Gloucestershire’s rearguard falls short despite OIlie Price fifty on final day at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Sep-2025Middlesex 634 for 9 dec (du Plooy 263, Morgan 97, Cracknell 64, Geddes 60, Hollman 55, Singh Dale 5-108) beat Gloucestershire 286 (Bracey 60, Gohar 5-53, Cornwell 4-58) and 281 (Price 61, Roland-Jones 4-47) by an innings and 67 runsToby Roland-Jones claimed four wickets to round off Middlesex’s Rothesay County Championship campaign in winning fashion as they ground down Gloucestershire on the final day at Lord’s.The 37-year-old seamer finished with 4 for 57, ending the campaign as Division Two’s second highest wicket-taker behind Derbyshire’s Luis Reece to dismiss the visitors for 281 in their second innings, despite Ollie Price’s knock of 61. Former Gloucestershire duo Zafar Gohar and Ryan Higgins backed up Roland-Jones with three and two wickets apiece as the Seaxes sealed an innings victory with 22 overs unused.The result meant Middlesex finished fourth in the final table, 11 points short of the promotion places, with Gloucestershire in sixth.Gloucestershire began the final day with nine wickets standing and rarely looked in danger of losing any more during the opening hour and a half where the ball swung, but not enough to cause genuine problems for Price and Joe Phillips.Having dispatched Roland-Jones for two early boundaries and survived Noah Cornwell’s appeal for a catch down the leg side, Price settled into the groove, advancing to his half-century from 91 balls.It was teenage seamer Sebastian Morgan who eventually made the breakthrough, sending down three tight overs before switching to the Pavilion End and gaining immediate reward as he tempted Phillips to drive to gully. Morgan might also have removed Miles Hammond, who edged just short of second slip, but the left-hander quickly gained rhythm with a series of fours as he and Price guided their side through to lunch.However, Price’s return to the crease after the interval lasted one ball – a Roland-Jones delivery that kept low, nipped back and clattered into his off stump and, when James Bracey glanced Higgins behind without scoring, Gloucestershire were suddenly on the back foot again.Having escaped when Morgan, leaping to his right at gully, could not cling onto a difficult chance, Hammond eventually perished to a similar stroke off Higgins to leave the visitors five down.Graeme van Buuren, having taken 17 balls to get off the mark, sprang to life with a trio of boundaries off Roland-Jones and pounced on anything wide outside off stump as he and Jack Taylor added 49.Gohar came on to dismiss his former county captain for 46, with Ben Geddes plunging forward at short leg to take a bat-pad catch, but the Taylor brothers steered their side into the final session.Middlesex’s hopes were lifted again by the new ball, which brought Roland-Jones the wickets of Matt Taylor – and then his elder brother, one short of his half-century – both snapped up at second slip. With Ajeet Singh Dale falling to Gohar, there was still time for Marchant de Lange to launch a brief, defiant counterattack against the spinner, hitting 14 from three deliveries before he was caught behind.

Chelsea have now been handed a major boost in the race to sign Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, but there could be competition from a number of Europe’s top clubs.

The Blues made a number of additions in attacking areas during the summer transfer window, and Alejandro Garnacho has now started to find his best form, putting in a top performance in the 3-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to the international break.

The winger was a constant threat, registering two assists and setting Malo Gusto up for the first goal of his career with a pinpoint cross from the left early in the second half.

Jamie Gittens, on the other hand, hasn’t been quite as impressive, having been unable to record a single goal contribution in his opening nine Premier League games, although it is still very early days for the Englishman, who is just 21-years-old.

However, the Blues have now set their sights on bringing in a new winger, and there has been a positive development in their pursuit of Yldiz, after submitting a proposal to the forward’s agent at the end of October.

Chelsea now receive major boost in Kenan Yildiz race

Chelsea have now received a major boost in the race to sign the Juventus winger, with a report from Caught Offside revealing talks over a new contract with the Italian club have recently stalled, given that the salary he is demanding has been deemed to be too high.

