Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been dealt another blow with an injured star now facing several weeks on the sidelines.

Arsenal navigate plethora of injuries to top Premier League table

Considering the sheer number of key first team players who’ve been sidelined at various points already this season, Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League table is all the more impressive.

The Gunners have endured a torrid season with injuries, much like last campaign, which has severely tested Arteta’s squad depth.

While Arsenal have still begun the campaign very strongly, and are unbeaten in their last 18 matches across all competitions, their relentless succession of fitness problems has affected big-name personnel across multiple positions.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

August proved particularly damaging, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and William Saliba all sustaining injuries.

Odegaard’s MCL knee injury against West Ham in early October proved especially problematic, keeping the captain out for nearly two months and robbing Arsenal of their creative heartbeat during crucial fixtures.

Gabriel Magalhaes remains absent for weeks following a thigh injury sustained during Brazil’s November friendly against Senegal. His regular partner Saliba has battled recurring problems, missing recent matches against Chelsea and Brentford due to an unspecified knock.

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Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera compounds Arteta’s concerns after suffering a ‘complicated’ ankle injury that will require further testing to determine his recovery timeline.

Declan Rice provided fresh worries after limping off late against Brentford with a calf problem, and while the England midfielder insisted he felt “fine” ready to play against Aston Villa this afternoon, Arteta suggests he’s subject to a late fitness test.

Leandro Trossard has missed matches with muscular issues but should return within ‘days’ according to Arteta’s latest briefing, with the same going for Saliba.

Havertz suffered a setback in his knee rehabilitation and won’t return until possibly late December, while Gabriel Jesus finally returned to contention recently after missing nearly a year recovering from an ACL tear.

Summer signing Noni Madueke was out for two months after knee damage against Man City in September, though scans cleared him of cruciate ligament damage. The winger has since returned to action, providing Arteta with a renewed attacking threat.

That is a staggering 10 first-team stars who’ve been sidelined at various points, or still are, with a pretty concerning update now coming to light on Mosquera’s condition.

Cristhian Mosquera facing eight weeks out after Arsenal injury blow

The Spaniard was forced off early doors during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Brentford in midweek, and according to BBC journalist Sami Mokbel, Mosquera now faces ‘at least’ six weeks out through injury in ‘another blow’ to Arsenal.

The key phrase there is ‘at least’, and it could be as long as two months, with Saliba’s fitness now becoming more crucial than ever.

If the Frenchman is still unable to start, then Arteta will have little choice but to play Jurrien Timber alongside Piero Hincapie for this afternoon’s crunch clash against Villa in the Midlands.

White would then likely be handed his second consecutive league start at right-back for the first time since May, with Arsenal’s strength in depth now set to play an even more pivotal role in their quest to win a first league title in 22 years.

It is important to note that the timeframe for Mosquera’s injury lay-off are initial concerns from within Arsenal, with the ex-Valencia starlet set for further testing to determine his exact recovery timeline.

It is a blow for the centre-back personally after his fine start to life at N5, despite having to contend with being a back-up to Arteta’s first-choice centre-back pairing.

Arsenal believe Mosquera could become one of the best centre-backs in world football in a few years, according to some reports, and nothing we’ve seen so far disproves that theory.

Daniel Farke looked long gone as Leeds United manager heading into an intimidating run of matches in the Premier League.

Not even the most optimistic Elland Road supporter would have expected the Whites to grab some much-needed points against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

Yet, after this trio of difficult clashes, Leeds are four points better off with a win and a draw secured, which also – most importantly – means they’re two points above the dreaded relegation zone.

Farke will just keep his fingers crossed that this high-energy approach can be replicated versus the likes of Brentford and Crystal Palace to come, away from turning on the style against some of the division’s flashier opponents.

More positive results ahead would give Leeds a huge boost in their bid to avoid relegation, with the January transfer window also providing the Whites with an opportunity to add some standout signings to help them secure their survival.

Where Leeds could strength in January

Even though there has been a dramatic upturn in form, when Farke once looked like a dead man walking, Leeds will still likely be active in the hectic window to come.

Indeed, rumours are already beginning to circulate that the Premier League newcomers have Tromso midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl on their radar as transfer season edges ever closer. Moreover, the relegation-threatened outfit has also been linked heavily with a move for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez to bolster their centre-forward options.

