The Houston Astros' battery of Framber Valdez and César Salazar were not on the same page during Tuesday night's 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees, leading to a strange moment. In the top of the fifth inning and facing a bases-loaded situation, Salazar tried at the last moment to get his lefthanded pitcher to step off the rubber instead of delivering a pitch but his desperate motioning was ignored as Valdez continued his delivery. The offering resulted in a Trent Grisham grand slam that ultimately put the game out of reach.

The next Yankees hitter up was Anthony Volpe and Valdez delivered a straight pitch when his catcher was expecting something with some bend in it, which caused a dangerous situation.

Now, cross-ups are fairly common in baseball. Considering the circumstances, though, people were left to wonder if something unusual was happening.

Valdez made it clear that this miscommunication was not intentional.

"What happened with us, we just got crossed up," Valdez said in Spanish through an interpreter after the game. "I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout and I excused myself with him and I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that."

"We were able to talk through it," he added. "We spoke after the game … at his locker and everything's good between us. It's just stuff that happens in baseball. But yeah, we talked through it and we're good."

Salazar said after the game that crowd noise led to the mix-up:

All's well that ends well and it's a good thing Salazar wasn't injured. The Astros seem bound for the playoffs and it will be important everyone's on the same page going forward.

There was a common theme in the four wild-card series games that kicked off Major League Baseball's postseason on Tuesday. Three of the four winning sides received dominant pitching from their southpaw starters and the fourth benefitted from a very serviceable effort as well.

Detroit's Tarik Skubal got the ball rolling by striking out 14 and holding the Guardians to a single run in 7 2/3 innings. Chicago's Matt Boyd left his start in the fifth inning down 1-0 but the Cubs rallied for a victory. Garrett Crochet matched Skubal's line with three fewer strikeouts during a 117-pitch masterpiece. Dodgers ace Blake Snell put a capper on the night by taking care of the Reds with seven innings of two-run ball.

All told, lefty starters threw 28 2/3 innings while surrendering five earned runs and racking up 36 punchouts. In the cases of Skubal and Crochet, the electricity of their performances were through the roof and a reminder that both have a reasonable case to claim the title of best arm in baseball.

The quartet of performances led MLB Network analyst Chris Young to offer up a take that might be hard to completely fact-check yet seems legit.

"Today was the best day ever that I've seen with left-handed starting pitching," he said.

Young then asked purists to go back through the record books and prove him wrong.

On its surface what he's saying holds some water. Especially if extra weight is given to the magnitude of the games being played. It helps a lot that the baseball playoffs have expanded to the point where there are four games per day in the earlier rounds yet doesn't diminish the accomplishments.

MatériaMais Notícias

Os senadores estiveram com John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, nesta segunda-feira (22), para a primeira audiência da “CPI da Manipulação dos Jogos”. Os parlamentares deram fortes depoimentos após a reunião secreta com o empresário norte-americano. Confira alguns trechos abaixo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoVeja as respostas de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024BotafogoAssista ao vivo o depoimento de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024Fora de CampoJohn Textor sofre fratura em queda de skate e passa por procedimento cirúrgicoFora de Campo22/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

ESPANTO COM FALTA DE ATITUDES DA CBF (SENADOR CARLOS PORTINHO, PL-RJ)
– Ele (Textor) é um mensageiro. A todos aqueles que nos assistem, que tenham denúncias para fazer, que essas denúncias ao menos tenham indícios, e há indícios, elementos técnicos apresentados pelo John Textor, há conteúdo. Me espanta como a CBF, que é a maior responsável pela integridade do futebol do Brasil, não foi a fundo. Como é que o STJD, que tem excelentes advogados contratados como auditores, não foi a fundo nisso. Há elementos técnicos, há conteúdo, há razões para investigar.

– O que o John Textor nos trouxe aqui podem não ser provas concretas, mas não tenho dúvida de que é fundamental que sejam essas investigadas para preservação da integridade e, para aqueles que pensem em fraudar resultados esportivos, desistam. Aqui, se todo ano tiver que abrir uma CPI, vamos estar aqui. Hoje, o que nos traz a inteligência artificial, a tecnologia… Quem resistir à tecnologia será atropelado pela história. Deve ser dado crédito a todo material aqui produzido, como nós daremos.