There could be fierce competition for the Turk’s signature, however, with a number of top clubs from across the continent now lining up for a possible bidding war, including Real Madrid and Arsenal.

Should the Serie A giants be unable to agree a new deal, they will look to hold out for a fee of €100m (£88m), which would make the 20-year-old one of the most expensive signings in the Blues’ history.

A deal for the youngster is likely to break the bank, but he is certainly exhibiting promising signs in Serie A, having made an impressive start to the campaign, chipping in with three goals and four assists in 14 matches across all competitions.

The starlet is also an impressive dribbler of the ball, averaging 2.25 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 89th percentile, when compared to his positional peers.

Scout Jacek Kulig has waxed lyrical about the young forward’s dribbling ability too, saying he has “high on-the-ball bravery to make spectacular solo runs”, so it would make sense for Chelsea to pursue a deal, if Gittens continues to flatter to deceive.

Kenan Yildiz has been named as one of the best wingers in the world Related The Best 15 Wingers in World Football Ranked (2025)

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Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 28, 2025

Richard Hughes was rightly lauded after overseeing a staggering summer transfer window for Premier League champions Liverpool, but any positivity has been scourged away by the dreadful form that has fractured Arne Slot’s reign.

Nine losses across 12 fixtures is bad enough, but the limp and toothless manner of many of the defeats – especially recent losses at Anfield against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League – underscores the severity of the crisis Slot is dealing with.

He needs to find answers, or else FSG will be forced into making a rare managerial dismissal. It’s inevitable that discussion is increasing about the security of Slot’s position.

That would be an outcome few of a Red persuasion would want, not least because of a shortage of options.

Jurgen Klopp’s name has been bandied about, but this is not realistic.

Who Liverpool could replace Slot with

Klopp draped the curtain on his Liverpool dynasty at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. He was tired. It had been a tough, gruelling, heavy metal career on Merseyside, where he had devoted nine years to restoring Anfield as a global superpower.

Premier League

1x

19/20

Champions League

1x

18/19

FA Cup

1x

21/22

Carabao Cup

2x

21/22, 23/24

Club World Cup

1x

19/20

UEFA Super Cup

1x

19/20

Community Shield

1x

22/23

There has been some discussion online as to whether FSG should push for a comeback, but this romanticised notion would fall flat.

Klopp is not the answer. His quasi-retirement has seen him assume the post of Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH, and it’s important to remember that the German tactician’s tactical shrewdness waned toward the end of his tenure. He was tired, after all.

But, if Slot is fired, Liverpool would need to find a replacement, and Spanish sources suggest Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on the shortlist.

Iraola, 43, is one of the most exciting young managers in Europe, having shaped the Cherries into a front-footed and sharp attacking outfit.

Compensation pay would be required to pull him away from the Vitality Stadium, but given Iraola’s vision aligns with the club’s long-term project, he might be the one to go for.

Why Iraola could be perfect for Liverpool

It was a bold move for Bournemouth to ditch Gary O’Neil after the pragmatic manager steered the club to safety after promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23. A bold move, but one carried out with diligence, for Iraola was earmarked as a progressive option.

And Bill Foley must be delighted. In 2023/24, Bournemouth recorded a record points total (56) in the Premier League, leading​ journalist James Horncastle to hail him as “the best coach in the Premier League” for his sharp-witted and positive approach.

Iraola likes aggressive and high-octane football. He is not as turbo-charged in his approach as Klopp, but the Spaniard would infuse Liverpool with more risk-taking and directness than Slot prefers, albeit still maintaining an emphasis on retaining possession.

This could play to the strengths of Florian Wirtz, who has had a tough time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m in the summer.

A silky and inventive attacking midfielder, the German has yet to register a goal involvement in the Premier League and has lacked the clarity and poise that was expected after the thrill of his official announcement.

There remains a world-class talent in there, and Wirtz’s woes come with the caveat that he has entered a dysfunctional tactical system.

