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Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has likened Mohamed Salah to Cristiano Ronaldo and explained why it is far too early to be writing the Egyptian superstar off at Liverpool. The remarkable numbers that he has been posting for the Reds have dipped slightly in 2025-26, on the back of signing a new contract, but the expectation is that he will come good again.

Salah's numbers have dipped after signing new contract

Salah has, having moved to Anfield in 2017, become a modern day legend in his own right. He is five appearances short of 300 for Liverpool and requires just two more goals in order to reach 250. He is a two-time Premier League title winner with Champions League and domestic cup honours to his name – along with three PFA Player of the Year awards and four Golden Boots.

Liverpool worked hard to agree an extension with their ‘Egyptian King’ over the summer, with fresh terms taking him through to 2027. More magical performances should be delivered in that time, despite the odd question being asked of his contribution at present – with the target only being found on three occasions through 10 appearances this term.

AdvertisementGettyToo early for Salah to be written off

Reds hero Carragher has said in his column for : "Liverpool have been basking in the glow of the Mohamed Salah era for the past seven years. The next seven weeks will give us an indication as to how much longer that will last. Salah is off form, the goals have dried up, and he does not look the same player as last season. If Liverpool are to retain the title, he needs to sharpen up before December’s African Cup of Nations, thus ensuring he is as indispensable as ever to Arne Slot when he gets back. There are valid causes for concern following recent performances. There are also valuable lessons from Salah’s career which serve as a warning to those prematurely predicting a decline. Do not write off Salah too soon because he has a habit of making criticism look silly."

Salah's record vs Man Utd: Stunning strike rate

A meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United is next on the agenda for Liverpool and Salah, much like Portuguese GOAT Ronaldo, tends to save his best for when it matters most. Carragher added on facing favoured opposition: "Salah has similar traits to Cristiano Ronaldo with regards to his mental toughness and determination to extend his career at the top and keep chasing records and trophies. The more he is doubted, the more he responds where it matters on the pitch.

"If there is one club which will fear negative appraisals of Salah’s form more than any, it is this weekend’s visitors to Anfield, Manchester United. Salah’s record versus United is extraordinary. He has scored 16 times against Liverpool’s historic rivals. No team has suffered more against him. His all-time tally in this fixture is seven more than any player for either club, enhancing his reputation as the man for the big occasion."

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Carragher concedes that Liverpool may be wondering whether handing Salah a new deal was the right decision, with every talismanic figure seeing stunning individual standards dip at some stage. He said: "With respect to all of the great players who have served [Jurgen] Klopp and now [Arne] Slot, when football historians view this period they will see Liverpool as ‘the Salah team’. He has defined it in the way [Kenny] Dalglish did in the late 70s and 80s, John Barnes the late 80s, and [Steven] Gerrard the 2000s. Like the legends before him, even a footballer with Salah’s pace cannot outrun father time. It is a question of when, not if, the greatest realise they have been caught.

"Slot left Salah out of the first tricky Champions League away game in Galatasaray. With Salah unavailable when he joins Egypt in mid-season, Liverpool must get used to being without him. Salah must start to accept he may not start every week upon his return, which is never easy for such a high-profile, world-class player. Sooner or later Liverpool must move beyond Salah and enter the era of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Just don’t bet against Salah making that later rather than sooner."

Liverpool head into their home date with old adversaries United looking to snap a run of three successive defeats. Slot’s side have come unstuck against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea across domestic and Champions League competition, leading to them slipping from the Premier League summit in an ongoing bid to defend their English top-flight crown.

After Arsenal spent nearly £300m in the transfer window, pundits were making no excuses for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Despite a tough opening run of fixtures, they were told in no uncertain terms that this season they simply had to win the Premier League title.

While expectations were no doubt lofty, they still have to overcome the challenge of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and a Liverpool team that in signing Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak had broken the division’s transfer record twice in one summer.

In spite of those circumstances, the Gunners are top by one point heading into the October international break.

It’s been a seriously impressive start to 2025/26, and while they signed a plethora of new forwards, it’s their sturdy defensive record they have to thank yet again.

After seven weeks, they have the best defensive record and have conceded just one open play goal all campaign; that strike from Erling Haaland against City a few weeks ago. Fair enough, really, few have kept the Norwegian quiet lately.

How Arsenal's defence can carry them to the title

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s defence has come a long way since Arteta first took the reins at the Emirates Stadium.

The Spaniard’s first match in charge saw the Gunners head to Bournemouth on Boxing Day in 2019. A 1-1 draw played out in which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rescued a point for the visitors at the Vitality Stadium.

GK – Bernd Leno

RB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB – Sokratis

CB – David Luiz

LB – Bukayo Saka

CM – Granit Xhaka

CM – Lucas Torreira

RW – Reiss Nelson

No. 10 – Mesut Ozil

LW – P-E Aubameyang

CF – Alexandre Lacazette

A marker of the rise at Arsenal is the fact that Bukayo Saka started at left-back that day. Since then he’s become the poster boy of the Arteta project, playing in his 200th game for the club on Saturday.