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– Se você (falando em direção a Textor) estiver 100% certo ou 100% errado, já valeu, porque vamos sair dessa CPI com diagnóstico e propostas para melhoria do futebol brasileiro. Aprovamos a Lei das Apostas, mas o Estado ainda não está preparado para combater a manipulação. O que você nos traz é no mínimo um alerta, uma advertência, de que o Governo, a Polícia Federal, o MP e as confederações precisam se preparar rápido, porque há casos de má interpretação da regra do jogo, há casos de edição do VAR, do que é passado na TV e há casos de comportamento de atletas que eu, sozinho, considero um indício.

INDÍCIOS PARA INICIAR INVESTIGAÇÃO (SENADOR JORGE KAJURU, PSB-GO)
– Tivemos conhecimento de diversos indícios, não queremos falar ainda em provas. Indícios importantíssimos, não participamos de mais de uma hora sem conteúdo, pelo contrário, teve conteúdo. Só temos a agradecer a toda a equipe, com gente qualificada, sem fazer acusações, apresentando tudo, com detalhes, com riqueza, mas que consideramos como indícios. Não se tratou apenas do CEO do Botafogo vir aqui só trazer fatos ou indícios envolvendo seu clube, ele falou de outros jogos, mostrou outras imagens. Temos indícios suficientes para investigarmos profundamente e independentemente e chegarmos a conclusão de quem mais queremos nas próximas reuniões.

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COBRANÇA À CONFEDERAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE FUTEBOL (CBF)

SENADOR EDUARDO GIRÃO, NOVO-CE
– Os indícios transcenderam a questão do comportamento dos jogadores, foram também para a questão do VAR, da análise de imagens supostamente negadas e que precisamos entender porque que isso aconteceu, entender o que a CBF tomou de providências em relação ao que vimos, em termos de punição, inclusive. Estamos aqui para proteger o futebol brasileiro e buscar a verdade.

SENADOR JORGE KAJURU, PSB-GO
– Apenas dizer aos jogadores, técnicos, dirigentes, árbitros, enfim, todos os envolvidos que podem ser amanhã investigados ou condenados, que prestem bem atenção nessas duas palavras: inteligência artificial

SENADOR ROMÁRIO (PL-RJ) PARABEZINA TEXTOR PELA CORAGEM
– Parabenizo o sr. John Textor pela coragem de ter vindo aqui e falado o que falou e, principalmente, o que vai fazer nessa chamada reunião secreta. Muitos lá atrás duvidaram e não acreditaram que o senhor teria provas. Inclusive ouvi muitos o chamarem de fanfarrão e mentiroso. Acredito que com sua capacidade e inteligência de demonstrar o que tem será de grande relevância para essa CPI, para o futebol e para o nosso país.

COBRANÇA COMO TORCEDOR (SENADOR DR. HIRAN, PP-RR)
– Quero pedir ao senhor, como botafoguense há mais de 40 anos, que contrate rapidamente dois zagueiros, porque Lucas Halter e Bastos ali estão fazendo a gente sofrer do coração. Por favor, fica um apelo de um botafoguense.

– Quero agradecer a presença do Sr. John Textor nessa audiência. As evidências são muito claras de que precisamos nos aprofundar com muita seriedade nessas investigações. Acho que isso se tornará público no futuro e os jogadores quando virem o que nós vimos ali vão pensar duas vezes antes de arrumarem resultados.

Tudo sobre

BotafogoFutebol NacionalJohn Textor

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم الثلاثاء في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد خصمه فريق فولهام.

ويستضيف ملعب “كرافن كوتيج” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وفولهام، في خضم منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي، في الوقت الحالي، برصيد 25 نقطة، في حين أن فولهام لديه 17 نقطة ويحتل المركز الخامس عشر.

ويأمل مانشستر سيتي تحقيق الفوز في مباراة اليوم من أجل مواصلة الضغط على آرسنال، صاحب المركز الأول برصيد 30 نقطة. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10:30 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وفولهام اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق محمد بركات على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

India have never been swept in a bilateral ODI series against Australia as they aim to bounce back in Sydney

Tristan Lavalette24-Oct-2025

Xavier Bartlett dismissed Virat Kohli for a duck•Getty Images

Big Picture – Can India avert a clean sweep?