Iraola’s focus on a 4-2-3-1 formation suggests that the 22-year-old could find a natural place at number ten. As per FBref, he does rank among the top 11% of positional peers in the English top flight this term for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90.

This suggests that Wirtz has the potential to be a superstar in England, and Iraola can provide the stability and fluency of tactics to help realise that.

He might not be Klopp, but Iraola has labelled his tactics as being akin to “rock and roll”. Klopp’s famous branding of his vision as being ‘heavy metal football’ suggests that Liverpool might hit the jackpot by making this switch.

No one wants to see Slot be sacked, but this pitiful form and level of performance cannot be allowed to continue, and Iraola has the acumen to revive Wirtz and bring the champions back into the ascendancy.

Better than Isak: Liverpool join race for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure is crumbling before him, and FSG are considering changes.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 28, 2025

في إطار الاستعدادات الجادة للمشاركة في كأس إنتركونتيننتال 2025، أعلن الكرواتي كرونسلاف يورتشيتش المدير الفني لفريق بيراميدز، القائمة الرسمية المسافرة إلى قطر لخوض منافسات البطولة، التي يطمح خلالها النادي لتحقيق إنجاز تاريخي غير مسبوق للكرة المصرية.

ويترقّب بيراميدز هوية منافسه في نصف النهائي، حيث تُقام مساء اليوم المواجهة المرتقبة بين فلامنجو البرازيلي بطل أمريكا الجنوبية وكروز أزول المكسيكي بطل أمريكا الشمالية، على استاد أحمد بن علي في الدوحة، ضمن ربع نهائي البطولة.

وكان بيراميدز قد افتتح مشواره في كأس إنتركونتيننتال بقوة، بعدما تجاوز أوكلاند سيتي النيوزيلندي بثلاثية نظيفة في الدور التمهيدي الأول، قبل أن يزيح الأهلي السعودي من طريقه في ربع النهائي، ليضع نفسه في انتظار الفائز من ديربي الأمريكتين مساء اليوم، لمواجهته يوم السبت 13 ديسمبر على الملعب ذاته.

وسيحجز المتأهل من لقاء بيراميدز والمنافس المقبل مقعده في النهائي الكبير أمام باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي، الذي ينتظر خصمه في مباراة التتويج.

ووصلت بعثة بيراميدز بالفعل إلى مطار القاهرة الدولي استعدادًا للمغادرة على متن طائرة خاصة وفرتها إدارة النادي حرصًا على توفير أعلى درجات التركيز والراحة قبل خوض التحدي العالمي.

طالع أيضًا | بيراميدز يتهم 3 حكام بتشويه العدالة في الدوري.. ويطالب بتحقيق عاجل قائمة بيراميدز المشاركة في كأس إنتركونتيننتال 2025

حراسة المرمى: أحمد الشناوي – محمود جاد – زياد هيثم.

خط الدفاع: محمود مرعي – علي جبر – أحمد سامي – طارق علاء – محمد الشيبي – محمد حمدي – كريم حافظ – عبد الرحمن جودة – أسامة جلال.

خط الوسط: أحمد توفيق – محمود دونجا – مهند لاشين – عبد الرحمن مجدي – أحمد عاطف قطة – مصطفى زيكو – محمد رضا بوبو – مصطفى فتحي – وليد الكرتي – يوسف أوباما – بلاتي توريه – إيفرتون داسيلفا – محمود زلاكة.

خط الهجوم: فيستون ماييلي – دودو الجباس – مروان حمدي.

The Phillies got eliminated by the Dodgers in equally heartbreaking and embarrassing fashion on Thursday night.

In the 11th inning of Game 4 of the NLDS, the score was tied 1-1 and Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering was on the mound with two outs. With the bases loaded, Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages hit a weak ground ball right to Kerkering, who only needed to throw to first base to get the third out and end the inning. But after Kerkering picked up the ball, he lifted his head and immediately threw it to catcher J.T. Realmuto at home plate. The ball sailed over Realmuto, the Dodgers scored a run, and just like that, Philly's 2025 season was over.