It’s safe to say the backline has changed considerably. From those dreary days of Sokratis, David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding, to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, the quality has soared.

From being a laughing stock defensively, the north Londoners now have not just the best defence in England, but arguably in Europe’s top five leagues.

In Saliba, they possess a Rolls-Royce defender, a player who in the words of Leandro Trossard is “one of the best in the world at the moment.”

In Gabriel, they have a colossus. He’s not as calm as Saliba, but that’s why the duo complement each other so well. The Brazilian is a titan and his goal record summarises that perfectly.

Even when one of them are injured, Arsenal have been able to cope well. When Gabriel sustained his hamstring injury during the second half of last season, Jakub Kiwior stepped up admirably, notably keeping a clean sheet against Real Madrid.

This term, with Saliba missing a few games due to his own injury problems, new £13m signing Cristhian Mosquera was outstanding, hailed by some as the club’s “signing of the summer”, such is the bargain price they have paid.

Combined with the likes of David Raya, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal have shipped just three league goals in seven matches. In the Champions League, they have conceded none. It’s a water-tight defence.

Now, however, they need a bit more help from the attackers.

How Arteta can improve Arsenal's forward line

It was blindingly obvious what the primary issue for Arsenal was last season; they didn’t score enough goals.

There were a number of reasons for that, chiefly the fact that Saka and Kai Havertz missed large parts of the campaign through injury.

Chalkboard

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

Still, once all was said and done, for the first time since the 1923/24 season, an Arsenal player failed to make it to double figures across a league campaign.

So, over the summer, Andrea Berta and Co invested heavily in improving the attack. Viktor Gyokeres, the scorer of 54 goals in 2024/25 arrived, while Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze also came in to bolster the forward ranks.

Despite that, it still feels like there is a missing link in attack. Whether that be Arsenal’s left-hand side, or the chemistry being built with Gyokeres, there are a few problems.

Arsenal’s big Swede is improving game by game and Arteta appears to be happy with his performances, but ultimately, he will be judged on goals and he is not finding the net regularly enough.

After scoring against Nottingham Forest in the fourth gameweek of the season, he has not beaten the goalkeeper in his last six matches. In fact, across the striker’s last ten outings in all competitions, he has only scored once.

Yet, he is not the biggest problem. Like it was last season, the primary issue has been the left flank.

That being said, certain circumstances have dictated what they can and cannot do in that area of the pitch.

Madueke, now injured, played there against Manchester United and Leeds while Eze featured there against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Athletic Club.

Since then, he’s been preferred in a more central role and that will likely continue after Martin Odegaard’s new injury setback.

As such, despite improved form for Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta has turned back to Trossard. The Belgian has feen a mighty fine servant since arriving from Brighton, notably scoring 17 times during the 2023/24 campaign. Only Saka found the net more regularly that year.

However, his powers are waning and he ended last year with just ten goals in all competitions from over 50 matches.

The forward has scored some big goals in Arsenal red. To some, including one content creator on X, he is “the best finisher at the club.” Certainly, some of his goals throughout his career in the capital have showcased why that is the case.

That 2023/24 season saw the 30-year-old net two goals against Chelsea, while he also scored against Manchester United, Liverpool and came up with vital strikes in the Champions League versus Porto and Bayern Munich.

Truth be told, Trossard is a clutch player, but he isn’t a player in 2025/26 that Arteta should be relying upon to start regular games.

His involvement over the last three games demonstrates why. Last weekend against Newcastle he only created one key pass and was unusually wasteful in front of goal, striking the post in the first half when he should have at least hit the target.

The Belgium international was again wasteful in midweek against Olympiacos, missing what were deemed as two ‘big chances’.

Then, against West Ham on Sunday, his influence was limited once again. Reduced to two blocked shots and only one accurate cross from six attempts, he lost possession a whopping 16 times and only completed one dribble. Nuno Santo’s men played with a deep block but Trossard only continues to look like the weak link in this forward line.

So, as much as this Arsenal team need to find a way to get more out of Gyokeres, equally, they need to find solutions on the left-hand side. That could well begin by dropping Trossard after the international break.

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The new Jack Wilshere may have emerged for Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 5, 2025

West Bromwich Albion are now without a win from their last three games in the Championship.

Ryan Mason’s Baggies did look to be very close to an elusive win in the challenging second tier against Leicester City last time out; however, after Samuel Iling-Junior’s first goal for the promotion chasers had handed them a 1-0 advantage over Marti Cifuentes’ Foxes.

Yet, it wasn’t to be for Mason’s unlucky hosts come the full-time whistle, as various spurned chances came back to bite them courtesy of a Nathaniel Phillips’ own goal.

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned Baggies manager could now be prepared to change up what attackers take to the field for his side’s encounter later today versus Norwich City to ensure goal-shy displays don’t become frequent, with Isaac Price potentially facing the chop.

Price's showing vs Leicester in numbers

While the Northern Ireland international has received plenty of plaudits for his performances this season so far, he has also gone slightly off the boil over West Brom’s choppy last few Championship clashes.

Indeed, the former Everton youth product went through the entirety of September without picking up a single goal or assist, which is a notable drop-off when weighed up next to his outrageous form in August.

