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Tottenham Hotspur is a club that has so often been home to numerous elite-level attackers, many of whom have captured the hearts of supporters in the process.

Harry Kane will remain as the Lilywhites’ best-ever goalscorer, with his remarkable figures during his decade-long stint in North London backing up such claims.

The Englishman scored 280 times in his 435 appearances for the club, subsequently breaking the late Jimmy Greaves’ long-standing goalscoring record.

He also formed a deadly partnership with Heung-min Son during his time in the first team, with the duo linking up together on 47 occasions – the most of any pairing in Premier League history.

However, current boss Thomas Frank has been unable to rely upon either of the stars after taking the reins during the off-season, after both were sold in the last handful of years.

Numerous other teams currently boast players of similar characteristics, which has often seen them produce the goods on a consistent basis against them in the Premier League.

The pain Bukayo Saka has inflicted on Spurs in the PL

The North London derby is one of the first dates all Spurs fans look for in the calendar every year, with such a fixture having huge importance in terms of bragging rights.

Winger Bukayo Saka has been a player the Lilywhites supporters have certainly envied over the last few years, with the Englishman often producing the goods against the Lilywhites.

He’s helped Mikel Arteta’s side claim numerous victories in the clashes between the two sides in recent years, subsequently inflicting pain on the Lilywhites faithful as a result.

After his debut for the Gunners five years ago, he’s racked up 10 appearances against Spurs, even finding the back of the net in 50% of the matches he’s featured in.

From solo efforts, as seen in the clash back in April 2024, to assists for Gabriel in the meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Saka has constantly proved to be a nuisance.

Given the levels he’s achieved in the Premier League over the last couple of years, the Lilywhites faithful will no doubt have wished that they had a player of his calibre in their ranks.

The Spurs star who could be their answer to Saka

In the present day, Spurs boss Frank does have numerous attacking options at his disposal, but many have failed to meet the expectations in 2025/26 to date.

Brennan Johnson has fallen down the pecking order after the Dane’s arrival, subsequently only starting five of the club’s 11 league outings in the Premier League this season.

The Welshman has only registered two goals, but has failed to match the levels he produced last season, which saw him find the net on 18 occasions across all competitions.

His failures have led to youngsters such as Wilson Odobert being handed the chance to impress in North London, but the manager will no doubt want further options off the left-hand flank.

Son’s departure has seen an elite-level talent vacate the squad, leaving a huge hole for one player to potentially fill in the long-term future under Frank.

Mikey Moore could well prove to be the beneficiary in the years ahead, with the teenager deserving of a consistent run in the first-team to allow him to reach his full potential.

The 18-year-old made 19 appearances across all competitions last season, taking advantage of the injury crisis and even registering his first senior goal in the Europa League.

However, he’s been sent on loan to Rangers this campaign in an attempt to gain valuable first-team minutes elsewhere to help aid his development and build on last season’s success.

During his temporary stint in Scotland, the teenager has shown glimpses of his quality, subsequently netting his first goal for Danny Rohl’s side against Dundee last weekend.

Underlying figures such as 1.7 dribbles completed per 90 and 7.7 ball recoveries per 90 further indicate his all-round talents – something which is extremely rare given his tender age.

Games played

9

Goals & assists

2

Dribbles completed

1.7

Ball recoveries

7.7

Shots taken

1.7

Pass accuracy

76%

Chances created

1.2

Aerial duels won

80%

Moore’s performances at Rangers have already seen him receive huge praise from analysts around Spurs, with one of which labelling the winger as “the best prospect in the country”.

However, it’s crucial that the club manage expectations of the youngster, especially if he is to reach the levels that many people around North London know he is capable of achieving.

Despite that, fans have a reason to be excited, with Moore’s rise through the academy and immediate impact as a teenager extremely similar to Saka’s emergence at Arsenal.

Like his compatriot, he has the tools to make a name for himself in the North London derby, subsequently handing the fans memories to cherish in such an iconic fixture.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why the youngster can’t play a huge role in the Spurs first team, potentially helping Frank claim added silverware in the near future.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2025

Middlesex teenager Sebastian Morgan narrowly misses maiden career hundred after sharing 179 stand with his captain