Following Kerkering's brutal error, he walked off the field surrounded by his teammates. He was met by manager Rob Thomson at the entrance of the dugout, and the two shared a brief embrace and an emotional moment. Thomson appeared to impart some words of consolation to the reliever before patting Kerkering on the chest and sending him on his way:

Kerkering also received support from his teammates in the dugout as he sat on the bench and looked visibly shaken by what just transpired.

What a truly terrible way for the Phillies to go out, though Kerkering still has plenty reason to keep his head up and move on from this lowlight, as his manager no doubt hopes he will do.

"He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. Coming down the stretch, he pitched so well for us," Thomson said of Kerkering postgame. "I feel for him because he's putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team."

We’ll never forget the beautiful offseason chaos that occurred on Dec. 8, 2023.

At the time, the biggest storyline in all of sports was where two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and his adorable puppy Decoy were going to sign in free agency. Ohtani had just wrapped up his sixth season with the Angels and had two MVP award and three All-Star nods to show for it.

There was no question that Ohtani was going to sign the biggest free-agent contract in baseball history—and likely, North American sports history. The question was … where?

As we all know, Ohtani ended up signing a record-breaking 10-year contract with the Dodgers worth $700 million, a contract that included $680 million deferred for a decade. Although Ohtani spending his next 10 years starring at Dodger Stadium seemed like a foregone conclusion that offseason, there were other serious contenders to sign the two-way superstar, including the Blue Jays. In fact, on Dec. 8, 2023, there were inaccurate reports swirling around the internet that Ohtani was on a private flight heading to Toronto—interpreted as an indication he was going to sign with the Blue Jays.

It was debunked an hour or so later, but what a time that was to be online.

Less than two years later, the baseball gods provided us with a storyline almost too good to be true—Ohtani’s Dodgers will attempt to defend their World Series title against the Blue Jays, the team that came oh-so-close to signing the two-way superstar.

Ahead of Game 1 on Friday night, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit the flight to Toronto that never was:

Setting the stage: Ohtani’s finalists

As early as the All-Star Game in July 2023, Ohtani’s pending decision dominated the headlines. At the time, Tom Verducci considered the Dodgers the favorites to land Ohtani, followed by—in order—the Padres, Giants, Mariners, Rangers and Mets.

In the months following, the Blue Jays crept their way into the Ohtani sweepstakes and surged past the other contenders. By December, Verducci reported the Blue Jays were one of two serious finalists for Ohtani along with the Dodgers, and the Cubs and Giants were “hanging in there.”

Could the Blue Jays actually pull it off and outspend the Dodgers? Well, uh …

Dec. 8, 2023 at 4:01 p.m. ET: The Report

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi broke the internet.

At 4:01 p.m. ET on Dec. 8, 2023, Morosi reported, citing sources, that Ohtani was “en route” to Toronto and his agent would not comment when asked about his travel plans. Morosi made sure to note that as that flight left the ground, Ohtani had not signed any contract with an MLB team.

Earlier that week, it was reported that Ohtani was touring the Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla. There was also a rumor floating around Toronto media circles that Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi made a Friday night reservation for 50 people at a sushi restaurant near Rogers Centre. Certainly, a private jet flying from Southern California to Toronto reportedly carrying the two-way superstar meant he intended to sign with Toronto. Right?

Dec. 8 at 5:11 p.m. ET: The Rebuttal

Well, not so fast.

’s Bob Nightengale—in perhaps the defining moment of his reporting career—shut it down.

“Shohei Ohtani is NOT in Toronto,” he wrote in an X post published at 5:11 p.m. ET. “Ohtani is NOT on a flight to Toronto. Ohtani is at home in Southern California.”

