Pete Crow-Armstrong is sporting a new jersey number as the Chicago Cubs take the field in spring training this week.

Set to enter his second full season in the majors, the center fielder is switching from No. 52 to No. 4. There's a great story behind Crow-Armstrong's decision to change numbers involving Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

Marquee Sports Network asked Crow-Armstrong what went into the decision, which he admitted had several factors at play. First, he said that Hoyer thought Crow-Armstrong needed a "fast-guy number."

"Jed's really good about coming down and for the lack of better terms, being one of the guys," Crow-Armstrong said. "So I've appreciated his openness to my shenanigans and the hairs and all that stuff so I appreciated that relationship."

But Crow-Armstrong said his mind was made up for him through a friendly bet with Hoyer while the Cubs shot baskets before they got back to baseball.

"We were outside, shooting hoops before stretch," Crow-Armstrong continued. "He came over and was kind of talking some crap like 'hey, you're wearing a lineman's number,' and all this stuff so he said, 'If I make this shot, you have to change your number.' And I wasn't going to say no to the boss so I went with it and he sunk it."

Hoyer's jumper brought him his wish. He won't have to look at Crow-Armstrong's offensive-lineman No. 52 any longer. Now, his center fielder is sporting a "fast-guy number" in No. 4, last worn by Christopher Morel from 2022 to '24.

Crow-Armstrong slashed .237/.286/.384 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 123 games last season. He is expected to be in the Cubs' Opening Day lineup as their starting center fielder this spring.

Paul Skenes was a guest on Late NIght with Seth Meyers on Tuesday night. Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher, was there to promote MLB The Show 25 on the day it was announced he was one of the three cover athletes along with Elly De La Cruz and Gunnar Henderson.

Meyers made sure to cover a number of topics during the interview, including, but not limited to the 11-year old who recently found Skenes's one-of-one rookie card (which Meyers really wants to see), his stoic meme from when he won rookie of the year, the though process behind his mustache and even his relationship with Livvy Dunne.

Meyers showed the clip of Skenes messing around on gymnastics equipment and he ended up finding out that was actually a rather frustrating experience for the professional athlete. Not because it was embarrassing, but because he couldn't get out of that foam pit.

“The ball pit was genuine frustration," said Skenes. "I was genuinely pissed off. Those things are like ten feet deep. I’m tall, I’m not that tall. I’m just trying to throw the balls out, trying to get out. There’s nothing to grab onto."

Meyers joked that he must have been in there for hours, but Skenes reiterated his exasperation. "I was working up a sweat in the middle of November. It was pretty frustrating.”

So there you have it. Before you consider dating a gymnast keep in mind that they might encourage you to jump in a foam pit and it will be very difficult to get out. No matter how nice your mustache might be.

R Ashwin has listed a base price of USD 120,000, the highest for any player, at the inaugural ILT20 auction. The auction will be held in Dubai on October 1.Ashwin, who retired from international cricket as well as the IPL recently, is the only player in the ILT20 auction longlist with a base price in six figures. If he is picked, the ILT20 will be his first overseas T20 league.Ashwin, 39, is among the 24 Indians on the auction longlist, which has almost 800 players as of now. A final list will be prepared this week once the ILT20 receives the wishlist from each franchise.Related

• Ashwin signs with Sydney Thunder in major BBL coup

• Ashwin in talks with four BBL clubs, set to play latter stages of tournament

• ILT20: Powell, Ghazanfar retained; Hales, Livingstone among new signings

The fourth edition of ILT20, comprising six teams, will be played between December 2 and January 4. Ashwin has listed full availability for the tournament, after which he is likely to head to the BBL where four teams are understood to have expressed interest in hiring him for the latter half of the season.The ILT20 franchises had carried out their retentions and direct signings in July. Each team could spend up to USD 1.2 million on retentions and direct signings, with the balance amount to be added to the auction purse of USD 800,000. While a franchise can exhaust its entire USD 2 million purse, it will need to spend a minimum of USD 1.5 million. The ILT20 rules also permit franchises to spend an additional USD 250,000 to buy up to two wildcard players outside the auction.As per the squad composition rules, each franchise needs a minimum of 19 players and a maximum of 21, excluding the wildcards. There must be a minimum of 11 players from the Full Member countries, four from UAE, one from Kuwait, one from Saudi Arabia and two from other Associate countries.The franchises will also have one right-to-match (RTM) card but they can use it only to buy back a UAE player. That player must have been part of the franchise’s development squad or the 2025 squad.

