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How will Sunderland respond to their Craven Cottage setback?

Unfortunately, for the Black Cats, their return to the Premier League after the international break was rather subdued, as Regis Le Bris’ men slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham.

They could put things instantly right, though, with a welcome return to home soil up next versus AFC Bournemouth, with the Wearside giants yet to lose at their beloved Stadium of Light so far this season in league action.

The games come thick and fast after this clash with the Cherries, too, with a Tyne-Wear Derby even on the menu as an early Christmas treat in mid-December.

Before you know it, the January transfer window will also reopen, as Sunderland already begin to be linked with some high-profile captures.

Sunderland looking to spend more big money

Le Bris will be hopeful that Wilson Isidor can break his four-game goalscoring duck when Andoni Iraola’s men come to town.

If he does continue to fire blanks, though, Sunderland could be prepared to splash the cash on a flashy, new striker recruit in January, as AC Milan forward Santiago Gimenez begins to be tipped for a move to England, for around the £26m price range.

He, of course, isn’t the only Serie A talent on the Premier League newcomers’ agenda, however.

Indeed, the main rumour rumbling on, heading into the bumper window, is Matteo Guendouzi potentially returning to England with the Black Cats, with a £26m move also being reported on for the Frenchman to link back up with his ex-Lorient manager in Le Bris.

There is a slight spanner in the works, though, with Italian journalist Enrico de Lellis stating – via a relayed report from Sport Witness – that the Lazio star isn’t keen on joining the newly promoted side, even with an offer allegedly being on the table for his services.

De Lellis said: “Guendouzi has an offer from Sunderland, but the player doesn’t want to go there.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The Mackems could well have to battle it out with Antonio Conte’s Napoli for his signature, as per further words from de Lellis, but fighting it out with some elite clubs in the past hasn’t stopped the Black Cats from landing other statement signings, as Le Bris aims to land his next Le Fee in Guendouzi.

How Guendouzi can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Once allegedly on the radar of Arsenal, Le Fee would end up being a major coup of a loan signing for Le Bris and Co. during their promotion heroics last season.

Le Fee’s classy displays – which included this goal being expertly put away during the tense run-in – gave the Black Cats just that extra bit of pizazz to seal a dramatic return to the Premier League, as the French boss now hopes Guendouzi’s arrival can gift Sunderland another calm and controlled performer, like Fee, in their ongoing bid to punch above their weight in the top-flight.

Like his fellow compatriot, though, who struggled to get going at Lazio’s fierce rivals in AS Roma, Guendouzi hasn’t always had it his own way during his bumpy career.

He was discarded by Arsenal at the close of the 2021/22 season for his “petulance” often getting the better of him, as per the words of ex-Gunners defender Lee Dixon.

Thankfully, since his Emirates departure, Guendouzi has managed to turn into a goal-and-assist machine in Serie A with 16 goal contributions collected, with an expectation he will return to the Premier League and be capable of delivering on the big stage, much like Le Fee showed off when he converted a penalty against Brentford in late August.

Guendouzi in Serie A – 2025/26

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Guendouzi

Games played

10

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Touches*

57.2

Accurate passes*

41.5 (89%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Total duels won*

3.0

Stats by Sofascore

He has also put his hot-headedness, which became his undoing in North London, to better use in Italy, with an energetic 4.3 ball recoveries averaged per Serie A clash this season, backing up claims that he is a “monster” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Amazingly, Guendouzi’s high ball recovery numbers put him on the same pedestal as another of Arsenal’s reinvigorated ex-roster in Granit Xhaka, who has 4.6 ball recoveries averaged next to his name. Le Bris will surely be champing at the bit at the prospect of both his ex-Lorient youngster and his standout captain battling it out together from the centre of the park, away from any Le Fee comparisons.

It could well be a deal that’s hard to pull off, but Sunderland’s ambition has previously been rewarded in Le Fee, who joined the ranks permanently in the summer for £19.3m.

For around £6m more, this feels like a transfer fight worth persisting with.