After Nightengale swatted the rumors of a Toronto flight, other reporters confirmed that, in fact, Ohtani was still in the Los Angeles area and not headed north across the border. Morosi, to his credit, issued a heartfelt apology later that night for getting it wrong.

But here’s the thing: There a private flight in the air traveling from Southern California to Toronto. And it was carrying a celebrity—just not a two-way baseball phenom.

Dec. 8 at 5:54 p.m. ET: Jumping the shark

Robert Herjavec, the Canadian billionaire best known for his role on the hit show , boarded flight N616RH out of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., and headed to Toronto on Dec. 8, 2023.

Traveling with his two sons, Herjavec had no idea fans and journalists alike were tracking Flight N616RH through the air. When Herjavec landed in Toronto and was welcomed by a sea of Canadian media, he was beyond confused. He was even asked by a Canadian customs agent whether Ohtani was on the plane.

Just before 6 p.m. ET, a CBC photographer on site at the airport reported that Flight N616RH was carrying Herjavec, not Ohtani.

Later that night, Herjavec himself posted to social media and confirmed the news.

“I’d like to thank the @bluejays organization for signing me today!” Herjavec wrote in an Instagram post. “All joking aside—I’m not @shoheiohtani and he was not on my plane today! Not sure how it all started but I’m calling the jays and seeing if they’ll sign my 5 year old for 600 mil (he WAS on the plane and throws a mean pitch).”

The very next day, Ohtani signed his lucrative contract with the Dodgers. He led Los Angeles to a World Series in his first season with the club, defeating Aaron Judge and the Yankees in five games.

But if Ohtani is going to add a second World Series ring to his trophy case, he’ll have to go through the Blue Jays—the organization that will forever be linked to his free-agent decision.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após pedir a liberação do trio Estevão, Luís Guilherme e Vitor Reis da convocação para treinos com a Seleção Brasileira Sub-20, o Palmeiras se acertou com a CBF e os três jogadores serão liberados pelo Verdão para passarem uma semana na Granja Comary.

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

O trio de joias do Palmeiras enfrentam o Criciúma no dia 2 de junho e se apresentam na Seleção no dia seguinte, para um período de treinos que será até o dia 8 de junho, com isso eles não perderão nenhum compromisso com o alviverde, uma vez que o Verdão só volta a campo diante do Vasco, no dia 13.

Ramon Menezes convocou o trio palmeirense que deve fazer parte de todo ciclo de preparação para o Sulamericano Sub-20, que acontece em 2025, no Peru.

continua após a publicidade

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

Enquanto Estevão já é titular da equipe de Abel Ferreira, Luís Guilherme vai crescendo de produção e se tornando um reserva importante para o elenco. Já Vitor Reis está inserido no profissional desde o final da Copinha desse ano e é muoto bem avaliado por toda comissão técnica alviverde, que enxerga um grande potencial no zagueiro.

Left-armer will lead Australia’s pace attack in the opening Ashes Test in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood

Alex Malcolm19-Nov-2025The last man standing of Australia’s big three, Mitchell Starc, says he may take on a little bit of extra responsibility as the senior man in their new-look pace attack. But he believes Scott Boland’s experience and Brendan Doggett’s form will hold them in good stead in the opening Ashes Test in Perth.Starc, 35, is Australia’s ironman having not missed a Test through injury since he broke his finger on Boxing Day in 2022. He reached his 100th Test and took his 400th Test wicket in Australia’s last Test match in July. He will lead the attack in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in Perth and remarkably will be the only one of Australia’s quicks to have bowled in a first-class game at Perth Stadium, with Boland and Doggett having only played BBL matches at the venue.Related