Away from all this gossip, though, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also come out to state via his YouTube channel that Farke and Co have even made a concrete approach for an attacking playmaker in the form of Martin Baturina.

Romano stated: “In the last few days, Leeds has been in touch, the teams are starting to move.”

The £21m midfielder, who only signed for Cesc Fabregas’ Como in the summer, is struggling for consistent first-team minutes in Serie A at the moment. Yet, despite his predicament, he isn’t overly keen on a switch to West Yorkshire, according to Romano, with Como allegedly turning down the approach.

Still, transfer stories can change in the blink of an eye, so don’t write this one off completely.

How Baturina can become Farke's next Rutter

If Leeds were eventually successful in their mission to land the captivating 22-year-old, Farke could sign Leeds’ new version of Georginio Rutter, with the 15-time Croatia international capable of being a terrifying assist machine, much like the former number 24 was at Elland Road.

Rutter did manage to hammer home some memorable strikes when still situated at the Whites, with eight goals tallied up. But, it was his unerring ability to create chances for fun that made him really stand out as a fan’s favourite during his short, but sweet, 66-game stint at the club.

TalkSPORT’s Jeff Stelling would herald him as a “class act” at Leeds for the way he managed to make creating chances galore look effortless, with a bumper 18 assists coming his way across that string of matches.

In league action alone across the 2023/24 season, Rutter would muster up a ridiculous 22 big chances created, which led to the silky Frenchman securing himself a deserved £40m move to Brighton and Hove Albion.

While it hasn’t gone Baturina’s way at Como to date, with just one Serie A start handed to him by Fabregas this season leading to zero assists being tallied, it’s clear from his explosive time at Hadjuk Split that he has the same devastating ability to carve team opens that Rutter possesses.

Fabregas has already waxed lyrical about the 22-year-old’s “immense” nature to make things happen in “key moments” when first moving to Italy.

The clip above saw the £21m-rated midfielder calmly tee up his teammate for a golden opportunity in the Champions League back in 2024, with the assists flowing throughout his time at Split, leading to scout Jacek Kulig once hailing him as one of “the biggest talents” in Croatia.

Games played

114

60

Goals scored

17

6

Assists

36

17

Big chances created

38

23

Albeit from a wider pool of matches than the Seagulls star, Baturina would see out his time in his native Croatia with a staggering 38 big chances created from 117 league contests, which trumps Rutter’s own creative prowess.

Analyst Ben Mattinson would weigh in with some praise of his own by stating that the new Como number 20’s passing range was “outstanding” throughout his much-talked-about Split stay, with Farke now hopeful – if a move can be pulled off – that Baturina can enhance Leeds’ attack even more, after the goals have started to come naturally against the likes of Chelsea and Arne Slot’s Reds.

Of course, there will also be a worry in the air that for £21m, Leeds are risking their money on a midfielder who hasn’t ignited into life in Serie A.

Still, the Whites were here before with Rutter when splashing the cash on him in a January window, and while it took time for him to acclimatise, he is now seen as a modern great. Could Baturina soon follow in his esteemed footsteps?

Leeds now make contact over signing "powerful" star who's been likened to Odegaard

He’s a wanted man.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 6, 2025

Eddie Howe didn’t name a weakened Newcastle United side against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday in the Champions League, despite the Tyne-Wear Derby looming large.

Indeed, the 48-year-old went full strength, as he picked the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Anthony Gordon, even as his team’s tense showdown with Sunderland comes onto the overloaded fixture list on Sunday.

Going all out with his team selection didn’t mean a convincing win was forthcoming, though, as Newcastle’s frailties away from St James’ Park reared their ugly head once more in a 2-2 draw at the BayArena.

Unfortunately, many of Howe’s top performers throughout the season struggled in Leverkusen, as an 88th-minute equaliser from Alejandro Grimaldo proved to be a sickening end to a night that was meant to boost the Toon’s confidence, before travelling to the Black Cats.

Newcastle's worst performers vs Leverkusen

It was a well-worked move that saw the Spanish defender slot home past Aaron Ramsdale, but the lax marking of the full-back will have angered Howe at the full-time whistle, as Tonali looked nowhere near his energetic best once more.