Related Isidor upgrade: Sunderland open talks to sign "unstoppable" £26m striker

Sunderland are reportedly keen on a move for a striker who could come in as an upgrade on Wilson Isidor.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 27, 2025

He is set to join the team ahead of Yorkshire’s game against Somerset starting September 8

Shashank Kishore04-Sep-2025India opener Mayank Agarwal is set to join Yorkshire on a short-term deal for the remainder of the County Championship.Agarwal, who is expected to link up with the squad ahead of their match against Somerset on Taunton starting September 8, will play three matches in all before returning to India in time for the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. This will be Agarwal’s first county stint.He was most-recently in action at the Maharaja T20 Trophy, Karnataka’s flagship T20 tournament. Prior to that, he was part of an IPL-title winning campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after being signed as a late replacement for the injured Devdutt Padikkal.Agarwal, 34, is no stranger to England, having been on two tours previously with the Test side – in 2021-22 and for the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.He had been in line to open during the 2021-22 tour, which India drew 2-2, but was ruled out prior to the series opener due to concussion. He has also been on two tours with the India A team.Agarwal, currently Karnataka’s all-format captain, comes with rich first-class experience. He has 8050 runs in 190 innings at an average of 43.98 with 18 hundreds and 44 half-centuries.In all, Agarwal has hit 1488 Test runs in 36 innings at an average of 41.33, with four Test centuries, including a best of 243 against South Africa. He played the most recent of his 21 Tests in March 2022 against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.Other prominent Indians to feature in the UK domestic season this year are Khaleel Ahmed (Essex), Tilak Varma (Hampshire), Yuzvendra Chahal (Northants), Ishan Kishan (Notts) and Sai Kishore (Surrey). Jaydev Unadkat is set to join Sussex this month.

Not so long ago they used to go in with five frontline bowling options and trust the batters to put the runs on the board. That’s not been the case in Australia

Alagappan Muthu24-Dec-20242:00

Pujara: India should pick another fast bowler for MCG

India seem to be where they want to be with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy tied at 1-1. Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane are Australian cricket strongholds and they have managed to win one of those games and draw another. Melbourne brings happy memories – they got the better of the hosts in both 2018-19 and 2020-21 – and Sydney brings spin into play. These are just ifs and buts, which don’t really win cricket matches. They do help put the people responsible for winning cricket matches in a nice state of mind. Could Prasidh Krishna be one of those people?This is largely a hypothesis. It doesn’t even have the merit of what happened in the nets, although Prasidh was quite sharp there. On pitches that were described as more for white-ball cricket, he began Saturday’s session by cutting one of India’s best batters in half. KL Rahul has thrived by playing the ball nice and late but on this occasion, he was a little too late to bring his bat down to cope with the inward movement.India have valued batting depth over bowling depth on this tour and yet they have been bowled out for less than 200 in three of their five completed innings. Is the benefit of the extra batter really coming through? Nitish Kumar Reddy is the extra batter; part of a package deal to compensate for lack of batting ability in the tail. He might be needed again in Melbourne if India go in with Washington Sundar as a lone spinner. But if they continue with Ravindra Jadeja, who has been one of their best batters in the last five years, it opens up an opportunity to bolster the seam attack.Related

India, Australia look to iron out flaws to edge ahead in high-octane series

MCG pitch to have 'pace, bounce and excitement', but what about runs?

Bumrah at one end, Ilford Seconds at the other?

Rohit, Akash Deep hit in MCG nets, but 'no major concerns'

Shami ruled out of remaining two Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests

Reddy, as India’s fourth bowler in this series, has contributed only 27 of their 336 overs, picking up three wickets and giving away 4.55 runs per over. Thirteen overs is the most he has sent down in an innings and these have been helpful conditions. He is very clearly a batting allrounder and some of his shots suggest he has a really high ceiling – reverse scooping Scott Boland, cover driving Mitchell Starc and hooking Pat Cummins for sixes – but the other job he has been picked to do – hold an end up – is not going so well.There was a time, not so long ago, that India put such a premium on getting 20 wickets in a Test match that they insisted on having five frontline bowling options. It meant they could only fit in five frontline batters and came with the risk of being bowled out cheaply. One of their most famous wins had them focused on avoiding defeat even as late as the start of the fifth day and then once their batting had come through – taking them from 194 for 7 to 298 for 8 declared – they had two sessions at England and their bowling depth helped make the most of it. Jasprit Bumrah (three), Mohammed Siraj (four) and Ishant Sharma (two) all played a part in doing the improbable at Lord’s three years ago.Johannesburg 2018 and Cape Town 2024 were the same, and those were extreme conditions, where the extra batter was a necessity not a luxury. At The Oval in 2021, they won after conceding a lead of 99. Rohit Sharma was in much better form. The lowest score among the top four in the second innings was 44. Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur scored fifties from Nos. 7 and 8. Eventually it was England under scoreboard pressure, chasing 368 with Bumrah (two), Umesh Yadav (three), Jadeja (two) and Siraj (two) sharing the wickets between them.On this tour, Bumrah has taken almost as many wickets as the rest combined (21 vs 26). He needs support.One way forward is to potentially consider Jadeja as a specialist batter (he has the numbers), Washington could come in place of Reddy, and if nothing else help ease the workload on the frontline quicks. Having played only one Test of the series so far, Washington already has 17 overs under his belt, which have gone for 2.88 runs per over and fetched two wickets.Prasidh Krishna was a handful in the tour game at the MCG•Getty ImagesOr India could bring in Prasidh for Reddy. The MCG, over the last three years, has offered 80 wickets for fast bowling and only 14 for spin bowling. After India were run ragged in the first innings in Brisbane, the bowling coach Morne Morkel spoke about the need to be better between overs 30 and 50; to be tighter, bowl dry, create pressure if not by taking wickets then by keeping the runs down.Prasidh, being a specialist on a pitch expected to favour seam bowling, might be well placed to do that. He picked up 4 for 50 and 2 for 37 against Australia A at this venue last month.India have reason to want a little bit of batting insurance. A question mark remains over the captain Rohit, whose lack of form has been papered over by Rahul stepping up to open the innings. Australia would have enjoyed seeing a batter who is averaging 11.69 in 2024-25 come out to face the new ball. Especially this one which has been doing enough for Steven Smith to suggest the last two years have been the toughest of his career. Yashasvi Jaiswal scaled a huge high in Perth but has since gone quiet. Virat Kohli has a hundred too but his other four innings on this tour are 5, 7, 11 and 3. Shubman Gill has looked good for the time he spends at the crease but hasn’t been able to convert his starts. Maybe if they were contributing anywhere close to their usual levels, India might have considered – as they have previously – to go in bowling-heavy and problem-solve from there.

أعلن الألماني هانز فليك المدير الفني لبرشلونة، تشكيل الفريق لمواجهة ريال بيتيس، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني، حيث يلتقي الفريقان مساء اليوم السبت.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ريال بيتيس في إطار مباريات الجولة السادسة عشر للدوري الإسباني “الليجا” على ملعب “لا كارتوخا”.

وتنطلق مباراة برشلونة وريال بيتيس، في تمام الساعة السابعة والنصف مساء اليوم السبت، بتوقيت القاهرة، الثامنة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.

اقرأ أيضًا | مارك جويهي يحسم رغبته بشأن وجهته القادمة بين بايرن ميونخ وقطبي إسبانيا

ويتصدر برشلونة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 37 نقطة، وريال بيتيس يأتي في المركز الخامس بـ25 نقطة.

وأجرى فليك تغييرات هجومية بتواجد ليفاندوفسكي ورافينها على مقاعد البدلاء، ودفع بفيران توريس وماركوس راشفورد أساسيان إلى جوار لامين يامال، وكذلك شهد تغييرات في خط الوسط، بتواجد روني باردجي أساسيًا. تشكيل برشلونة اليوم أمام ريال بيتيس 

حراسة المرمى: خوان جارسيا.

خط الدفاع: جول كوندي، باو كوبارسي، جيرارد مارتن، أليخاندرو بالدي.

خط الوسط: إريك جارسيا، بيدري، روني باردجي.

خط الهجوم: لامين يامال، فيران توريس، ماركوس راشفورد.

البدلاء: ليفاندوفسكي، رافينها، كريستينسن، فيرمين لوبيز، مارك كاسادو، فرينكي دي يونج، بيرنال، تشيزني، خوفري، درو، إيدير، تومي.

There’s a strong case to be made that Arsenal are the best team in Europe right now. Certainly, the win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday evening underlined the credentials of Mikel Arteta’s multi-title challengers.

The Gunners have mastered their game. Some have ridiculed Arteta and his side for finishing second in the Premier League three seasons in a row, but this has only hardened their resolve and will to win, concurrently deepening the tactical layers Arteta has spent so much time developing.