In an anti-climax, considering the rivalry and general fanfare, the third ODI at the SCG will be a dead rubber after Australia clinched the series with a two-wicket victory in Adelaide.The final result probably flattered India, who fought to the end but were mostly up against it through the game. While valid excuses could be made for the truncated rain-affected opener in Perth, India were generally outplayed in the second ODI and could never quite recover from the early wickets of captain Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, who bagged a second consecutive duck for the first time in his legendary ODI career.India’s top-order has been completely pinned down by Josh Hazlewood, the standout quick across the two games as England watch on ahead of the Ashes. The much-hyped returns of Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not quite gone to plan, although Rohit top-scored with 73 in Adelaide, and there remains an unknown over their futures with some pushing for Yashasvi Jaiswal to freshen up the top-order.Related

• Calm and composed Connolly showcases his worth

• Edwards called up for Sydney ODI, Beardman added to T20 squad

• Shreyas Iyer begins new chapter with old stance in Australia

• Josh Hazlewood and the beauty of a wicketless spell

• Short, Connolly, Zampa guide Australia to series victory in Adelaide

Without Hardik Pandya, India have looked unbalanced and they trotted out the same XI across the two games to no avail. There are clearly teething problems for Gill as he looks to start moulding his preferred line-up.In a notable contrast, Australia feel rejuvenated especially with fringe players Matt Short, Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen and Matthew Renshaw making valuable contributions in their successful run chase in Adelaide.Their performances would have pleased Australia’s hierarchy as they look to bed down a batting-order after the ODI retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell.Australia have never swept India in a bilateral ODI series, providing further motivation for a group that is currently in good spirits after a patchy run in 50-over cricket.Like in the previous two games, a pro-India crowd is expected amid a sold-out SCG.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WWWLL
India LLWWWShubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir talk during a training session•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Matt Renshaw and Shubman Gill

Having waited nine years into his international career to play ODIs, Renshaw has fitted in seamlessly after finishing the job in Perth with an unbeaten 21 off 24 followed by a run a ball 30 in Adelaide. He has publicly spoken about shutting out the external noise and exuded composure after coming to the crease in Adelaide with Australia wobbling at 54 for 2. Renshaw helped change the momentum with a brisk 55-run partnership with Matt Short, but would have been annoyed to not make a big score after being knocked over by a looping delivery from left-arm spinner Axar Patel having attempted to launch over mid-off. Renshaw is set to get another chance in Sydney as competition hots up in this transitioning batting-order. There is also the Ashes hovering, with Renshaw considered an outside chance of being in the selection mix.There has been a lot of attention on the returns of Kohli and Rohit, which has somewhat deflected the slow start to Gill’s ODI captaincy. Gill has been unable to set the tone like he spectacularly did in Test cricket. He has made just 10 and 9 although hasn’t been helped by Rohit holding up an end early in the innings, putting pressure on Gill to counterattack. He will face some heat early in his captaincy reign if India succumb to just a sixth ODI series whitewash in their proud history, underlining the importance of this game.

Team news: Hazlewood/Starc may opt for rest

Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Matt Short, 4 Matthew Renshaw, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cooper Connolly, 7 Mitch Owen, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Mitchell Starc/Jack Edwards, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Nathan Ellis/Josh HazlewoodWith the match a dead rubber, Australia might be tempted to rest Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc with there being just one day of rest between games two and three. Nathan Ellis, who performed well in game one, might be recalled while allrounder Jack Edwards has been named in the squad on the back of strong form on Australia A’s tour of India. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has also returned to the squad after an impressive effort in the first ODI but two spinners in the XI seems unlikely.Josh Inglis has joined the squad in Sydney after missing the first two but is unlikely to play as he continues to recover from a calf strain, which means the top seven will likely remain the same.Josh Hazlewood could be rested•CA/Getty Images