The Italian just casually jogged about the pitch when the move was being orchestrated, with the ex-AC Milan man also falling victim to a sluggish display on the ball when giving up possession eight times.

As journalist Luke Edwards put it at the close of the 2-2 draw, he’s meant to “bring control” to contests late on, but looked haphazard on the flip side.

Moreover, Howe could now be second-guessing whether Malick Thiaw should start what will surely be a heated contest at the Stadium of Light, with the clumsy German fortunate not to receive a red card when bringing down Patrick Schick early into the first half, just before he could fire a shot at Ramsdale’s net.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old evaded the referee’s wrath, with the hope that he can get back to his rock-solid best on Wearside, having further come up short uncharacteristically on three of his eight duels away from St James’ Park.

Guimaraes was also left red-faced during the clash when he unfortunately put an own-goal past an unsuspecting Ramsdale, but he did more than enough at BayArena to keep his first-team spot, as seen in him notching up a hefty five key passes, as per Sofascore.

The same, however, can’t be said for one of his declining teammates…

The Newcastle star who must now be axed

Hailed as an “unbelievably frustrating” night from a Toon persuasion by Sky Sports’ Andy Sixsmith, it will be intriguing to see what changes Howe makes to his starting XI now for the demanding Tyne-Wear face-off to come.

Chalkboard

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

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Joelinton dropping out feels like an obvious alteration, as the underperforming number seven limped off with a clear injury issue on the hour mark.

To make matters worse for the waning Brazilian, his replacement, Lewis Miley, scored within 14 minutes of his introduction into the lively game, leading one content creator to state that the young Englishman has now “claimed his starting space.”

Joelinton’s performance in numbers

Stat

Joelinton

Minutes played

60

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

33

Shots

1

Accurate passes

20/23 (87%)

Key passes

0

Total duels won

2/9

Stats by Sofascore

Even if the lethargic South American didn’t have his injury issue to contend with, he would likely be fearful of the axe when looking at his poor numbers from the Leverkusen score draw in more detail, as the 29-year-old, who used to be known for his verve and determination centrally, ended up only winning two of his nine duels on the night.

On top of that, he also very much fell victim to fading in and out of the match, having come off at the hour mark with only 33 touches accumulated, unlike his midfield partners in Guimaraes and Tonali, who amassed a weighty 121 touches between them.

Even Ramsdale in between the sticks would tally up more touches, ending the 2-2 affair with a slightly higher 39.

Having lost his spark in the Premier League this season, too, with zero goals or assists next to his name from 13 league outings, it does feel like a straightforward swap to bring in Miley for some freshness against Sunderland, as the homegrown prodigy licks his lips at the prospect of facing the Toon’s fiercest rivals.

Dropping Joelinton is unlikely to be the only tweak at the Stadium of Light, as Howe does everything in his power to pick the strongest XI that hands his team the bragging rights on Sunday.

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علق الثنائي محمد علي بن رمضان وعلي معلول، لاعبا منتخب تونس، على الخروج من بطولة كأس العرب، رغم الفوز أمام قطر بثلاثية نظيفة، بالمواجهة التي جمعت بينهما مساء اليوم.

وواجه منتخب تونس نظيره القطري، في السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

طالع.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025 

وحقق منتخب تونس الفوز على قطر، بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما، اليوم الأحد. 

وقال محمد علي بن رمضان في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “الكأس”: “لعبنا المباراة حتى آخر دقيقة ونجحنا في تحقيق الفوز، لكننا لم نتأهل، سنعمل على مصالحة الجماهير في أقرب وقت، وسنكون حاضرين في كأس أمم إفريقيا”.

وأضاف: “نعد الجماهير بأن نفرحهم في كأس أمم إفريقيا، ونعتذر عن الخروج من البطولة”.

بينما أوضح علي معلول: “محمد علي بن رمضان قدّم مباراة كبيرة، وحاولنا الفوز وانتظرنا نتيجة مباراة سوريا وفلسطين، لكن الحظ لم يكن معنا، وهذه صفحة ونغلقها”.