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But Starc is confident both men will handle the big occasion at the start of the series. “I think we’re all pretty clear on what our roles are,” he said on Wednesday.”Obviously I’ve got a little bit more experience there. Scotty’s been around for a fair while now, so it’s not like I’m telling him what to do. We’ve got Patty in the sheds with us anyway. So yeah, I may take on a little bit of an experienced role, if you like. But we’ve all been around the traps for a while, so it’s just staying together as a group.”Starc believes Doggett will be able to handle the pressure of an Ashes series as he seems certain to debut as Australia’s third quick in the attack. Starc first met Doggett in 2018 when they toured the UAE together for a series against Pakistan and believes he has come a long way since his first tour with Australia’s Test squad.”Brendan was a lot younger and rawer then,” Starc said. “We knew what he was about, and since then he’s made the change to South Australia. I think he’s come in red-hot. He’s had a good couple of weeks. We as a group know what he’s capable of, and the skills that he presents. And being a little bit older than back in 2018, he’s probably a little bit more comfortable in his own skin and around the group. So really excited if he gets his opportunity this week to see what he can do on a Test arena. Having had him around the group for a while over the years, I think he’s certainly in a great headspace.”Starc and Doggett put on a clinic in the Perth Stadium nets on Wednesday morning under overcast skies after Australia’s training was delayed briefly due to a lightning strike.Brendan Doggett and Mitchell Starc warm up at Australia training•Getty Images

The Perth Stadium nets have been tough work for batters all week and the pair peppered Steven Smith, Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in a hour-long spell. Starc nicked off Smith and looked in superb rhythm having rediscovered something during his recent Sheffield Shield outing after shaking out some rust in the ODI series against India.He admitted he didn’t bowl as well as Cummins did in the nets on Monday. Cummins did not bowl on Wednesday but was at training after missing the optional session on Tuesday. The injured skipper is edging closer to a return in Brisbane having pulled up well from his eight-over spell on Monday.”Probably understand why he doesn’t train much, because when he does, he makes us all look silly,” Starc said. “He was really, really sharp the other day. Sounds like he’s pulling up pretty well. So very positive.”Cummins’ absence with the ball is a major blow but his absence with the bat is arguably harder to cover. Doggett’s first-class average is just 8.57 and he’s never made a half-century although he has a top score of 49. He will likely bat at No. 11 behind Boland with Nathan Lyon elevating to No. 9 and Starc returning to No. 8, a spot he has been trying to avoid for a number of years as his batting has declined quite steeply since his significant early career contributions.”I’ve been trying to get rid of No. 8 for a while, and now I have to go back there,” Starc said. “You all think we fight about getting higher up the order. We all fight to get lower.”We know how important, how beneficial contributions there can be to first innings, second innings, setting up a total, whatever it may be. That’ll play a part. I will keep working on it.”

This was a night for three points. Liverpool’s staggering decline this season cannot be understated, and following a succession of disappointing draws against Sunderland and Leeds United, a one-goal win over Inter Milan at the San Siro could bear dividends going forward.

It was a strange contest on the VAR front, with Ibrahima Konate’s first-half header ruled out before Florian Wirtz won a match-winning penalty late on, adjudged to have been pulled to the ground by Alessandro Bastoni. Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and converted.

Liverpool have returned to the top eight of the Champions League. Liverpool’s defensive line has been so porous this season, leakier than Old Trafford roofing, but Arne Slot has employed a more compact and pragmatic system in recent fixtures. Back to basics.

However, the Reds’ highly talented forward players are still, as a unit, flattering to deceive, and improvements are needed there.

How Liverpool's forwards played at San Siro

Post-match, Slot detailed Liverpool’s emphasis on shutting up shop in recent weeks. Mixed results on that front, but there has been a concerted plan all the same, and it came to fruition against Serie A champions Inter Milan.

Szoboszlai’s penalty aside, Liverpool amassed 0.56 xG in the second half, as opposed to just 0.12 before the break. Slot’s tactical tweaks were on the money in Italy, but the Premier League champions are still struggling to get a tune out of record signing Alexander Isak, who huffed and puffed but was unable to achieve anything of note in the final third before being withdrawn after the hour mark.