India (possible): 1 Shubman Gill [capt], 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Axar Patel, 6 KL Rahul (wk), 7 Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, 8 Nitish Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed SirajIndia decided to stick with the same XI in Adelaide but it did not do the trick and changes are almost certain. There has been a lot of debate over whether left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be in the side with the attack lacking some bite so far in the series. India have preferred the more conservative option of allrounder Washington Sundar, who has taken three wickets in the series but failed with the bat. Seamer Prasidh Krishna could be in the frame to replace Harshit Rana, who has been expensive in the series. It is also interesting to see if they find a way to give a game to Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Pitch and conditions

Clear and pleasant conditions are expected in Sydney on Saturday. While turn has not been as notable at the SCG in recent times compared to previous decades, spinners have still played a vital role on flat surfaces. Australia’s batters have feasted in the conditions, piling on huge scores during their current six-game winning streak in ODIs at the ground.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli still needs 54 runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and into second place on the ODI runs list.
• India have lost the toss a record 17 times in a row in ODIs dating back to the 2023 World Cup final.
• India have not lost three consecutive ODIs since a four-game skid to Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2021-22
• Australia have a commanding 16-2 (1 no result) record over India at the SCG. India’s only victories were six-wicket wins in 2008 and 2016.

Quotes

“We’ve got a lot of depth in Australian cricket. With Smudge [Smith] and Maxi [Maxwell] retiring from one-day cricket earlier in the year, there’s room for some younger guys to come through.”
“It definitely hurts [to lose the series]. I personally feel the way Australian bowlers bowl on such wickets, they have a fair bit of an advantage at the start and they utilised it pretty well.”

India must win this contest to avoid making their next two games a knockout

S Sudarshanan18-Oct-20254:09

India face another challenge vs left-arm spin

Big picture – High stakes for IndiaPeople selling replica jerseys outside a stadium is one of the signs that a big game is coming up. Outside Holkar Stadium in Indore, vendors selling caps, flags and jerseys with “Smriti 18” and “Harman 23” among others, were spotted as early as Friday afternoon, a full two days before the India vs England match of the Women’s World Cup 2025.India must win this contest to avoid making their next two games a knockout. They go into it on the back of successive defeats to Australia and South Africa, with just four points in four games. England, on the other hand, are yet to lose a match in this tournament (although Pakistan did give them a mighty fright)India have had a week-long break since their last match. After they reached Indore on Monday, they had one day off when they went to Ujjain and attended full-tilt training sessions on Wednesday and Friday. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana opted to train on optional days in between as well.Related

Edwards 'disappointed' but not 'concerned' by England's batting

Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt – fire, ice, and a touch of MI at the World Cup

Powerplay podcast – England and India set for Super Sunday clash

India need to fix flaws ahead of tougher challenges in World Cup

TV umpiring slip-ups come under the scanner at Women's World Cup

Going by the intensity and the meticulousness of their practice, India are aware of how big this game is with only two of the four semi-final spots still up for grabs. But their recent record against England should act as a confidence-booster. Since the 2022 World Cup, India have won five of the six ODIs the two sides have played against each other.Under the new leadership of head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, England have punched above pre-tournament expectations. Their spinners have picked up 24 of the 30 wickets the team has at this World Cup. The batting though remains a problem with only Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt showing the kind of mettle needed to win these events.England’s batters have not coped with conditions at the World Cup as well as the bowlers have•ICC/Getty ImagesStill “if someone had said to me a few weeks ago, we’d be in the position we are in, having been unbeaten, I would have taken it,” Edwards said on Saturday. “Our best cricket is in front of us. These are the occasions you want to play or be a part of as a player and as a coaching staff.”A sellout crowd in Indore is about to be treated to a high-profile game with lots of jeopardy.Form guideIndia LLWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WWWLWIn the spotlight – Mandhana and Harmanpreet vs Smith and EcclestoneIn this World Cup so far, India have lost 15 wickets to left-arm spin. That is the most by any team. They have also faced the most overs against this style of bowling. And England have two left-arm spinners in Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith.Ecclestone has dismissed Smriti Mandhana four times in 12 innings while Smith dismissed her in the rain-affected ODI at Lord’s in July. Harmanpreet has also fallen three times in ten innings to Ecclestone and once to Smith.Some of these numbers may stem from India’s preference to attack left-arm spin (5.01 runs per over). Only England (5.44) and Australia (5.25) have scored quicker against this type of bowling since 2023. However, those two teams appear to be managing the risks that come with this kind of aggression better. Australia (45.63) and England (37.19) average much higher than India (27.79)One of the India top order’s focus in their training on Friday was hitting with the spin and using their feet. A delicious contest awaits us on Sunday.Team news – Renuka in for India?There were questions raised about the absence of the sixth-bowling option after India’s defeats to South Africa and Australia. But they are set to go into Sunday’s clash with the same balance, with Harmanpreet chipping in with a few overs if needed. India could also bring in Renuka Singh for Amanjot Kaur, who did not train on each of the two days before the game.India (possible XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 Shree Charani, 11 Renuka SinghBoth Ecclestone and Lauren Bell have recovered from the illness that ruled them out of the Pakistan game and are available for selection. So expect them to slot back into place ahead of Sarah Glenn and Em Arlott.England (possible XI): 1 Tammy Beaumont, 2 Amy Jones (wk), 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley, 6 Alice Capsey, 7 Emma Lamb, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren Bell2:41