ECB decline to comment on alleged incident at a pub in south-west London in May

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2025

A well-known figure within English cricket is being investigated by police over allegations of spiking the drinks of two women and sexually assaulting one of them.The reported on Friday that the man, in his 40s, was questioned under caution by Scotland Yard in June after a complaint at a pub in south-west London, in the SW6 area which covers Fulham and Parsons Green. The ECB declined to comment on the allegations.”We are currently investigating allegations of spiking and sexual assault against two women that took place on Thursday, 22 May at a pub in the SW6 area,” the Metropolitan Police told ESPNcricinfo in a statement.”Two women are believed to have been spiked with one also allegedly sexually assaulted. A man in his 40s was interviewed under caution on Thursday, 5 June. Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made at this stage.”Chris Haward, the managing director of the Cricket Regulator – the independent body responsible for handling disciplinary cases within English cricket – said last month: “Removing sexual misconduct from the game is a priority.”The Regulator has twice charged individuals following instances of sexual misconduct in the last year.A coach was suspended for up to nine months in August after being dismissed by his county for “sexualised and inappropriate” pictures to junior female members of staff. Last November, another coach was suspended for up to six months for “inappropriate sexual behaviour” on a county pre-season tour.

Could Daniel Farke be the next Premier League manager in line to face the sack?

While Leeds United have picked up a promising three wins so far in the Premier League, fans of the Elland Road giants will also feel that there’s been a lot of other games this season where their side have been outplayed, with their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday falling into this category.

The Seagulls tallied up 14 shots on Lucas Perri’s goal compared to Leeds’ weak five on Bart Verbruggen’s largely untested net, as Fabian Hurzeler’s confident hosts never looked in danger of slipping up throughout their comfortable 90 minutes.

Farke will surely have to ring the changes for Leeds’ next Premier League clash away at Nottingham Forest to try and lift his side to bounce back, and to also save his skin, with Brenden Aaronson at risk of dropping out despite scoring a week prior.

Aaronson's poor performance vs Brighton

Aaronson wanted to kick on in the Whites’ first team picture away at the Amex, having been an exhilarating watch throughout Leeds’ 2-1 home win against West Ham United, with his bundled-in opener after three minutes nearly upstaged by an insane solo strike sailing in.

Yet, the Jekyll and Hyde American was way off it on the South Coast to add to Leeds fans’ frustrations surrounding his inconsistent performances.

Come the close of the match on Saturday, Aaronson failed to complete one single successful dribble from two attempts, failed to hit a single meaningful shot at the home side’s goal, and also only won a weak three duels from the ten he attempted.

It’s night and day from his high-octane showing against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, where he was 100% successful with all his dribbles, on top of winning a hefty eight duels.

Patience must be extremely thin; therefore, when it comes to Farke choosing to pick Aaronson week in week out, knowing that an unbelievable display is often followed up by the number 11 putting in a disastrous no-show.

But, Aaronson is not the only underperformer in the German’s bad books.

Farke must drop 4/10 Leeds star

Brighton ran the Leeds defence ragged all afternoon long, as Jayden Bogle continually failed to lay a glove on the rampaging Diego Gomez, who would finish the one-sided match with two Premier League goals next to his name.

Joe Rodon also looked way below his usual standards, but the Welshman definitely has enough credit in his bank this season alone to demand he’s still in the first team frame, having popped up with two goals from the back.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

81

Accurate passes

73/78 (94%)

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

3

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

6

Total duels won

1/3

On the contrary, his centre-back partner on the South Coast in Jaka Bijol, is yet to establish himself as a fan’s favourite, and he certainly won’t have endeared himself to the hardened West Yorkshire masses with his ropey showing against Hurzeler’s runaway hosts.

Indeed, away from spraying the ball about with some assurance, the brand-new Leeds’ number 15 struggled to contain the likes of Danny Welbeck throughout, leading to just one duel being won.

On top of that, Bijol would also fail to go in for a single tackle, leading Brighton to find it easy when carving open the away side’s frail defence at will.

Moreover, the former Udinese man very much lacked the pace and determination to track back when Yankuba Minteh and the aforementioned Gomez ran riot, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the better-suited centre-back option for this showdown.

Leeds fans had been crying out for their £15m summer recruit to start more games, but after his 4/10 afternoon against Brighton – which is the low score that was handed to him post-match by Leeds Live’s Isaac Johnson – he will surely be dropped back down to the bench, for the Dutchman to return to the XI.

Farke will pray that the changes that are made spur his team on to a rare away win against Nottingham Forest next, with a loss at the City Ground only pulling Leeds even closer to the relegation zone.