This is a world-class striker, but he needs better creative connections. Curious, then, that he was replaced by Wirtz, who nestled into the ten spot and changed the game, finding pockets of space and placing the Nerazzurri defenders under pressure, creating a chance, winning both of his duels and enjoying neat interplay with Ekitike and Szoboszlai in particular.

Anfield plays host to a crucial Premier League tie against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, and it’s crucial that the German playmaker starts at the expense of a star who still hasn’t clicked together this season.

Slot must drop 6/10 Liverpool star

So many Liverpool stars have flattered to deceive this season, and Alexis Mac Allister has been one of the most disappointing. The 26-year-old has played at such a high level since joining the Merseysiders from Brighton in 2023, but he’s lacked bite and energy and eloquence in the engine room.

Deployed in a more advanced role against Inter, ostensibly to ease his defensive struggles and build-up problems this season, the £150k-per-week talent did actually prove dependable in stifling the hosts’ threat, but he lacked the completeness that fans have come to expect, unable to effectively service the forwards.

The Liverpool Echo acknowledged Mac Allister’s defensive contribution, handing him a 6/10 match rating, but they also drew attention to the Argentine’s attacking effort, leaving something to be desired on that front.

Alexis Mac Allister vs Inter Milan

Match Stats

#

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

46

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

32/37 (86%)

Chances created

0

Crosses

0/0

Recoveries

2

Tackles won

1/1

Duels won

6/8

Data via Sofascore

There has been a suffocating air of frustration around the South American’s performances this term, and most of that is because Liverpool fans know how good he can be.

But he’s offering little right now, and though he completed his defensive duties with diligence, there was a lack of dynamism and sparkle that will hinder the Anfield side going forward. He didn’t attempt a dribble and neither did he create a chance. Wirtz must play at the weekend.

Ultimately, Liverpool still have many, many creases to iron out, but this was a step in the right direction. However, Liverpool’s emphasis on compactness cannot come at the expense of pre-existing creative problems, and Wirtz must start at the weekend; that much is clear.

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Liverpool are beginning to face the possibility that Arne Slot is on borrowed time in the Anfield hot seat.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

Chelsea are now ready to trigger the £44m release clause to sign an “unstoppable” striker, who has been in fantastic form so far this season.

Blues stepping up striker pursuit despite Delap scoring first goal

The Blues upgraded their forward line considerably during the summer, bringing in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, and the latter is now finally off the mark in front of goal, having scored the third in the comprehensive 3-0 victory against Barcelona in the Champions League.

Pedro has been more prolific, chipping in with four goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, and the Brazilian has also displayed his versatility by featuring at both centre-forward and in attacking midfield.

With the former Brighton man able to play in a slightly deeper role, there may be room in the squad to bring in another, more natural centre-forward in the January transfer window, and the Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now ready to trigger the €50m (£44m) release clause in Serhou Guirassy’s Borussia Dortmund contract, having identified the striker as a priority target.

Manchester United are also in the race for Guirassy, who is open to a move to the Premier League, with Dortmund powerless to prevent a departure if one of the interested English clubs stumps up the requisite £44m.

The Guinean forward is enticed by the projects on offer at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, and his performances so far this season suggest he would be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

"Unstoppable" Guirassy tearing it up in the Bundesliga

Lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Antonio Mango, the 29-year-old has already amassed 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season, particularly catching the eye for Dortmund in the Champions League.

Serhou Guirassy’s key statistics 2025-26

Appearances

Goal contributions

Bundesliga

11

6

Champions League

5

6

DFB-Pokal

2

1

The France-born striker has averaged 0.61 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 86th percentile compared to other forwards, while he is also impressive in the air, placing in the 82nd percentile for aerials won, having averaged 3.48 per 90.

As such, the Dortmund star clearly has the talent to succeed in the Premier League, but there may be some concerns about his age, given that BlueCo are known for wanting to sign younger players, and he is set to turn 30 in March.

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That said, with a potential title race on the cards, Guirassy could be a real difference-maker, and £44m would be a reasonable fee, given the level of his performances so far this season.