Games played

4

3

Goals scored

3

0

Assists

1

0

Price is unfortunately a victim of his own success here, with his three goals and one assist in August hard to keep up across a full season, as has been seen in his lacklustre offering the following month.

Mason’s experiment to throw Price in as a second striker alongside Aune Heggebo also didn’t work against Leicester, with the 22-year-old going to miss a big chance, even when handed the responsibility of leading the line.

On top of that, he didn’t link up with the Norwegian well enough to get him regularly involved in play, with the number 19 only managing a weak eight touches of the ball in total next to his new strike partner.

It could be that Mason is now preparing to drop Price from the first team altogether for the trip to Norfolk, with this Baggies goal machine primed for his first league start of the season ahead of the hot-and-cold number 21.

Mason's "special" Price replacement for West Brom

Away from Price sticking out with his three league strikes last month, West Brom haven’t been the easiest on the eye to watch so far this season.

Since putting three past Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, the Baggies have only managed to find the back of the net a weak four times across their next five league encounters, with Josh Maja now potentially thrown into the mix to make West Brom a troubling threat in attack once more.

Mason is likely just erring on the side of caution with his injury-prone number 9 so far this season, hence his lack of starts to date, with his goal-laden campaign last season devastatingly derailed by an injury in January.

Still, he could be the spark now needed to enhance West Brom’s firepower in attacking areas, with this well-taken finish last campaign coming against Wednesday’s opponents, Norwich City, coincidentally going down as his ninth goal in total.

By the time he was sadly stricken with injury, he would boast a mightily impressive 12 strikes from 25 league clashes.

Games played

25

Goals scored

12

Scoring frequency

Every 173 mins

Assists

2

Big chances created

6

It’s not just his explosive goalscoring form that will catch Mason’s eye here, however, with the former Sunderland centre-forward also amassing six big chances created across this span of league games.

This could result in Maja supplying Heggebo with chances galore moving forward, with the Brann menace’s goalscoring prowess – firing home a lethal 11 goals in the Eliteserien in 2024 alone – hopefully then coming to the forefront.

Hailed as “special” by Carlos Corberan when the Spaniard was still occupying the Hawthorns dug-out, it does feel like a waste not to try and get the best out of Maja again, with Norwich perhaps on the receiving end of the 26-year-old’s clinical edge later on, as Mason attempts to get West Brom’s faltering season back on track with tweaks here and there.

Mason could unleash Price 2.0 at West Brom in "outstanding" 19-year-old

Ryan Mason can unleash another Isaac Price at West Bromwich Albion with this outstanding youngster.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 28, 2025

Kate Scott left Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Michah Richards in hysterics after suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction while fronting CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League. The incident occurred on October 22, with a panel made up of former Premier League stars seeing the funny side of their host being left a little red-faced.

Wardrobe malfunction: What happened to Scott?

During the build-up to another busy evening of elite European competition, Richards and Co took the opportunity to welcome former USMNT star Clint Dempsey into their ranks. He is, of course, a familiar face to American audiences. Some playful fist-bumping took place between those preparing to offer expert insight and analysis.

Scott looked to get in on the act, but had to lean over the desk in order to reach Dempsey’s outstretched arm. In doing so, she ended up ripping the top that she was wearing. The 44-year-old quickly realised what had happened and managed to grab the garment in question before it slipped any further.

AdvertisementRichards' trouser tear left CBS Sports panel in tears

She looked a little sheepish when returning to her chair and blurted out: “Oh! I just broke my top!” Scott invited a member of CBS Sports’ production team onto set to help her out, with those sitting alongside her showing no sympathy whatsoever.

Henry, Carragher and Richards burst into fits of laughter, with the latter seeing his booming chuckle echo around the studio. Former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender Richards said: “Now you know how it feels! Give us a stretch then.”

Richards has suffered his own on-air clothing issues down the years. When covering Barcelona’s clash with Portuguese side Benfica in January, he popped a button clean off his shirt when jumping in the air to celebrate a dramatic 96th-minute goal from Raphinha in a thrilling 5-4 victory for Barca.

Prior to that, in October 2023, Richards ripped the crotch in his trousers when attempting to mimic the iconic goal celebration of World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Said incident left Scott and Carragher in tears, with the ex-Liverpool defender saying: “I’m not sure who is being cancelled, but someone is!”

Who is Kate Scott married to & does he have beef with Carragher?

Fans around the world found Scott’s latest gaffe funny, with several making playful jokes on social media at her expense. The CBS Sports crew have built up a legion of loyal supporters, with their behaviour always entertaining.

The odd unfortunate headline has been made, with Carragher once questioning the loyalty of Scott to her boxing trainer husband Malik Scott. A man that has previously worked with world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has since told of a supposed feud: “Jamie and I always see each other, so it's not an intimidating thing. It's just a respect that men have with each other. That's all it is. I respect him, he respects me, and my wife respects him, and he's going to respect my wife. And he does respect my wife. There’s no grudge with Jamie at all. I love that whole panel.”