وأتم: “اللاعبون الذين سيشاركون في كأس أمم إفريقيا سيقدّمون مستوى يليق باسم تونس، وعلينا أن نتعلم من الأخطاء التي ارتكبناها”.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was thrown in at the deep end at Ibrox after the Kevin Thelwell and Russell Martin double act lasted less than half a season.

The former Gers sporting director left the club a few weeks after Rohl’s arrival, and the German manager will now have an opportunity to spearhead recruitment heading into the January transfer window.

It will be interesting to see which areas of the squad he deems need to be added to after working with the group for the last couple of months, as a central defender will surely be on his agenda.

Why Rangers need to sign a centre-back

Rangers currently have Derek Cornelius, John Souttar, Emmanuel Fernandez, Nasser Djiga, and Clinton Nsiala as their centre-back options, whilst Dujon Sterling and James Tavernier are full-backs who can also play at centre-back.

On paper, that is a healthy set of options when they are all fit and available. However, the Gers have conceded 11 goals in six Europa League outings and 13 goals in 15 games in the Scottish Premiership, which shows that they have not had a tight defensive unit.

Nsiala has not played a single minute in any competition this season, per Transfermarkt, and may want to move on from Ibrox to pursue game time elsewhere.

That could open the door for Rohl to target a new centre-back addition, perhaps an experienced operator, because Fernandez and Djiga’s collective efforts have left a bit to be desired in recent weeks.

The German boss must find a way to drop both of them from the starting line-up because they look like they belong in the Pedro Caixinha era together.

Why Rohl must drop Fernandez and Djiga

Football FanCast recently noted that Djiga looked like the most improved player under Rohl, after he was dubbed a “rotten” player by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar earlier this season.

Chalkboard

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

Unfortunately, the Burkina Faso international, who is off to the African Cup of Nations after Monday’s game, regressed to his old self against Ferencvaros.

The Wolves loanee looked shaky throughout the match, losing 100% of his aerial duels (3/3), per Sofascore, and his central defensive partner, Fernandez, was arguably worse.

The English defender lost five of his nine aerial duels and five of his ten ground duels, per Sofascore, whilst he was caught out by Varga’s movement for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Fernandez left Ally McCoist, as shown in the clip below, lost for words as he somehow ended up facing the wrong way as their forward scored from close range in a bizarre moment.

Unfortunately, that mistake came only a couple of matches after he was beaten far too easily by Zac Sapsford in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United for the opening goal in that game, making it two high-profile errors in the last three matches.

During Caixinha’s time at Rangers, the club finished third in the Premiership in the 2016/17 campaign and were sat in third when he was sacked at the start of the 2017/18 season, per Transfermarkt, which speaks to the state that Ibrox giants were in before Steven Gerrard came through the door.

Djiga and Fernandez’s performances in recent matches suggest that they belong in that era of the Gers, as they have not shown that they can deliver consistently quality performances befitting of a team that wants to win trophies.

The English defender made two high-profile errors in the games against Dundee United and Ferencvaros, whilst Djiga lost three of his four aerial duels against the former and all three of his aerial duels against the latter, per Sofascore.

This shows that neither of them have shown that they have the consistency or quality, at this moment in time, to be relied upon by Rohl in the present day, which is why the manager should ruthlessly ditch both of them from the starting XI.

Djiga, of course, will have to come out of the team after the clash with Hibernian because of international duty, but Fernandez should also come out to provide another player with an opportunity to play, whether that is Sterling or Nsiala, or both of them.

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Then, when the January transfer window opens, Rangers will have an opportunity to find a permanent solution to that position by signing a new option.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois de alcançar a marca de 150 jogos seguidos com a camisa da Lazio, no último final de semana, o meia-atacante Felipe Anderson vive a sua última semana em Roma e já se prepara para fazer a última partida pela equipe italiana antes de retornar para o Brasil após mais de 10 anos na Europa.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

O maior reforço do Palmeiras para esta temporada encara o Sassuolo no domingo (26), e faz a sua última partida com a camisa da Lazio antes de sair de férias e já iniciar a sua mudança para defender o atual bicampeão brasileiro.

Felipe Anderson possui um pré-contrato com o Palmeiras que é válido somente a partir do primeiro dia de julho, logo o jogador só deve se apresentar na Academia de Futebol no início de julho.