This is the result of everything coming together over multiple campaigns. Hard work and perserverance. Now, Arsenal have the luxury to add elite quality to an already fearsome outfit, and technical director Andrea Berta has found his man.

Arsenal's transfer plans

After such an impressive summer transfer window, table-topping Arsenal aren’t expected to be all that busy in the January transfer window. However, the Londoners will react if the right opportunity presents itself.

Juventus playmaker Kenan Yildiz remains a long-standing target, and attacking midfield is indeed a position the Emirates outfit is likely to target in the coming windows.

However, a recent report from Caught Offside suggests Berta is gearing up to launch a move for Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento, with the 23-year-old also attracting strong intrigue from Manchester City and Manchester United.

Livramento has been one of the Magpies’ standout players this season, and his club know it, having responded to growing interest in his name by listing him at £80m.

What Tino Livramento would offer Arsenal

Livramento has made 90 appearances for Newcastle since first arriving on Tyneside, having joined the club from Southampton in a deal rising to £40m in 2023.

Last season, he played an instrumental role in securing the Carabao Cup title, something Gunners fans might remember after his tremendous performance at the Emirates in the first leg of the semi-finals.

A modern and dynamic full-back, Livramento’s positional versatility has seen him play ample on his unnatural left flank for United, with his surpassing technical quality leading Newcastle-focused content creator Kendall Rowan to hail him as a “superstar” of a prospect.

Given that Manchester City also have a vested interest, you could say that Livramento would emulate Declan Rice by completing a big-money move from a title-winning Premier League rival like Newcastle, Rice having completed his £105m transfer to north London from West Ham United in 2023, since transcending his role as a superstar.

Right-back

91

1 + 6

Right wing-back

37

3 + 11

Left-back

24

0 + 2

Left wing-back

6

1 + 1

Right wing

1

0 + 0

As Arteta’s troops march their way through the campaign, indomitably, irrevocably, Rice is the most trusted lieutenant, now one of the best central midfielders in the world after several years lauded as an elite talent with room for growth.

In this way, Livramento would mimic him, completing a move to north London and rejecting Pep Guardiola on the way to the Emirates.

Moreover, the likes of Theo Walcott have praised Newcastle’s star full-back for his potential to become something even more, suggesting that his athleticism and ability to play across a range of positions make him someone akin to Gareth Bale.

Bale was a superstar, alright, and this is evidence that Livramento falls into a bracket of world-class players.

Newcastle are bound to play hardball over one of their biggest, most profitable talents, but Arsenal have shaped their stadium into quite the desirable destination, and Livramento would have the chance to emulate Rice in rising the Premier League ladder and becoming a superstar under Arteta’s wing.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for an exciting winger compared to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, with Arsenal and Barcelona also in the mix.

Mohamed Salah’s struggles this season continued on Sunday afternoon, with the Egyptian largely ineffective in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City in the Premier League.

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has now even called for the 33-year-old to be dropped by Arne Slot, following a dramatic dropoff from last year’s title-winning brilliance.

“The guy is not giving you anything! You could look at it the other way and say: ‘He’s going to be away for two or three months so we may as well try and figure something out now. Why am I going to wait on a guy who’s giving me nothing? I need to be proactive here. I can’t just sit on my hands and let it happen and hope and pray that all of a sudden somebody waves a magic wand and he becomes the Egyptian King again.’

“I absolutely think he needs to do something and my own person opinion, I would sit him.”

Salah’s form is increasingly showing the importance of Liverpool finding a successor to him, and it looks as though Fofana could be a leading option.

Liverpool keen on signing Malick Fofana

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are tussling Arsenal and Barcelona for the signing of Lyon’s Malick Fofana, who has emerged as one of the most talented young attacking players in Ligue 1.

It is claimed that Barca have made contact with the 20-year-old’s agent over a potential switch, but the Reds and the Gunners are showing the “most interest” in him from the Premier League. He could cost as much £44m, with Lyon refusing to budge on their asking price.

It is easy to see why Liverpool like Fofana so much, with scout Jacek Kulig comparing him to Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, as well as describing him as “magnificent”.

The Belgian is a left winger by trade, so he could be seen as an upgrade or long-term replacement for Cody Gakpo, but he can also shine on the opposite flank, allowing him to provide competition for Salah.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

Fofana has already bagged 17 goals and eight assists in 74 appearances for Lyon, and those numbers should only improve as he matures with his end product.