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Promise of more Champions League carnage to comeQuestionable comments and wardrobe malfunctions are always a possibility when Richards and Carragher are involved, with Arsenal great Henry having told  of trying to produce entertaining television: “The main thing is that it is us. It is really us. People think I am putting on a face, but that is how I am. That is me. The most important thing is that we are friends. Nobody is acting.”

The show’s producer, Matt Curtis, added on that subject: “If people are guarded, if they’re worried about how long they have to talk or what happens if they mess up, there is an air of tension. Hopefully we’ve taken that away from them. We’ve tried to create an environment where they feel comfortable being themselves.”

There is the promise of more carnage to come, with CBS Sports set to continue with their Champions League coverage through to the final of that competition at the 67,000-seater Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on May 30, 2026.

GT’s fears – bowlers losing form, uncooked middle order – came true, with the addition of poor catching, in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against Mumbai

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-20252:18

Where did GT err in their bowling plans?

It had always been a worry, even when the Gujarat Titans (GT) were on a roll: their top three – B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler – did almost all the scoring. The rest of the batters were undercooked, and it hurt them in their last two league games and then again, when it mattered most, in the IPL 2025 Eliminator. Tom Moody, reflecting on the loss to Mumbai Indians (MI), called it a “void”, adding that Rahul Tewatia and Sherfane Rutherford had failed to do what they’re in the team for.Basically, they didn’t do what David Miller did in 2022 when GT won the title in their debut season.”Tewatia has always been that guy who’s come in in the last two, max three, overs and played a blinder. At a very crunch time, yes, but he’s never been one of those guys… for example, David Miller was the guy, he was the Rutherford. He would come in with six-seven overs to spare, build his innings nicely, and when he was set, he wasn’t missing a slot ball. There was no chance David Miller was going to miss a slot ball,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out on the season where Miller scored 481 runs at an average of 68.71 and a strike rate of 142.72.”He was that guy that year, and that’s why GT won that final. Because there were quite a few matches where the top order had set it up nicely for Miller; Miller would take it deep and finish it. This year, Rutherford has not been able to do that on more than two or three occasions.”Related

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Tewatia was, perhaps, a bigger disappointment. In 12 innings, he scored 99 runs from 59 balls, and remained unbeaten just four times, but in the Eliminator hit only one six and one four in his 11-ball stay. Both he (SR 167.79) and Rutherford (157.29) have scored quickly all season, but haven’t had a lot of batting time. The GT top-three often left them with not much to do, but on Friday, when Rutherford got in with 6.2 overs to go and Tewatia, later, with 4.2 overs to go, they had an opportunity. They hit five fours and a six between them as GT fell 20 short. M Shahrukh Khan, the other man in that middle order, batted just 100 balls in 11 innings, and had just one good knock to show for it.

“I suppose Washington stepped up today for that particular role, but they are missing a quality Indian top-order/middle-order player that can fill that void. If they can find that, it will certainly make a big difference to the balance of their side”Tom Moody

“I sort of bag Rutherford with Tewatia. I think they both have similar roles. Slightly different players – one is more of a six-hitter than the other. But between them they faced 26 balls today, and hit one six. That, to me, just tells it all,” Moody said. “They are batting right at the back end of the innings, where the currency is boundaries. It’s either fours or sixes, it’s not ones and twos. Currency is boundaries, and that’s what they train for. And that was their moment to at least add three to that one, and that may have been the difference.”On Friday, Washington Sundar came in for a fourth quick, which had been another problem area for GT, and while he bowled just one over, made a big impact with the bat, scoring 48 from 24 balls from No. 4.”With regards to their batting, I suppose Washington stepped up today for that particular role, but they are missing a quality Indian top-order/middle-order player that can fill that void,” Moody said. “If they can find that, it will certainly make a big difference to the balance of their side.”1:29

Two lives for Rohit ‘unlocked the freedom’

As written on ESPNcricinfo before, after GT had conceded 664 runs in three games after the IPL’s resumption – two of which they lost – the bowling unit appeared to be “losing form at the wrong time”. That trend continued. This time, MI scored 228 and to compound their woes, there were three important catches dropped. Rohit Sharma cashed in on two of those drops with a 50-ball 81. In the second over, Gerald Coetzee dropped him off Prasidh Krishna. Kusal Mendis spilled Rohit behind the stumps off Mohammed Siraj in the next. Mendis dropped another catch in the 12th over, off Suryakumar Yadav with Coetzee the bowler.”After [Rohit] got those couple of lives, it just woke the dragon in him and he [was] like, ‘you know what, I’m just going to go hell for leather,'” Aaron said.Moody explained how those early reprieves would have freed Rohit up: “It unlocks a bit of freedom in your head. Regardless of the experience that Rohit Sharma’s got, he’s still going into this contest with a little bit of doubt, uncertainty. Once you get that lifeline, it really unlocks that worry of, ‘oh, my record in finals is poor’, and suddenly, you think, ‘damn it, it’s my day today, I’m going [for it].'”GT did many things right this season but shabby bowling and catching, alongside a batting line up with a void saw it all unravel in the back-end of the competition.