Edwards: ‘Ecclestone is bowling as well as I’ve seen’

Pitch and conditions – Red-soil pitchThe game will be played on a red-soil pitch, which tend to have bounce and carry. This will be a fresh pitch as well and given the 13-day gap between games in Indore, the curator has had enough time to prepare it. The surface had a greenish look to it two days out but on match eve, a lot of the grass was shaved off.The weather on Sunday is expected to be hot and humid. No rain is in forecast, although it did drizzle a little on Friday and Saturday. Expect a high-scoring contest.Stats and trivia: Deepti eyes 150 ODI wickets Since the 2022 World Cup, no player has scored more ODI runs against England than Harmanpreet’s 347. She has hit two centuries and a fifty in this period. Mandhana is third on the list with 296 runs Deepti Sharma is just one wicket away from being just the second Indian bowler with 150. Deepti has dismissed Sciver-Brunt four times in 12 ODI innings. Only Jess Jonassen and Afy Fletcher have dismissed her more often (five times) Mithali Raj is currently the only Indian with 1000 ODI runs against England; Harmanpreet and Mandhana are 45 and 58 runs away from the mark Since 2024, Tammy Beaumont has been especially vulnerable to dismissals inside the first 10 overs of an ODI. She’s been out 12 times in this period – same as Mandhana and Alyssa Healy – but her average (36.25) and strike rate (81.61) are the lowest among the three. Beaumont also averages 19.29 in 29 matches against India, much lower than her ODI career average of 40.69.Quotes”It is not that if we lost, we should keep talking about that game. Even before that we played a lot of good games. Had we won [against Australia], our small errors would not have been magnified like this. We have trust in our team and are backing everyone.”
“We’ve been lucky to have played a lot against India in the last 12 months. But this is a one-off game in a World Cup in India. A massive game which we are looking forward to and we will be preparing for it like any other game. We know the threats of India but equally we have got some wonderful players in our group.”

Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistan T20I squad for the first time in nearly a year. He was named in a 15-member squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, as well as the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which follows. Mohammad Rizwan, who was removed from the captaincy in ODI cricket, keeps his place in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan and offspinner Usman Tariq come into the T20 side.Babar has not played any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL, after which he was not part of any squad for the shortest format. At the time, Pakistan’s white-ball coach Mike Hesson said he would need to “improve a few things” to earn his way back into the side, with the Big Bash League in December believed to be the tournament Pakistan would use to assess his improvement. It is not yet clear what led to him being fast-tracked back in, but his inclusion means he is, once more, an all-format player for Pakistan.Related

• Asif Afridi finally gets his moment, 16 years and 90 deliveries in the making

• Deja Vu for Masood as SA's tail wags and Pakistan's plans unravel

• Ball not dead, bails knocked off – Why was Mohammad Rizwan not out hit-wicket?