As bad as Salah: Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels vs. Man City must be on borrowed time

The batters’ decision-making and execution were found wanting as they went down quickly on the final day in Kanpur

Mohammad Isam01-Oct-2024Mominul Haque sat with an empty look on his face in the Bangladesh dressing room minutes after his dismissal on the fifth day of the second Kanpur Test. Such empty looks have been a common sight among the visitors during this Test series where Bangladesh have been comprehensively out-thought by India.Mominul had employed the sweep productively in the first innings on his way to an unbeaten 107. But in the second dig, Rohit Sharma moved KL Rahul to leg-slip as an aggressive move. Within three balls, the fielding change paid off for India and the sweep brought about Mominul’s fall.India have almost been unbeatable at home for the last 12 years. But that hasn’t allowed complacency to seep into their system. Instead, they have looked like a team that plans meticulously, and more importantly, executes those plans with precision. How Bangladesh responded to their approach was, however, disappointing.Related

• How Bumrah and Jadeja evened India's odds

• Official says govt will provide Shakib with security on Dhaka return

• Mominul Haque finds clarity in Kanpur maelstrom

• India beat the weather and the clock to sweep Bangladesh 2-0

• Stats – India extend dominance at home, at breakneck speed

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe didn’t see anything wrong in Mominul playing the sweep shot, but said that his side’s decision-making and execution were found wanting on the fifth day in Kanpur.”We didn’t talk about survival [on the fifth day],” Hathurusinghe said after Bangladesh went down seven wickets. “We thought of playing according to the conditions and strength of the individuals. If you defend and get caught at bat-pad, it is the same when getting out sweeping on a wicket like this. If the batsman thinks his best form of defence or getting off strike, is a sweep shot rather than the defensive shot, that’s his option.”Execution probably let us down in this [second] innings. If you look at Mominul yesterday, he swept really well. I am sure they are disappointed at some of the dismissals and the decision-making. What stands out for me is that we lost a wicket when there’s been a bowling change. We didn’t give ourselves enough time to get used to the new bowler.”Mominul walking into India’s trap was typical of Bangladesh’s batters during this Test series. They have generally fallen in three scenarios. India’s well-planned traps were one thing, but the Bangladesh batters also hastily attacked a bowler early in his spell, and there were instances of losing concentration after seeing off a mini battle. There were examples of all three during the fifth day in Kanpur.

“We don’t have much time to make drastic changes. We have to improve our execution and decision-making.”Chandika Hathurusinghe on the changes needed before the series against South Africa

Of the three times Mushfiqur fell to Jasprit Bumrah in the Test series, his dismissal in the first innings in Kanpur was a well-thought-out plan. He packed the slip cordon which prevented Mushfiqur from playing at away-going deliveries. Bumrah then slipped a length ball that decked in, which Mushfiqur left like he was leaving the other deliveries.It wasn’t just Mushfiqur among the experienced lot to fall for such plans. Litton Das giving Rohit a catch at mid-off in the first innings was India trying to make him do something out of the ordinary. Litton could have seen off Mohammed Siraj’s spell, but instead charged the bowler, and although Rohit took a great catch, the shot was a result of a set plan. Shakib Al Hasan miscuing a heave against R Ashwin on the fourth day, the ball after hitting him for a four over extra cover, was another example.Shakib charged out of the crease again, which Ashwin definitely saw coming, so he bowled it slightly quicker but with a bit of dip on the ball and the allrounder fell into the trap.Bangladesh’s batters were also guilty of haste. Perhaps they didn’t want the Indian bowlers to execute their plans, but their choice of shot was confusing. On the fifth day in Kanpur, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto missed a reverse-sweep off the first ball he faced from Ravindra Jadeja. The shot felt unnecessary at the time and sparked a collapse after a 55-run stand for the fourth wicket.Hathurusinghe, however, said the reverse sweep was always on given how much the batters practice it, especially when they see it as an option on a spinning pitch. “[Playing the reverse sweep] is an individual and team plan as well. We are playing on a spinning wicket,” he said. “If the defence is getting challenged, it is a strategy to play the reverse sweep if you have practiced hard on the shot.”Falling just after seeing off a good spell or after batting well for a short period also brought about plenty of headaches in both Tests. Bangladesh’s last wicket in Kanpur was of Mushfiqur trying to slog Bumrah off the last ball before lunch.Ravindra Jadeja broke through with Najmul Hossain Shanto’s wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesShadman Islam had earlier fallen just after getting to his half-century with Sunil Gavaskar on air pointing out that the opener played a shot of a batter who got relaxed after reaching a milestone. He remarked that Shadman might not have played the shot, having shown control against deliveries outside the off stump all morning, if he hadn’t reached his fifty.Hathurusinghe agreed that the top-order had to make better decisions in the upcoming Test series against South Africa at home. “We don’t have much time to make drastic changes, ” he said. “We have to improve our execution and decision-making. We will be playing on different surfaces back home. We have to take it into account, and the opposition bowlers.”A cluster of wickets falling after a bit of a recovery isn’t just the top order’s problem. The middle order suffered from it, too. Litton and Shakib played needless shots after getting Bangladesh out of trouble with a decent partnership in the first innings in Chennai. Litton was caught in the deep while Shakib miscued a reverse sweep. In the second innings, Zakir Hasan and Shadman saw off a testing period in the second innings, before falling to tame dismissals.Bangladesh’s lack of fight in the two Tests was disappointing. They lost in three-and-a-half days in Chennai, while lasing technically just under two days in Kanpur. They had arrived in India on the back of a historic 2-0 win against Pakistan.This 2-0 defeat against India doesn’t necessarily cancel out their good showing in Pakistan, but it rams home the point that Bangladesh are a side still short of competing against top sides consistently. They weren’t expected to win 2-0 in Pakistan but they applied themselves in the best possible way. They, however, couldn’t withstand India’s heightened challenge, and now have to go back to the drawing board before the home series against South Africa later this month.