Arne Slot has explained his team selection as Liverpool named a young Carabao Cup XI for the visit of Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Slot has overseen a run of five defeats from six heading into the midweek meeting with the Eagles but rather than use the game as a chance to return to winning ways, the Dutchman followed in predecessor Jurgen Klopp's footsteps and named an inexperienced side.

AFPWoodman, Ngumoha & Ramsay among starters

Slot made sweeping changes to the side that started Saturday's 3-2 loss at Brentford, a result that meant Liverpool had lost five of their last six games in all competitions ahead of the arrival of Palace on Wednesday night. The Reds' sole victory in that run came in a 5-1 Champions League triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt as the Merseyside outfit struggles continue in their second season under the Dutchman.

However, Slot followed in Klopp's footsteps and named an inexperienced side for the fourth round fixture against the Eagles. The former Feyenoord boss also set his side up in a five-man backline, a change from usual 4-2-3-1 setup, with the likes of Freddie Woodman, Calvin Ramsay, Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison and Rio Ngumoha all featuring from the outset in an unfamiliar system. Milos Kerkez, who came off after an hour at the weekend, was the only Liverpool player to retain his starting spot from the Brentford defeat.

The Liverpool head coach also packed the bench with young stars, with Slot prioritising the upcoming visit of Aston Villa on Saturday. Ahead of the game, he explained his decision to make wholesale changes despite the club's terrible run of form.

Advertisement'We use this competition for younger players'

When asked about his team selection by ahead of Wednesday's game, Slot said: "People who follow this club know we use this competition for younger players. We want to create a pathway for them, to play in front of 60,000 people, in front of our own fans, that’s one reason.

"The other is that we only have four or five injuries but if I have to play again the same players. There are multiple reasons why we have lost so many games, no excuses to lose so many but it hasn’t been helpful that almost every time we have only two days in between and after we have had to play away, and then again an away game, so we keep playing the same players.

"Like for example I tried with Alexander Isak, players who missed out on pre-season, it is a big risk of another injury, and we only have at this moment in time 15, 16 senior players available."

AFP'Our responsibility is to recognise what is happening and put things right'

The unexpected line-up comes after Slot admitted that it is the "responsibility" of the players to "put things right" in his matchday programme column. "It goes without saying that our recent form has not reached the standards that you expect of us or that we expect of ourselves," Slot started.

"This is, of course, a major disappointment, especially given the positive start we made to the season. From our perspective, there are no excuses. Yes, we are aware of the reasons and we will discuss them, but the one thing we cannot and will not do is use them as an excuse. Our responsibility is to recognise what is happening and put things right. There is no other option.

"Part of this process involves being hurt. We should be hurt by results like Saturday's when we lost to Brentford, and we should use the feelings this creates to further fuel our motivation. Not that anyone could accuse the players of a lack of effort – if anything, the opposite is true – but how we use this effort and desire is what will make the difference."

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'Tonight's fixture gives us an opportunity to take a step forward'

"Tonight's fixture gives us an opportunity to take a step forward, not just in this competition but also in our season as a whole," Slot continued. "That it comes against an opponent that continues to prove itself to be very strong means this will be a testing cup tie but, again, this is the kind of challenge that we have to embrace.

"Of course, we have already faced Palace in the Premier League this season and the result on that occasion was not what we would have hoped for. Credit to Palace for that.

"Their winning goal came very late on that occasion after we had equalised following a difficult first half for us, so we should be aware not just of the problems they can cause but also of their ability to keep going until the final whistle."

However, it seems the decision backfired horribly as Crystal Palace found themselves 2-0 up at half-time, with the Reds' torrid run seemingly set to continue.

Liverpool follow up the weekend's home clash with Villa with a home meeting with Real Madrid, and a potential reunion with Trent Alexander-Arnold, before a trip to Manchester City ahead of the international break.

It has been a frustrating start to the 2025/26 campaign for Celtic central midfielder Arne Engels, who has failed to kick on after his debut season at the club.

The Hoops signed him for a club-record fee of £11m from Augsburg last summer, creating excitement over the Belgian ace, and his first year at Parkhead was fairly impressive.

Engels delivered ten goals, including eight from the penalty spot, and 13 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, for the Scottish giants.

Unfortunately, his output at the top end of the pitch has fallen off in the current campaign, with no goals and one assist in 12 appearances for the Hoops.

Brendan Rodgers has only started the Belgium international in three of the club’s nine games in the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League this term, which shows that the manager has not put much trust in him because of his recent performances.

The 22-year-old star’s struggles this season are particularly frustrating when you consider that Reo Hatate has not been at his best in the middle of the park.

Why Celtic may need to replace Reo Hatate

Benjamin Nygren has locked down a position in midfield, with four goals in the Premiership, alongside the captain Callum McGregor, and Hatate has been the third starter in the midfield three.

The Japan international has started all five of his appearances in the Scottish top-flight, per Sofascore, but his performances have not quite reached the levels that he hit in the 2024/25 campaign.