Farke can unleash Stach by dropping Leeds star who's "not good enough"

Leeds United boss could bring Anton Stach back into the starting line-up by dropping this star.

ByDan Emery Nov 1, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Novorizontino e Corinthians se enfrentam nesta segunda-feira (22), pela fase semifinal da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. A partida eliminatória será disputada na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo. 

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

O Timão se classificou após vencer o América-MG pelo placar de 2 a 0. Já o Novorizontino surpreendeu a todos e eliminou o Athletico-PR, ganhando o jogo por 3 a 1. Veja todas as informações sobre o jogo da Copinha.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
⚫🟡 Novorizontino x Corinthians ⚫⚪
Semifinal – Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior

📆 Data e horário: segunda-feira, 22 de janeiro de 2024, às 21h30 (horário de Brasília).
📍 Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP).
📺 Onde assistir: Cazé TV (YouTube).
🟨 Arbitragem: Guilherme Nunes de Santana (SP).
🏳️ Auxiliares: Ítalo Magno de Paula Andrade e Leonardo Tadeu Pedro (ambos de SP).
📺 VAR: Marcio Henrique de Gois (SP).

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

CORINTHIANS ⚫⚪ (Técnico: Danilo)
Felipe Longo; Léo Mana, João Pedro Tchoca, Renato e Vitor Meer; Ryan, Breno Bidon e Pedrinho; Kayke, Higor e Arthur Sousa.

🚑 Sem desfalques para a partida

NOVORIZONTINO ⚫🟡 (Técnico: Rafael Stucchi)
João Scapin; Pedro Rinaldi, João Araújo, Dantas e Luisão; Messias, Miguel Contiero e Lucas Café; Romário Pelin, Tavinho e Diego Galo.

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🚑 Sem desfalques para a partida

Tudo sobre

Copinha 2024CorinthiansNovorizontinoOnde assistir

Eddie Howe is now 190 games into his tenure in the Newcastle United hot seat with only Marco Silva, Mikel Arteta, and Pep Guardiola being in their respective Premier League jobs for longer than the Magpies boss.

Yet, the 47-year-old – despite being such a long-standing fixture at St James’ Park – isn’t above criticism, with only three wins collected so far this season in league action troubling his once rock-solid grip on the Toon job.

Indeed, away from Nick Woltemade lighting up the Premier League already as a £69m summer recruit, with four top-flight strikes next to his name, the majority of the Magpies starting XI right now feels stale and in need of a refresh.

Even Howe could be viewed as a rusty figure, with the under-fire manager now left with plenty of time to think about what immediate changes he needs to make to ensure his Newcastle team is a force to be reckoned with again, as the international break is now in play.

The biggest selection dilemmas facing Eddie Howe at Newcastle

Not even the likes of Sandro Tonali were safe from his manager’s wrath against the Bees, with the usually lively and energetic Italian only winning one meagre duel last time out, as Newcastle collapsed to a 3-1 defeat on the road.

He does, however, have some significant credit in the bank by starring more often than not across the entire campaign to date, with Tonali even being branded as an “absolute joke” of a talent by journalist Andy Sixsmith, when picking up an assist in the Toon’s recent EFL Cup success over Tottenham Hotspur.

On the other hand, Tonali’s common midfield partner in Joelinton could find himself more at risk of the first-team chop shortly, with his poor showings extending far past his 24-minute run-out against Brentford.

Indeed, the Brazilian epitomised Newcastle’s “leggy” showing against West Ham United – as it was branded by Tyneside great Alan Shearer – when winning just two of his ground duels, as Lucas Paqueta stole the midfield show for the Hammers, instead.

With no goals and assists also next to his name in the Premier League this season, Howe could be tempted to throw in the likes of Jacob Ramsey in his place.

There could also be a great deal of change at the back. While Malick Thiaw has been serenaded as their player of the season so far, his colleagues in the backline haven’t been much of a help.

Indeed, it was Sven Botman’s ball-watching that led to Igor Thiago’s second goal on Sunday and it was Dan Burn’s red card that turned the tide for the hosts beforehand. Nick Pope also failed to cover himself in much glory for Kevin Schade’s equaliser.

Chalkboard

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

Newcastle's defensive duo must never play together again

Howe has become too comfortable selecting the same faces week in, week out, with the 47-year-old very much set in his old ways, having been at St James’ Park for so long now.

Still, with the emergence of Woltemade from Stuttgart this summer, and Thiaw, who has barely put a foot wrong in the main Newcastle XI since joining from AC Milan, the time could be right for Howe to start ditching figures he once heavily relied on.

Both Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier will be worried that they will be victims of this approach.