LOS ANGELES — The Blue Jays lost a heartbreaker on Monday, an 18-inning slog that tied for the longest in postseason history in which they used every position player and reliever on their roster. Their heart and soul and one of the best October players of all time, DH George Springer, is out with an oblique injury for an unknown period of time. They arrived at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday to face the greatest player who ever lived, a man so dangerous that they intentionally walked him a postseason record four times the night before—and he was also starting the game on the mound. 

So naturally, they won Game 4, 6–2, to even the World Series at two games apiece. 

“There’s no choice,” said righty Shane Bieber, who warmed up on Monday to pitch the 19th inning and instead held the Dodgers to one run in 5 ⅓ on Tuesday. “What, are you going to feel sorry for yourself? It’s the World Series. We’re down one game. So now we find ourselves even, with a chance to take the lead, and take the lead back to Toronto after tomorrow.”

If indeed this is the David vs. Goliath matchup some have cast it as, it might be worth remembering that David won the battle.

In today’s game, there is no greater giant than Shohei Ohtani, and at first, it seemed that Game 4 would only burnish the legacy he is writing. In Game 3, he reached base a record-smashing nine times—three more than anyone else ever had in a postseason game. When most starting pitchers would be resting and studying the next day’s hitters, Ohtani was collecting two doubles and two home runs, then racking up five walks—four officially intentional, one unofficially intentional. 

In the moments after Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off homer to bring the game to a merciful end, the Dodgers gathered in the clubhouse, almost punch-drunk. Manager Dave Roberts told them he had never been more proud of them and reminded them that it would take the entire roster to win a World Series. He referenced the way Ohtani had insisted that his masterpiece in Game 4 of the NLCS—six scoreless innings, three home runs—had been a team effort. “Enjoy the s— out of it,” Roberts encouraged. As they cheered, he pointed at his wrist. “Hey!” he added. “We got a game later today!” Behind him, the most important person on that roster giggled as he raised his arms skyward and pantomimed his pitching motion. 

Then he got out of there. Immediately after the game, he had told SI’s Tom Verducci, “I need to go to bed.” It was perhaps the only relatable thing Ohtani has ever said. 

He left the ballpark at 12:10 a.m., sipping a sports drink, and he was guzzling another 16 ½ hours later as he warmed up in left field. He worked around a walk and a single in the first. 

Four and a half minutes later, he was standing on first base. Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged after Game 3 that he did not see much point in pitching to Ohtani going forward, and indeed, even to lead off the game, Bieber walked him.

Finally, in the third, Bieber pitched to him—and by staying low and tight to the zone, he got Ohtani to strike out on a foul tip. 