Hatate has scored one goal, which came against Aberdeen in the Premiership in August, and has failed to register any assists for his teammates in ten outings in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The Japanese star, whose goal against Aberdeen in the clip above was stunning, has been unable to kick on after his impressive output at the top end of the pitch in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

37

5

Goals

10

1

Minutes per goal

241

373

Key passes per game

1.2

0.6

Big chances created

14

0

Assists

4

0

As you can see in the table above, Hatate has not been as effective, as a scorer or a creator goals, in the middle of the park in the Premiership this season.

These statistics suggest that the 27-year-old star has not been at his best for the Hoops in midfield in the league, as he has struggled to influence matches in the way that he did last year.

This is why Rodgers may have to start thinking about how his midfield could look without Hatate in the team, unless the Japan international can turn his form around and get back to what he produced on a consistent basis in the 2024/25 campaign.

However, the aforementioned dip in form from Engels suggests that Celtic may have to look elsewhere for a replacement for Hatate, because the Belgian flop has not stepped up this season.

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Rodgers, as he did with Colby Donovan’s emergence, could turn to the B team to bring an academy talent into the first-team to compete for a spot in central midfield.

19-year-old academy star Francis Turley made his first-team debut for the Scottish giants as a substitute against St Mirren in the Premiership in August of last year, and he could emerge as Hatate’s replacement.

Why Francis Turley could be Reo Hatate's replacement at Celtic

If the Japan international is unable to recapture his best form in Glasgow and Engels cannot get back to his best in a Celtic shirt, there could be an opening for the teenage talent to break into the team.

The Northern Ireland U21 international clearly impressed enough to earn a senior bow last year against St Mirren, which shows that Rodgers is well aware of his talent and believes that he has the potential to be a future star for the Hoops.

Speaking after that game, the Celtic manager said: “He (Turley) was very, very good over the course of pre-season, he’s got a lot of work to do physically in his development, and that will come with both him working and natural maturation.

“But at 18 he’s got a great football brain, and that’s a nice reward for him and his family, and he can now keep pushing to get more appearances.”

Those comments show that Rodgers was impressed with the youngster’s performances at that point, which is why he should also be impressed by his form in the current campaign.

Appearances

10

10

Minutes played

728

900

Goals

1

2

Minutes per goal

728

450

Assists

0

2

Minutes per assist

N/A

450

Minutes per goal contribution

728

225

As you can see in the table above, Turley has scored two goals and provided two assists in ten appearances in the Lowland League for the B team this term, whilst Hatate only has one goal contribution in all competitions.

The 19-year-old starlet, who has scored seven goals in his last 57 matches at academy level (Transfermarkt), has shown that he can provide quality as an attacking threat from a central midfield position, which is what Engels and Hatate have struggled with of late.

Turley, poetically in this context, replaced Hatate to make his debut against St Mirren last year, and it could be the Japan international who loses his place in the side to make way for the teenager to establish himself in the senior team.

It is now down to Rodgers to provide the Northern Irish talent with an opportunity to shine in the first-team if Hatate and Engels both continue to struggle in the Premiership and in European competitions this season.

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Hopefully, Turley will be able to grasp his chance and make a name for himself at senior level for the Scottish giants if that opportunity does come his way.