Fast bowler Naseem Shah keeps his place in the ODI squad, and returns to the T20 side. He recently excelled in the CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where Tariq’s performance with champions Trinbago Knight Riders has also been rewarded. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Hasan Ali, who was part of the T20 Asia Cup squad, is not part of any of the white-ball teams, while Hussain Talat drops out of the T20 side.Shaheen Afridi will captain Pakistan’s ODI side for the first time against South Africa in November during a three-match series. Before that, Pakistan play three T20s against them. It is followed by the tri-series from November 17 to 29.

Pakistan ODI squad

Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

T20I squad

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

When Andrea Berta arrived at Arsenal towards the beginning of 2025, the transfer plan for the summer was abundantly clear.

The fact of the matter was that during his first window in charge, the squad needed more firepower and, chiefly, a striker was a necessity.

While there were links to the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko, both of whom got big-money moves elsewhere in the Premier League, the Gunners concluded a deal for Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede had only spent two prolific seasons in Portugal with Sporting but he was already on the move and deservedly so.

Yet, while the centre forward has done a lot to improve the overall attack, there is a sense that they could do better in future windows.

Arsenal looking to sign new striker

Gyokeres may well have signed but Arsenal still do require a little bit more in attack.

Gabriel Jesus is back in full training but it’s wild to expect him to be at a productive level for a good few months yet after recovering from an ACL injury. Even if he did recover, he’s been linked with the exit door as he approaches the final 18 months of his deal at the Emirates Stadium.

Kai Havertz has also been a long-term absentee which has left Arsenal with only one fit centre forward for much of 2025/26 to date.

So, while Arsenal’s options in several areas now are deep, another striker wouldn’t go amiss.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s where Borussia Dortmund frontman Serhou Guirassy comes into the equation.

According to reports in Spain, it suggests that Arteta and Co are vying with the likes of PSG for the striker’s services.

The report notes that Arsenal are ‘seriously considering’ a move but it’s likely they’ll have to pay around £44m in order to conclude a deal.

The Guinean has a release clause in his contract of that amount, meaning that like Gyokeres, he wouldn’t cost the earth to bring to England.

It’s said that Arsenal are thought to be willing to pay the required amount to get him out of Germany.

How Guirassy compares to Viktor Gyokeres

When Gyokeres signed for Arsenal while the club were on their pre-season Asia tour, there was much fanfare.

At last, Arteta had a proper goalscoring centre forward to add to his ranks. Last term, the former Coventry City star scored 54 goals in 52 games. It was a breathtaking campaign, one that saw him take home the Gerd Muller trophy for the best striker in the world during the last Ballon d’Or gala.

Yet, in Arsenal colours, Gyokeres has not had it all his own way. He’s been wasteful in front of goal and went on a barren run of seven games without scoring at one stage.

That said, he’s not been a complete flop. The Sweden international still has six goals to show for his efforts and has particularly pleased Arteta with what he’s offered to the team.

While he did not score during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League, Arteta summed up why he’s been so delighted with what the centre forward is offering. “I think he did the rest of the things you ask for from a striker. The way he’s linking with his teammates, the way he’s opening spaces, the way he’s threatening constantly the back line.”

However, while it does seem unlikely Arsenal will sign another striker, Guirassy could be an upgrade on what they already have.

Described as “one of the best centre-forwards in the world” by one notable football analyst on X, the 29-year-old has been in the form of his life over the last year. Crucially, he’s also demonstrated that form in a top-five European league, something Gyokeres had not done before touching down in London.

In 2024/25, Guirassy found the net on 38 occasions in 50 games, bagging a remarkable 13 goals in 14 Champions League matches. That included scoring five times across two outings with Barcelona.

But what separates him from Gyokeres? Well, a scorer of seven goals this term, the numbers showcase why.

Guirassy vs Gyokeres: 2025/26 League
Stat (per 90 mins)	Guirassy	Gyokeres
Goals	0.51	0.45
Assists	0.10	0
xG	0.59	0.52
Shots	2.76	2.13
Shot on target %	59.3%	36.8%
Pass completion	72.2%	60.7%
Key passes	0.71	0.90
Passes into final 3rd	1.02	0.45
Successful take-ons	0.20	0.45
Progressive carries	1.63	0.90
Aerial duels won	2.86	1.80
Stats via FbRef.

