flick's side move top again and strengthen their hopes of retaining their league title.
AdvertisementAFPRamos sends message to Mbappe
One man who knows all about El Clasico is Ramos who played in the famous fixture 43 times during his incredible career with Real Madrid. The defender, who now plys his trade in Liga MX with Monterrey, is looking forward to the fixture and expects Mbappe to shine. He told El Chiringuito: You know very well that I am a Real Madrid until death and I hope that Madrid wins, that my brother 'Kyky' plays a good game. I will motivate him. I often speak with him, he is at the top level, I hope he will have a great match and that the three points will stay at home."
Ramos also spoke about his own future, with his contract at Monterrey due to expire in December. The former Madrid star says he's enjoying life in Mexico and is eager to stay: "I hope to stay in Mexico, it's a country that treats me wonderfully well."
Mbappe on red-hot scoring streak
Mbappe has shone in the early weeks of the season for Real Madrid. He's currently on an eight-game scoring run for Los Blancos and is enjoying the best start to a season in his career. Manager Xabi Alonso has been full of praise for the France international. He told reporters ahead of their Champions League clash with Juve: "Not just the goals. His positive influence on the team is almost as important as his teammates following him with and without the ball. He helps us control games. He's always going to score goals. He's done it everywhere. His vital and personal moment is very good. He's very analytical and intelligent, he does things for reasons, everything fits together in his head now, and that's why he's doing so well."
Meanwhile, Mbappe says Real Madrid are starting to understand what new manager Alonso wants from his team after replacing Carlo Ancelotti at the helm. He told : "They're different, two generations of coaches who have crossed paths. Ancelotti is one of the best in history. When you arrive, you're happy to play for him; he's always close to the players. Xabi wants to help a lot, but he's younger. He has more need and desire to prove himself with Real Madrid, to achieve things in his first big opportunity at the best club in the world. We're going to try to help him win as many titles as possible. It's an important year for Real Madrid and the national team. We're starting to understand what the manager wants from us, but we have to improve to get where we want to be."
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Mbappe's Clasico record
Mbappe may have been on the losing side four times against Barcelona last season, but he still made managed to score five goals in those games. He even bagged a hat-trick in the 4-3 defeat in May, becoming just the third Madrid man ever to manage the feat in an away Clasico after Ferenc Puskas in January 1963 and Karim Benzema in April 2023.
Thomas Frank has made an impressive start to life as Tottenham Hotspur manager, suffering only one defeat within his first nine matches since his appointment in the summer.
The Dane’s only defeat came against Bournemouth in the Premier League on gameweek three and are now currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
However, it’s not all been straight-forward for the 51-year-old, with the Lilywhites having to come from two goals down to draw with Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
His side have scored 17 goals across all competitions in 2025/26, averaging nearly two goals a game to date, highlighting the impressive form of the side in the final third.
Such a record could’ve certainly been bolstered further had the hierarchy kept hold of one player who was sold during Frank’s first window in charge this summer.
Heung-min Son’s successful spell at Spurs
Back in the summer of 2015, few Spurs fans would’ve predicted the superb spell forward Heung-min Son would have at the club after joining from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
The South Korean spent a decade in North London, often being a first-team regular, subsequently racking up incredible figures which made him a huge fan favourite.
The winger racked up over 450 appearances between 2015 and 2025, scoring 173 times, which ranks him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.
Despite not starting the Europa League final, he lifted the trophy as captain and helped end the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy in his final outing for the football club.
Son would leave the side this summer in a £20m deal, subsequently joining MLS outfit LAFC, leaving new boss Frank with the near-impossible task of landing a replacement.
Mohammed Kudus was brought into the club during the off-season, but his addition was undoubtedly made to strengthen the options on the opposite flank.
However, the Dane may already have his own version of Son in the near future, with such a talent already on their books in North London – potentially saving the club millions in the process.
The Spurs star who could be Frank’s heir to Son
Spurs have a number of impressive young talents within their ranks at present, highlighting the impressive work of their academy and their recruitment team over recent days.
Graduate Mikey Moore is just one of the players who has made the rise through the youth levels, making 19 senior appearances for the Lilywhites last season despite being just 17.
The injury crisis last season gave him the chance to stake his claim, but he’s been sent on a season-long loan to Scottish side Rangers in an attempt to gain consistent game time to aid his progression.
However, he’s only featured for a total of 215 minutes across all competitions for Russell Martin’s side, with just three of his appearances coming from a starting position.
He’s not alone in being sent out on loan to try and gain valuable experience, with South Korean forward Min-hyeok Yang also spending the 2025/26 out on loan.
The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.
Such a deal was undoubtedly an exciting one, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.
Yang would spend the second half of last season on loan at QPR, scoring twice and registering one assist in his 14 Championship outings at Loftus Road.
However, he was once again shipped out to England’s second tier, this time joining Portsmouth on a season-long loan, even netting his first goal for the club against Watford on Wednesday night.
Given his recent spells away from North London, he’s yet to make a single senior appearance for the club, but that could certainly change in the years ahead, given his tender age.
Yang Min-hyeok – stats for Portsmouth
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
3
Goals & assists
1
Pass accuracy
75%
Touches in opposition box
5.6
Fouls won
2.8
Recoveries made
4.5
Shots on target
1.7
Chances created
1.1
Stats via FotMob
At just 19, Yang has plenty of time to live up to the potential he’s arrived with, potentially being the perfect option for the first-team off the left-hand side for many years to come.
Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot at Spurs, it would be yet another phenomenal piece of business and one that could save them millions if he turns into a potential world-beater.
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