Minutes played

90

73

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

81

61

Accurate passes

47/59 (80%)

20/32 (68%)

Accurate crosses

0/5

0/1

Possession lost

19x

18x

Tackles won

1/1

1/2

Interceptions

0

0

Clearances

2

11

Blocked shots

1

1

Ball recoveries

7

1

Total duels won

4/11

8/17

It’s strange to think that in the Champions League that both the ageing defenders combined for Newcastle’s opener against Athletic Club, as the 6-foot-7 warrior headed home a perfect free-kick delivery from the ex-Atletico Madrid full-back.

But, when watching them together back in the Premier League against Keith Andrews’ Bees, it’s clear that this is a full-back partnership that cannot continue in the bread and butter of domestic action, with both Trippier and Burn combined giving possession away a costly 37 times in West London.

Moreover, before Burn piled on the Magpies’ misery by being sent off, both Newcastle veterans also failed to register a single accurate cross, with the away side stunted down either flank as a result.

On top of that, only two tackles were won between them, as Brentford ultimately felt no fear piling forward with ease, up against the Toon’s ageing backline.

Howe will have to get rid of Burn automatically when Premier League action gets back underway, owing to his suspension, but, with Tino Livramento tipped to return to the first-team picture for the Manchester City tie up next, after injury, it wouldn’t be the greatest shock to see Trippier ditched for fresh blood down the right.

Likewise, with Lewis Hall also putting in an energetic cameo against the Bees, that makes him a prime candidate to start as Howe’s left-back against Guardiola’s men.

As bad as Botman: Howe must drop Newcastle dud who lost the ball 20x v Bees

Newcastle United had another away day to forget in the Premier League when losing 3-1 versus Brentford.

2 ByKelan Sarson Nov 10, 2025

Aston Villa have recently submitted an offer for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia, and the Spanish club’s stance on sanctioning a departure has now been revealed.

Villa have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-forward with Ollie Watkins failing to reach his usual lofty standards in the Premier League this season, netting just one goal and receiving criticism from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in September.

Wright said: “As a player, I think that he should be doing more for what he’s capable of doing.

“He’s a channel runner, gets in the box, he gets on the end of things. I think he could be a lot sharper with his finishing, and I thought that’s what he’d be working on.”

Fortunately, the Villans have managed to find goals from other sources, which have propelled them up the table in recent weeks, rising to sixth after a dominant 4-0 rout of AFC Bournemouth in their final match before the international break.

That said, Watkins’ poor form is likely to still be a concern for Unai Emery, and the manager has seemingly decided to bring in another striker capable of challenging for the Englishman’s place in the starting XI.

Aston Villa submit offer for Gonzalo Garcia

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have offered €20m (£18m) offer for Real Madrid forward Garcia, and they are looking to finalise a deal as quickly as possible, given that the Spaniard’s value could plausibly rise as the season goes on.

Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers have lodged bids of their own, so there will be competition for the 21-year-old’s signature, but a deal could be there to be done, as the Spanish club view cashing-in as an ‘attractive financial opportunity.’

As one of the first clubs to make contact with Madrid, Villa should be well-placed to get a deal done, not least because their main rivals seem to be newly-promoted Sunderland and a Wolves side at serious risk of relegation.

Hopefully, it will only be a matter of time before Watkins starts scoring again, but the 29-year-old having some healthy competition could kick him into gear, and there are signs the Real Madrid starlet could push for a starting spot.

Lauded as a “goal machine” in the media, the youngster performed remarkably well at youth level in the 2024-25 campaign, netting 26 goals in 37 games for RM Castilla, before going on to impress considerably at the Club World Cup, netting four goals for the senior side.

That said, it would be a risk to sign Garcia, given that he is yet to prove himself in the Madrid first team over a sustained period, and 21-year-old FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who scored 19 league goals last season, could be an interesting alternative option.

Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa amid interest from Tottenham and Arsenal

Recent reports have indicated that Aston Villa would be keen on signing Porto forward Samu Aghehowa.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign striker Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus for a much lower price than expected.

Particularly last season, much was said about Man United. The club endured what was, in terms of points return and league finish, their worst-ever Premier League campaign. Many of the club’s attacking options, such as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, struggled for form.

This, no doubt, contributed to their business ahead of the 2025/26 season. In what marked their first summer transfer window with Ruben Amorim as manager, the Red Devils signed Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko in what was a complete renovation of their attack.

The trio have since secured their places in the first team at Old Trafford, helping Man United record three successive Premier League wins for the first time under Amorim’s guidance before the draw at Nottingham Forest.