Not only has Guirassy scored more goals per 90 minutes and offered a higher xG, but he excels in bringing others into the game too.

During the 2025/26 season to date, the Dortmund sensation has completed more accurate passes and more assists per 90. It might be Gyokeres who has played more key passes but clearly it’s the former who is more decisive with his final actions right now.

If that wasn’t enough, Guirassy is a better and less chaotic carrier of the ball. Gyokeres resembles something of a raging bull when he’s gallivanting forward but there’s more of a smoothness to Arsenal’s latest transfer target. The fact he averages more progressive carries substantiates that point.

To round things off, Guirassy is also far more likely to win his aerial duels, something that Arsenal have perhaps missed since Havertz’s injury.

To put Guirassy’s numbers into further context, he won more aerial duels (3.77) per 90 than the German did (3.03) in 2024/25.

So, while the Dortmund striker may only be one goal ahead of Gyokeres this term, he offers something of a hybrid situation between Arteta’s two leading marksman. That could well offer the Spanish manager a fabulous balance as Arsenal hunt down their first Premier League title in over two decades.

What a win for Newcastle United on Saturday evening. They beat Manchester City 2-1 at St James’ Park to pick up a huge three points, propelling them up the Premier League table.

Remarkably, it is the first time they have beaten the Citizens in the top flight since 2018/19, a game which they also won 2-1.

There were chances for both sides in the first half, with Harvey Barnes having a couple of opportunities which he squandered. The Citizens also came close through England international Phil Foden, but his shot fizzed wide.

It was Barnes who ended up giving the Magpies the lead in the second half. It was a smart finish from the winger, playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes before firing first time past Gianluigi Donnarumma to put his side a goal ahead.

City equalised moments after, thanks to a deflected strike by Ruben Dias. However, a 70th-minute goal from Barnes gave Newcastle the lead from close range. St James’ Park waited with bated breath as VAR checked an offside, but it was given and Eddie Howe’s men held on for all three points.

There were standout performances across the pitch for the Magpies, but Guimaraes and midfield partner Sandro Tonali were two standouts once again.

How Guimaraes and Tonali performed vs. Man City

It was another commanding performance from the Newcastle midfield pairing of Guimaraes and Tonali. The Brazilian grabbed an assist for the first goal, linking up with match-winner Barnes in a slick move, to help give his side the lead.

Indeed, the former Lyon midfielder stood out to Lee Ryder, the chief Newcastle writer for the Chronicle. He gave Guimaraes an 8/10 for his efforts in the middle of the park, describing his second-half display as “superb.”

However, it was not just the Magpies’ number 39 who shone in midfield. Tonali, described as “one of the best midfielders in world football right now” by Ryder, was completely dominant, especially out of possession.

It was a wonderful performance without the ball from Newcastle’s midfield general Tonali. The Italian worked hard all night long, winning 100% of his tackles, making seven recoveries and winning six duels, as per Sofascore. He also managed 47 touches of the ball and created one chance.

It was a typically dominant midfield showing by the pair, but they were arguably not the best Newcastle duo on the pitch against City.

Newcastle's best duo vs. Man City

As well as Guimaraes and Tonali performed, Newcastle fans might have been left more impressed with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

The Magpies’ first-choice full-back pairing were back in the starting lineup together, and were “the best players on the pitch” according to journalist Andy Sixsmith.

It was certainly not an easy day for either of them. Livramento was up against the tricky Jeremy Doku, but kept him quiet, winning two tackles and making eight recoveries.

As for his compatriot Hall, he ensured Rayan Cherki had his work cut out, winning six from seven duels and making three recoveries.

Touches

45

40

Pass accuracy

85%

79%

Ball recoveries

3

8

Duels won

6/7

3/4

Clearances

3

3

Their performances stood out to Ryder. He gave the pair of them 9/10s for their efforts, explaining the right-back gave the Magpies “a different dimension” and the left-back “made a monumental difference” to the side.

It is easy to see how this pair could be the new version of Guimaraes and Tonali for the Magpies. The England internationals, who are both likely to stake a claim as part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad in the summer, are already fan favourites at St James’ Park.