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O Palmeiras terá um mês de junho delicado, uma vez que Endrick já terá se despedido e o clube ainda deve acumular alguns desfalques por conta da Copa América.

➡️ O mata-mata da Copa do Brasil está pegando fogo! Abra a sua conta e faça já a sua aposta no Lance! Betting

Com as oitavas da Libertadores iniciando somente em agosto, Felipe Anderson já vai estar totalmente adaptado ao Verdão para jogar a fase final da competição continental, além de poder ser inscrito na Copa do Brasil e também no Brasileirão.

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O jogador de 31 anos chega ao Palmeiras com contrato válido até o final de 2027.

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“I feel such things [about Kohli making it to the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs,” Sitanshu Kotak says

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-20252:15

Kotak: We don’t need to talk about Kohli’s future

Virat Kohli has the most centuries in ODI history, and yet, each time one sees him bat in the only format he is still active in internationally, thoughts turn to the 2027 World Cup. Kohli is 37 now. Will he still be playing two years on? For Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, “there’s no point talking about all this” and fans should stay in the moment.”I don’t know why we need to look at all this – he’s really batting well, and I don’t see any reason we need to talk about his future,” Kotak said after Kohli’s 135 from 120 balls took India to victory in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.”Just the way he’s batting, it’s just brilliant. The way he’s performing, [and] his fitness – there are no questions about anything,” Kotak said. “I feel such things [the 2027 World Cup] shouldn’t even be spoken about after the way he plays and performs. That is something which is two years away. There’s no point talking about all this. For us, once the team arrives and we start practice, we just enjoy.”Related

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Vastly experienced players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who is a year older at 38, add value to the dressing room even otherwise, Kotak pointed out. And it’s not like they aren’t performing. Rohit’s last three innings in ODIs have been worth 73, 121* and 57.”Obviously, they do share their experience with others,” Kotak said. “I don’t think we’re talking anything about the 2027 World Cup. They are just brilliant, and they are performing. They are contributing to the team, which is a great thing for us.”Like Kohli, Rohit is also active only in ODIs internationally. That leaves both of them with very limited game time. But, despite that, for the second successive match, Kohli and Rohit showed good form while stitching together a match-winning century stand.After adding an unbeaten 168 against Australia in Sydney last month, they had a stand of 136 in the first ODI against South Africa. While Kohli followed 74* in Sydney with 135 in Ranchi, Rohit scored 57 at better than a-run-a-ball against South Africa after hitting 121* in a win over Australia.”They are such experienced players; it’s always great to have them,” Kotak said. “The way they bat – like today also, that partnership – it makes a huge difference. Obviously, they batted really well.”

Marcus Trescothick, England’s assistant coach, insisted that the team would continue to stick to their principles, and “remain focused on how we try and win the game” despite a gruesome day with bat and ball at the Gabba that has left them on the brink of a 2-0 deficit in the Ashes.Speaking to TNT Sports shortly after the close of the third day’s play, Trescothick said that the team remained “fairly philosophical about what we’re trying to do”, but added that they were “not quite operating as we need to at the moment”, after a collapse of 6 for 80 in the floodlit evening session had torpedoed their hopes of overturning a 177-run deficit with wickets in hand.As had been the case in the first Test at Perth, England’s collapse came after a strong start to their second innings, and was largely of their own making. After reaching the dinner interval on 48 for 0, Ben Duckett was unlucky to be bowled by a ball from Scott Boland that kept low, but Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley then departed while driving on the up to Michael Neser – precisely the flawed shot selection that had left to a match-turning collapse of 3 for 0 in the series opener.It ran counter to the call from England’s first-innings centurion Joe Root, for his team-mates to “express themselves in the right way”, and whereas he’d salvaged the innings from 5 for 2 on the first day, this time he had no response. Mitchell Starc had been successfully negotiated by the openers but returned to prise Root out for 15, and when Harry Brook and Jamie Smith were extracted before the close, England still trailed by 43 runs with just Ben Stokes and Will Jacks of their recognised batters remaining.”They’ve been better than us today, and they’ve dominated today,” Trescothick said. “They’ve put us under a lot of pressure, and it’s always challenging when that happens.”We’re trying to score as many runs as we can. We’re trying to take wickets when we can. In certain areas, we probably haven’t been as good as we need to be, for long enough. And we’re trying, obviously, to do that and trying to put that right all the time.”Trescothick’s phlegmatic response to a catastrophic day was in keeping with England’s bid to maintain a positive team environment, and echoed similarly outlandish professions of optimism in previous contests – perhaps, most notably, spin coach Jeetan Patel’s insistence, on the eve of Ollie Pope’s astonishing 196 to beat India in Hyderabad in 2024, that “nothing was impossible” for this team and their self-belief.However, Pope will be back in the spotlight once again this evening, and for less glorious reasons. For the second match running, his skittish display when well set was the root cause of England’s collapse – in Perth, his inability to keep the score moving after a fast start resulted in a loose drive that cost him his wicket; here, with the conditions at their toughest and the onus on keeping wickets in hand until the morning session, he survived two wild drives in three deliveries that nearly went to hand off Brendan Doggett, before poking a return catch to Michael Neser in the very next over.Related