Rain and a late collapse saw the hosts work their way back into the contest

Madushka Balasuriya18-Jun-2025
Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das scored 401 runs among them, but the complexion of the game changed after a two-hour rain interruption as Sri Lanka came roaring back late in the day, to leave Bangladesh on 484 for 9 at stumps of day two in Galle.It meant the 20.4 overs bowled in the final session saw five wickets fall for 61 runs, and resulted in a dramatic Bangladesh collapse following two mammoth back-to-back stands – 264 and 149 – between Shanto and Mushfiqur, and then Mushfiqur and Litton.Milan Rathnayake, who had toiled with little reward, was the chief beneficiary of the rain break. His 22.4 overs went for just 38 runs, but once some moisture had returned to the surface, he became instrumental, running through the lower order and tail.Jaker Ali was his first victim, when an 123kph inswinger snuck through his defences. He then got one to seam away from Nayeem Hasan, who edged behind, before angling one into Taijul Islam and castling him.Asitha Fernando, meanwhile, was responsible for breaking both monster partnerships. Shanto had chipped a drive to mid-off in the morning session, and then late in the day Asitha angled one back into Mushfiqur to trap him leg before – a decision that was held up upon referral on umpire’s call.Debutant Tharindu Rathnayake, meanwhile, frustrated Litton Das with defensive leg-stump lines, which eventually resulted in an ill-judged reverse sweep that popped up for Kusal Mendis to come around and grab.In terms of a mood-shifting session, Sri Lanka couldn’t have asked for more, particularly as for most of the day it looked like Bangladesh would continue to pile on the runs in the aim of batting just once this Test.Up until the rain break – and a little after that – rather than Bangladesh getting bowled out, the more immediate prospect seemed to be of them reaching 550, or possibly 600.Sri Lanka had had their chances, but none truly clear cut. Either side of the morning drinks break there were run-out opportunities that went begging. The first a result of the throw being sent to the wrong end, the second a missed direct hit.The very next over, Mushfiqur took on Prabath Jayasuriya, and laced one inches over his head. By the time Prabath put his hands up, the ball had already passed – a half-chance at best. Then at the start of the next over, Litton shanked one low and hard to midwicket, where Pathum Nissanka couldn’t hold on.Milan, who had exited the field earlier in the day with a seeming muscle strain, was back in action after lunch and his persistence seemed to have paid off when he eventually drew a false stroke from Mushfiqur, jagging one back from a good length between bat and pad. The ball struck the back pad in front of middle stump and Milan set off on a celebrappeal. Except the umpire was unmoved.Rain halted Bangladesh’s march in Galle•AFP/Getty ImagesThe instant review from Sri Lanka showed that the ball had deviated just enough to be hitting the wickets, but not enough to overturn the umpire’s call. The look of frustration, disbelief and defeat on the Sri Lankan faces told a story.The rain came shortly after, and Sri Lanka were forced to sit with that feeling. It was particularly galling in that, at the start of the day, Asitha had similarly trapped Shanto, and that time the finger had gone up only for the DRS to reveal there was some bat involved.But with a change in weather, so did Sri Lanka’s fortunes shift. Litton took it up himself to up the tempo, targeting Prabath in particular – the highlight a pair of delectable late cuts. Mushfiqur however was being kept quiet at the other end, and that allied with some tiredness was probably what led to his dismissal.Perhaps, in hindsight, Bangladesh may also wonder if they should have pressed the scoring rate a little higher when so little was on offer for the bowlers for most of the day. But as it was, Sri Lanka stuck to steady lines and lengths and Bangladesh were happy to proceed at a scoring rate of around three an over. To put it into context, Australia had earlier this year romped at roughly four an over in Galle to really put the pressure on the bowlers.There were periods to be fair when Bangladesh would seek to up the scoring, with Litton in particular happy to take on the bowling – the last ten overs prior to lunch for example went at five an over – but such periods were few and far between and it meant the scoreboard ticked along steadily, but not at a rate Sri Lanka would have been unduly concerned by.In the end it meant the batting line-up apart from Litton, Mushfiqur and Shanto has been limited to 68 runs.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has downplayed concerns surrounding his side’s defensive weakness from set-pieces ahead of Sunday’s London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. With Spurs emerging as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous dead-ball sides, the Italian insists Chelsea are working to correct their vulnerabilities as they look to turn mixed domestic form into consistency.

Chelsea's flaky set-piece defending abilities

Maresca faced questions in his pre-match press conference about Chelsea’s worrying trend of conceding from set plays ahead of their trip to Tottenham. The Blues have shipped multiple goals from such situations in recent weeks — including a damaging long-throw equaliser against Sunderland and a chaotic concession to Wolves in the Carabao Cup. Those lapses have amplified scrutiny on a side that sits ninth in the Premier League after nine games, struggling to find defensive balance despite notable progress in attack.

Tottenham, meanwhile, present an added layer of danger. Thomas Frank’s men have thrived on creative dead-ball routines, with Micky van de Ven scoring twice from corners in their recent win over Everton and Kevin Danso’s long throws causing havoc in the opposition's box. With Spurs earning a reputation for their clever set-piece execution, Chelsea’s defensive fragility in this area has become a clear talking point heading into the London showdown.    Maresca, however, remains calm in his assessment. The Italian pointed out that set-piece situations are inherently unpredictable and believes that while the numbers are concerning, they do not paint the full picture of his team’s defensive performances this season. Still, with Chelsea having conceded more expected goals (xG) and shots from set pieces than any other Premier League team, their ability to withstand Tottenham’s aerial threat will be under close observation this weekend.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMaresca downplays the focus on set-piece frailties

“Tottenham, I think that they are doing very good,” Maresca said when asked about the upcoming derby. “They finished last season winning the Europa League. They started very good this season and also because it's a derby for sure it would be a difficult game.”

Addressing Chelsea’s defensive frailty from set-pieces, he added: “I think that set-pieces you are going to score goals and you are going to concede goals. The reason why is because if we say that when we concede, we are not strong enough.”

“I think that with set-pieces, there are teams that they score more goals, less goals, but at the end, set-pieces you are going to score and concede goals because there are actions that are so difficult to defend. We are working on [defending set-pieces]. For sure, we are working. For sure.” 

Chelsea's defensive structure collapses during set-pieces

Maresca’s comments come against the backdrop of alarming statistics that underline Chelsea’s struggles at defending dead-ball situations this season. The Blues have conceded an expected goals value of 6.10 from set-pieces, the highest in the Premier League, and 45% of their total xG against comes from such situations. Nearly 40% of all shots faced by Chelsea have arrived from corners, free-kicks, or throw-ins, leaving Maresca with a clear tactical headache to solve.   

These defensive shortcomings have come despite improvements elsewhere. Chelsea rank among the league’s best in open-play defensive shot quality (0.14 xG per shot conceded), reflecting a well-structured unit that is generally difficult to break down. However, lapses in concentration and organisation during set-piece phases have repeatedly cost them crucial points, including the 2-1 defeat to Sunderland that exposed their susceptibility to long throws and second-ball scrambles inside the box.