Their quality speaks for itself, as they showed against City. The manner in which they coped with the Citizens’ tricky wide men was impressive, and their on-ball quality was obvious against Pep Guardiola’s side, too.

Livramento is just 23 years of age, and Hall is 21. They’ve already demonstrated high levels of ability, and could certainly become even more important than Guimaraes and Tonali, the longer they build up this full-back partnership.

Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat to 10-man Everton in the Premier League on Monday night highlights the job Ruben Amorim still has on his hands at Old Trafford.

Kiernan Drewsbury-Hall’s effort in the first half was enough to secure all three points for David Moyes’ men, which will no doubt leave the Red Devils boss scratching his head.

His men spent 77 minutes with a one-man advantage, but none of his first-team squad could pop up with the goods to extend their unbeaten run in England’s top-flight.

Despite spending £200m on a new attacking trio over the summer, the Red Devils looked largely toothless in front of goal, as seen by their tally of 100% big chances missed.

However, the manager will desperately want added reinforcements in the upcoming January window to aid him in his quest for success during his time at Old Trafford.

United’s hunt for added attacking signings in January

Over the last couple of weeks, Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has been identified as just one player whom United are targeting for the January transfer window.

The Ghanaian international has been in remarkable form during the early stages of 2025/26, with the winger already netting six goals and three assists in just 11 appearances for the Cherries.

However, Amorim’s men aren’t alone in the pursuit of the 25-year-old, with Arsenal and Liverpool just two other top-flight clubs seeking a £65m move for his signature.

He’s not the only player on the Red Devils’ shortlist, with Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior a player who INEOS are potentially considering a move for in the coming months.

According to The Mirror, the Brazilian international could leave the LaLiga giants in the coming months, with the forward having just 19 months left on his current deal – leading to keen interest from the Red Devils.

It also states his recent bust-up with senior members at the Bernabeu could see them cash in on his services to avoid losing him for nothing in the near future.

How Vinicius Junior compares to Bryan Mbeumo

As part of their £200m spending spree in the summer, United forked out a reported £71m on the services of forward Bryan Mbeumo from fellow Premier League side Brentford.

The Cameroonian generated huge excitement within the Red Devils fanbase after netting 20 times in the league last season, with the 26-year-old already making an excellent start to life at Old Trafford.

He’s already netted five goals in his first 12 league outings for the club, with such a tally currently making him the top goalscorer within Amorim’s squad.

However, his showing against Everton yesterday was one to forget, with the attacker struggling to provide the goods amid the absence of Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha.

Mbeumo was only able to register a single effort on target whilst also failing to complete any of his three attempted dribbles – further highlighting his lack of impact in the final third.

There’s no doubt he’s been a shrewd addition to date, but ultimately, he hasn’t been able to get near the levels produced by Vinicius during his opening matches in LaLiga.

When comparing the pair’s respective stats this campaign, the Brazilian has massively outperformed Mbeumo – showcasing why he’d be a better addition for the Red Devils.

Vinicius, who’s been dubbed the “best in the world” by Thierry Henry, has racked up more combined goals and assists this season – subsequently handing Amorim a more threatening option in front of goal.

He’s also registered more key passes and more passes into the final third per 90, with such numbers allowing those around him to be on the end of more chances in attacking areas.

How Vinicius & Mbeumo compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Vinicius

Mbeumo

Games played

13

12

Goals & assists

9

6

Progressive carries

8.9

2.8

Progressive passes

4.8

2.7

Pass accuracy

80%

73%

Key passes

2.9

1.7

Passes into final third

1.9

1.5

Take-on success

38%

33%

Carries into final third

2.9

1.9

Stats via FBref

The Brazilian’s all-round dominance over Mbeumo is further highlighted in his higher take-on success and greater tally of carries into the final third per 90, which showcases his ability to go alone when needed.

A player of Vini Jr’s quality would cost a small fortune in today’s market, with such a move likely to break the club’s current transfer record of £89m paid for Paul Pogba.

However, it would be a deal worth every penny, with the winger having all of the tools to take the United frontline to the next level for many years to come under Amorim’s guidance.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Nov 25, 2025