It marked Ohtani’s first out at Dodger Stadium since Oct. 16. In the meantime, he hit three home runs and walked in NLCS Game 4; hit those two homers and two doubles and took those five walks in World Series Game 3; and walked in the first inning of Game 4. He struck out again, this time looking, in the fifth, and grounded out in the seventh. 

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Gabriel Jesus is nearing a first-team return after 10 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Brazilian has been working his way back to fitness but hasn't featured for the Gunners since January. However, after playing in a behind-closed-doors match this week, he is inching nearer to becoming available once again.

Arteta feels responsible for Jesus' injury

Forward Jesus was forced off in Arsenal's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at the start of the year, with it later emerging he had injured his ACL in his left knee. While freak injuries like this can happen at any time in football, manager Arteta felt he could have done things differently to potentially prevent this setback by not playing him as much. However, they were without Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz due to injury, so their attack was stretched thin.

The Spaniard said in May: "It's very difficult now to understand that, if I could pause the game and say, Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life. You know, you are doing incredibly well. You're going to now get injured, so stop. I would stop him, bring another player in and continue to play the game. Unfortunately, we cannot do this in football."

AdvertisementAFPJesus plays in private game

Earlier this week, Arteta hinted Jesus could play in a behind-closed-doors match, with the 28-year-old not ready for the Bayern Munich clash, a Champions League game they won 3-1 on Wednesday. When asked about the Brazilian's condition, he told reporters: "Very good. He's doing everything with the team at the moment for the last almost two weeks. We're going to give him some exposure as well internally with some games, so he gets that fitness. But he looks really good in training, and he's going to be a big addition to the team."

Then, on Friday, the Gunners boss said that Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri took part in this secret match.

"It did happen. Gabi participated, and Ethan as well, because he wanted some minutes. We took the opportunity; they wanted a bit of exposure to competition, and providing that was very positive," he added.

Chelsea test looms

While Jesus – who has had an injury-blighted spell at Arsenal since moving from City in 2022 – may not be ready to face Chelsea on Sunday, Arteta hopes the likes of Leandro Trossard, Viktor Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz will be available after their own respective injury issues.

He told reporters: "There’s another test today, we have to see how he's [Trossard] feeling. It doesn't look much, so we still have a few hours and we'll have to see. We have another day tomorrow, so let's see how everybody is tomorrow."

After statement wins over Tottenham and Bayern this week, the north London team are eager to secure another one, this time away at rivals Chelsea.

Arteta said: "It's a big game, it's a big London derby, we're going to play a really good opponent, and they are in really good form. We know the challenge, we know the opportunity that we have as well on Sunday, so we are fully prepared for it. Those are statements that we are talking about every three days. After beating Spurs at home, then we have to make a statement against Bayern Munich, we've done that and now we have to go to the next one. That's where we are, we knew the importance of the week, not only that, but what is coming after three days is going to be exactly the same, nothing is going to change. But we are super motivated for the game."

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Getty Images SportChelsea a Premier League title rival?

Arsenal sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League ahead of their trip to second-placed Chelsea. A victory for the Blues will see that gap at the top cut to three points but a loss will see the Gunners open up a big lead at the summit. They themselves come into this game full of confidence after dismissing Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek and going by Arteta's comments, it seems he sees them as a big threat this season.

"I think we are all there and they are there because they fully deserve to be," said the ex-midfielder. "What they have done in the last few years, I think the squad that have assembled, the numbers that they have, the amount of quality, the manager and the coaching staff that they have, it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."

Ross Taylor, the 41-year-old former New Zealand captain, will represent Samoa in the upcoming Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 qualifier in Oman, which could help them qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Taylor was named in the 15-man squad, to be led by Caleb Jasmat, on Friday.”Excited. It’s been a few months in the pipeline, but obviously the team just got announced today, so… exciting to represent the country of my mother’s birth,” Taylor told New Zealand Cricket in a chat. “I always wanted to give back to the Polynesian community in some sort of way. I always thought it would be more in a coaching and other avenues, I never thought I would play [for Samoa]. But as the opportunity arose, looking forward to getting out there and hopefully representing and doing my best for Samoa.”It’s the first time that Samoa are being to a qualifying tournament like this, in Oman. Nice for some other players, who have Samoan heritage and are being able to play for Samoa in this tournament and hopefully go as far as we can.”He is still New Zealand’s fifth-most prolific run-scorer in T20Is despite last playing a game in the format in November 2020.