• Pope runs out of rope as Bazball's poster-boy turns fall-guy

• Australia's tail smokes and chars predictable England in Gabba cauldron

Trescothick, however, refused to point fingers, and held back from criticizing the decision-making that had undermined England’s chances.”Of course, we work with them as coaches,” he said. “Myself, Baz [McCullum] will talk with them about what we’re trying to do, and the principle of our game, and how we’re trying to play our style of play.”When we get it right, sometimes we really dominate and we put pressure on oppositions, and at times we don’t always get it right, and we play bad shots, and potentially, of course, that gets highlighted.”But it is what it is. You’ve got to have some way of trying to play the game. Of course, we’ll look back on it, and every game, every innings, and talk with batters and discuss what we’re trying to do. And we’ll say, yeah, keep going … stick with trying to work out how we’re going to make it better for next time. We’ve got to stick to our principles and what we’re trying to do.”The irony is that Australia’s entire team offered a demonstration in how to build an innings on a cracked Gabba surface that, as Duckett discovered, can offer a few rogue deliveries but broadly speaking has played very true throughout. Every Australian from No.1-11 reached double-figures, for the first time since 1992, while none of them faced fewer than 30 balls.”Once the guys have been in the field for a period of time, like they have in the heat, and then you’re starting to lose a couple of wickets, it’s always tough,” Trescothick said. “We’ve been good in parts. We’ve had periods in the game where we’ve been sustained pressure, and put Australia under that the scrutiny that we needed to, it’s just maybe they’ve then fought back.”They’ve got through the periods of the new ball well, and made it tricky for us, so fair play to them. It’s not just necessarily things that we’ve done wrong. I think Australia have been pretty consistent in what they’ve tried to do.”It’s pretty obvious what they’re trying to do. They’re just trying to smash away on a good length, especially Boland from the far end … there’s a big crack just outside the channel of off stump, we’re all aware of that. They’ve hit consistent areas, and they’ve put us under pressure.”England arrived in Australia with high hopes of competing for their first series win in the country since 2010-11, and their first Ashes victory since 2015. Right now, however, they are racing towards their 15th defeat in their last 17 Tests, and arguably their most humiliating yet, given the chances they’ve had to dominate, and the relative weakness of a team that has been lacking three all-time great bowlers in Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.”When momentum gets in their favour and they do get on top of you, it’s obviously always a challenge.” Trescothick said. “We are strong enough, we are good enough to challenge with it at times and put a bit pressure back on, if you like. It’s just not quite happened today.”We’re trying to work that out ourselves,” he added, when asked how England had let so many strong positions slip away. “We can be a bit more consistent in the style and in the momentum of the game, and try and keep on top of it when we need to be. And potentially, we haven’t quite matched up to that when we needed to be. But you’ve got to try and remain focused and positive on what you’re trying to do.”We’ve still got an opportunity here. Yes, we’re behind still in the context of the game. We’ve got to come out tomorrow, try and get a partnership going with the last few wickets that we have, and get a total on the board that we can maybe have a little dart at.”The guys are disappointed, but we’re still trying to remain focused on how we try and win the game.”