While some have attributed the issue to personnel changes and physical mismatches, Maresca insists it is a collective problem that requires repetition and focus on the training pitch. With Tottenham’s tall defenders and aggressive delivery style, this weekend’s clash serves as an early test of whether those sessions have begun to yield results.  

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AFPChelsea face massive test against dead-ball specialists Spurs

Chelsea head into Sunday’s London derby aiming to bounce back from the inconsistency that has defined their Premier League campaign. Maresca’s men currently sit ninth with a record of four wins, two draws, and three defeats — a mixture of high-scoring triumphs, such as the 5-1 demolition of West Ham, and frustrating slip-ups at Stamford Bridge. They remain a work in progress, but one with clear attacking potential and renewed belief under their new coach. 

Tottenham’s own home form has been patchy, with just four points collected from four matches in North London. Yet their ability to create danger from corners, free-kicks, and throw-ins has been a defining strength this term, and they’ll look to exploit Chelsea’s vulnerabilities in this area. The duel between Maresca’s possession-based control and Frank’s direct, set-piece-focused strategy could prove decisive in determining the outcome of this derby.  

To say that Arsenal are unrecognisable as a club today from the one Mikel Arteta took charge of over five years ago would be an understatement.

The Spaniard has helped to completely overhaul the club from top to bottom and has signed some incredible players in the process.

One of his very best additions to the squad has undoubtedly been Declan Rice, who was once again incredible in the Champions League this week.

And now, it looks like another of Arteta’s signings is transforming into a Rice-type player this season.

Rice's best European nights for Arsenal

Since joining the club for £105m in the summer of 2023, Rice has made 26 appearances for Arsenal in the Champions League, in which he has scored four goals, provided four assists and averaged 2.12 points per game.

Chalkboard

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

It would be fair to say that across those 26 games, he has been pretty incredible for the North Londoners, but when it comes to picking out his best European nights in red and white, there are three that stick out, the first of which is the home game against Paris Saint-Germain in the league phase last season.

It was a game the Gunners comfortably won 2-0, and one in which the former West Ham United captain totally bossed the Parisians’ smaller and, at the time, out-of-form midfield.

The Englishman didn’t pick up a goal or assist in that game, but he did do that in his second-best Champions League display for the club, which came on Wednesday this week.

Arteta started his record signing in the left eight against Atlético Madrid, and as fans have now come to expect, he was cool, calm and composed on the ball and a physical monster off of it.

Moreover, he provided the assist for Gabriel Magalhães’ opener, and then it was his corner that eventually led to Viktor Gyokeres’ second goal, and the team’s fourth.

However, while the 26-year-old was great against Atleti, he was out of this world against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals last season.

The midfield machine put in an extraordinary shift at the Bernabéu, but it was the home leg where he was utterly sublime, stopping everything in the middle of the park and then scoring those two world-class free-kicks.

In short, while he cost a lot of money, Rice has been worth every penny for Arsenal, and now another of Arteta’s signings is starting to embody some of his best traits.

Arsenal's new Rice-type star

Due to Arteta’s brilliant signings and Hale End’s production of talent, there is no shortage of incredible players in Arsenal’s squad, but the player who is becoming something of a Rice-type star is Riccardo Calafiori.

Now, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean they are the same type of player, as that would be a silly thing to suggest.

However, there are some increasingly obvious similarities between the pair, with the first being their mentality.

Like the Englishman, since coming back from his string of injuries that kept him out for most of last season, the former Bologna star has played like a man possessed.

Not only is he someone who can and does bound forward with the ball at his feet, but he’s also more than happy to get into a physical duel with an opponent to try and keep the ball or win it. As The Telegraph’s Sam Dean aptly put it, he plays like a “wild horse on the loose.”

On top of that, he is also a sensational striker of the ball, and while he isn’t delivering set-pieces, it has been on show in the goals he has scored over the last year, and even those that have been disallowed, like that unreal volley against Fulham last weekend.

Moreover, like the former West Ham man, the Italian international seems to have limitless energy, and this season has been allowed the freedom to roam here, there and everywhere on the pitch.

This “positionless” approach in games, as one analyst puts it, makes him a nightmare for opponents to defend against and could help him snuff out counters before they have a chance to get out of their half at times.

Finally, the Rome-born titan is also one of the best in his position in the league, as according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of full-backs for expected goals, shots, goal-creating actions, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for tackles in the attacking third and more, all per 90.

xG: Expected Goals

0.28

Top 2%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.28

Top 2%

Shots Total

2.35

Top 2%

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.29

Top 2%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.73

Top 2%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.15

Top 2%

SCA (Shot)

0.44

Top 6%

GCA (Shot)

0.15

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.96

Top 6%

Goals + Assists

0.44

Top 10%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.15

Top 10%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.44

Top 10%

Goals

0.15

Top 13%

Assists

0.29

Top 13%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.15

Top 13%

npxG/Shot

0.12

Top 13%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.44

Top 17%

Ultimately, Calafiori has been unreal for Arsenal this season, and as he has got better, he has become more and more of a Rice-type player.

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