It would appear, however, that the Red Devils may look to further reinforce their attacking line in the upcoming January window.

Man United show interest in Vlahovic

As per TEAMtalk, Man United could pursue a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this winter. Such a transfer, however, would only be explored if there is first a departure. Zirkzee could leave, having lost his place in the first team due to both new signings and poor form.

Vlahovic, who reportedly earns £375,000 per week in Turin, will become a free agent in July if he does not depart Juve at an earlier date, having been unable to negotiate a contract extension with the club. Were Vlahovic to remain, he would seemingly have to take a pay cut.

Having been called a “superstar” for his ability, Vlahovic would be available for just £17.5 million according to TEAMtalk, in no doubt due to his contract situation. Were Zirkzee to depart permanently, it would presumably provide Man United with the adequate funds to pursue Vlahovic. Even if the Dutchman left only on loan, it would free up a position within their first-team for the 25-year-old.

Given his lack of minutes so far this season, it can be presumed that Zirkzee has fallen down the pecking order. In Vlahovic, Man United would be signing competition for summer signing Sesko which, in turn, could benefit the Slovenian international.

Reportedly, Man United are “informed” of Vlahovic’s situation, but “that does not mean they will necessarily pull the trigger on the move” and whether a transfer materialises remains to be seen.

"Deadly" Man United academy star is another Bruno Fernandes

Nigeria manager Eric Chelle has accused rivals on DR Congo’s coaching staff of “doing voodoo” during a fiery penalty shootout that ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup. With emotions running high towards the end of an encounter that finished 1-1 after extra-time, Chelle has insinuated that Congo turned to dark arts in order to prevail.

• Congo prevail in epic penalty shootout

  Congo ultimately won their shootout with Nigeria 4-3, allowing them to progress to the intercontinental play-offs. The Super Eagles are being left to reflect on what could have been, having also missed out on qualification for the 2022 World Cup.

  Chelle had been hoping to guide them back to the grandest of stages, but suffered heartache in a battle of wills from 12 yards. The Frenchman is, however, not convinced that he came unstuck in a fair contest. He has accused rivals of using witchcraft to help them over the line.

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• Getty
  

  Nigeria boss accuses rivals of witchcraft

  Tensions escalated on both benches as Nigeria and Congo worked through their penalties. When Chancel Mbemba converted the winning spot-kick, Chelle rushed towards his opposing coaches. He attempted to confront a rival that had supposedly been insulting towards him.

  Sebastien Desabre, the French coach of the Democratic Republic of Congo, stepped in to restrain his fellow countryman. Former Valenciennes and Lens boss Chelle was still wound up when speaking to reporters at the end of a chaotic shootout.

  He told ESPN: “Throughout the entire penalty shootout, the guy from DR Congo was doing voodoo. Every time, every time, every time… That's why I was a little nervous against him.” Pressed further on what had gone on, Chelle mimed a swinging motion with his right arm and added: “Something like that… I don't know if it was water or something.”

• Will Chelle by sacked? Nigeria coach responds to criticism

  Chelle was appointed as Nigeria’s national team coach in January 2025. He has failed to lead them to another major tournament. Instead, DR Congo head into the play-offs, where they will be joined by New Caledonia, Bolivia, an Asian nation, and two from the CONCACAF zone – with two qualification spots up for grabs. DR Congo are looking to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the country was called Zaire.

  It is a case of back to the drawing board for Nigeria, with captain William Troost-Ekong claiming that they can build towards a brighter future. He said: ‘We are devastated. I am proud of the boys, they gave everything, not just today, but over the past 10 months. There are plenty of positives to take away. The future of this team is promising… but today is a very difficult day.”

  Obvious questions have been asked of whether Chelle remains the right option to take the Super Eagles forward. He is, however, adamant that he is the best man for the job. Responding to inevitable sack speculation, he said: “I think you'd have to talk to the NFF and the commissioner because, actually, I did well. I worked and I will work. I tried to be at my best. We gave our best. The players, the coaching officials and everyone. So, if anything happens, I won't be the first.”

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• Getty
  

  Osimhen injured? Nigeria's cause hampered by knock

  Nigeria’s cause against Congo was hampered by the early withdrawal of talismanic striker Victor Osimhen. The Galatasaray frontman is often looked to for moments of inspiration when leading the line for the Super Eagles.

  He has 31 international goals to his name through 43 appearances, but will not be gracing the 2026 World Cup. The prolific 26-year-old had to be taken off at half-time against Congolese opposition. It is reported that he was nursing a hamstring injury that left him in no fit position to continue.