South African allrounder has played regularly across past two summers in Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Somerset have confirmed the return of Migael Pretorius as one of their overseas players for 2026. The South African allrounder will available for the full season across formats.Pretorius has played for Somerset since 2024, making five fifties to go with 58 wickets in 21 appearances. Last season, he featured eight times in the County Championship, as well as both games on Blast Finals Day as Somerset lifted the trophy for the second time in three years.”From the moment he arrived in 2024, Migael wholeheartedly bought into the culture of the club,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. “During his two previous spells with the club, he has shown that he has the ability to impact games with the bat, with the ball and in the field, and he will once again add valuable depth and experience to the squad.”Related

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Pretorius, 30, has been named in various squads by South Africa but is yet to win an international cap. Overall, he has taken 230 first-class wickets at 27.50, to go with 61 in List A and 100 in T20 cricket.”I’ve really enjoyed playing for Somerset over the last two years,” Pretorius said. “From day one I was made to feel at home and it’s a pretty special place to play. To be part of the team that won the Blast was incredible and hopefully we can emulate and even exceed that success in 2026.”

Barcelona's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck has reportedly hit a stumbling block as the German international appears to favour a future move to Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, while internal doubts among the Catalan hierarchy have seen them hesitate to sanction a formal approach despite manager Hansi Flick's strong connection to the player.

• Why Barca are hesitating

  While the need for a left-sided central defender became all the more pertinent following uncertainty surrounding Ronald Araujo's fitness, Barcelona are reportedly not fully convinced that Schlotterbeck is the answer to their problems. According to reports from , although the Blaugrana have tracked the defender for some time, there are "mixed opinions" within the club's sporting department regarding his suitability for their high-line system.

  Manager Hansi Flick knows the centre-back intimately, having handed him his senior international debut during his time in charge of the German national team. However, despite this existing relationship, it is understood that Flick is not actively pushing the board to prioritise the signing. The club's scouts appreciate the defender's ball-playing ability, but concerns over his consistency at the elite level have led to a "wait and see" approach, meaning he is currently viewed as an option rather than a priority target for the upcoming windows.

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  Schlotterbeck 'gambling' on Madrid or Munich

  The hesitation from Catalonia may be mutual. The report suggests that the 26-year-old is "gambling" on a high-profile switch to either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich rather than a move to La Liga's reigning champions and current leaders. The defender is entering the prime of his career and is aware that both giants are likely to be in the market for defensive reinforcements in the summer of 2026.

  Madrid are facing a potential exodus at the back, with David Alaba out of contract and the long-term future of Antonio Rudiger still undefined. Schlotterbeck views himself as a potential successor in the Spanish capital. Meanwhile, Bayern remain a looming threat; the Bavarians are currently prioritising the renewal of Dayot Upamecano, but should those talks collapse, the Dortmund star has been identified as their primary alternative. This preference for Madrid or Munich has left Barcelona on the periphery of the race.

• Dortmund demand clarity by January

  The situation is causing increasing anxiety at Signal Iduna Park. Schlotterbeck's current deal expires in 2027, meaning he will enter the final 12 months of his contract next summer—a scenario Dortmund are desperate to avoid. The club have reportedly tabled a lucrative extension until 2030, which would see his salary rise to approximately €8 million per season, making him one of the highest earners in the squad.

  However, the player has so far refused to sign. Dortmund bosses have now reportedly set a soft deadline, demanding a clear decision from the defender by the end of January. They are unwilling to let the saga drag on into the spring, knowing that if he rejects the offer, they will be forced to sell him in the summer to recoup a significant transfer fee, rather than risking losing him for free a year later.

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  Liverpool lurking in the background

  While the player eyes a move to Spain or Bavaria, the Premier League remains a viable alternative. Liverpool have been credited with a long-standing interest in the defender as they continue to plan for life after Virgil van Dijk. The Reds are monitoring the contract standoff closely and could test Dortmund's resolve if it becomes clear that a renewal is off the table.

  For now, the ball is firmly in Schlotterbeck's court. He must decide whether to commit his prime years to Dortmund or force a move to one of Europe's elite. As for Barcelona, they appear content to keep their distance, exploring other targets unless the German international makes it clear that Catalonia is his destination of choice.