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Gloucestershire 146 for 3 (Charlesworth 63) trail Middlesex 634 for 9 dec (du Plooy 263*, Morgan 97, Cracknell 64, Singh Dale 5-108) by 488 runsTeenage tailender Sebastian Morgan narrowly missed out on a maiden career hundred as Middlesex racked up the joint fifth-highest total in their history against Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Morgan, who turned 18 last month and is making his third first-class appearance, was out for 97 after sharing a partnership of 179 with his captain Leus du Plooy – a county record for the eighth wicket against Gloucestershire – to help Middlesex amass 634 for 9 declared.Du Plooy also posted his best first-class score, an unbeaten 263, to put the visitors firmly under pressure in their final Rothesay County Championship game of the season, despite Ajeet Singh Dale’s return of 5 for 108.Gloucestershire openers Ben Charlesworth (63) and Joe Phillips (36) responded with a century stand before three wickets fell for eight runs, two of them to spinner Zafar Gohar against his former team.Singh Dale, stuck on four wickets since the previous afternoon in his farewell game for Gloucestershire, lost no more time in completing a five-for, with Joe Cracknell taken low at slip for 64 in the seamer’s first over of the morning.He might have claimed a sixth victim soon afterwards when former team-mate Gohar swished outside off stump, but this time slip fielder Ollie Price could not cling onto the chance.It was spinner Graeme van Buuren who eventually removed Gohar, dragging on from a long way outside off stump and his dismissal seemed to dispel any Middlesex thoughts of making a dart for a fifth batting bonus point.Instead, Du Plooy sidled towards 200 while Morgan kept the scoreboard ticking along with an early brace of sweetly-struck fours off Marchant de Lange and went on to dominate the partnership.Du Plooy eventually emerged from his shell, charging down the track to drive Price over the top for four to seal his double ton from 294 balls, while Morgan’s half-century arrived soon afterwards courtesy of a leg-side clip to the fence off Singh Dale.Despite a spell of playing and missing to Matt Taylor just after lunch – and a return chance on 72 that De Lange was unable to grab – the teenager continued to flourish, expanding his repertoire to include a slog sweep and reverse sweep.Both were productive against Gloucestershire’s spinners, with a six off Jack Taylor ushering the total past the 600 mark shortly after identical tactics by Du Plooy had lifted his personal score beyond 250.But Morgan’s decision to attempt another reverse sweep against Price proved his undoing as he overbalanced while James Bracey took off the bails and, after a quickfire 19 by Toby Roland-Jones, the declaration soon followed.That left Phillips and Charlesworth to navigate 10 overs until tea and they did so with little cause for concern, the left-hander looking strong off his pads as well as punching Roland-Jones for two cover boundaries.Successive fours off Noah Cornwell took Charlesworth along to 50 at just under a run a ball and he continued on the offensive, using his feet and dispatching Gohar over the top twice in an over.Phillips gained a life when Roland-Jones found the edge, only for Sam Robson – diving across from slip – to shell the chance, but the seamer did achieve a breakthrough in his next over as Charlesworth tried to cut and Cracknell snared a tumbling catch behind the stumps.Gohar then struck twice in quick succession, pinning Phillips lbw before a looping bat-pad catch accounted for Miles Hammond, but Price and Bracey guided Gloucestershire to the close with another 339 needed to save the follow-on.

Tottenham number one Guglielmo Vicario faces an uncertain long-term future amid reports of Inter Milan’s interest, with his personal stance on an exit now also coming to light.

Guglielmo Vicario criticised after recent Tottenham outings

Vicario’s tenure at Tottenham appears increasingly uncertain following his costly error against Fulham, which added to the concerns surrounding his capability as their first-choice goalkeeper.

The 29-year-old endured a nightmare moment during Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat to Fulham last Saturday, rushing needlessly off his line before playing a weak clearance straight to Josh King.

Harry Wilson capitalised spectacularly, curling home from near the touchline to double the visitors’ advantage inside six minutes.

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The blunder sparked an immediate negative reaction from frustrated Tottenham supporters, who booed Vicario throughout the remainder of the first half.

Thomas Frank defended his goalkeeper afterward, questioning whether those jeering could be considered true Spurs fans, with damage to the relationship between keeper and supporters appearing pretty significant.

Much was already made of the Italy international’s weak command of his area, with pundits suggesting that opposition teams should target Vicario as a weak link in Spurs’ side.

Frank has also been urged to drop the ex-Empoli star by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who called Vicario ‘nervous as a kitten’ with his distribution.

Despite his torrid time lately, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Inter hold a serious interest in Vicario, and the prospect of a 2026 transfer back to Italy isn’t ruled out.

Now, Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport have shared their own update on the matter.

Guglielmo Vicario yearns for Tottenham exit and sends message to his agents

Indeed, Vicario has apparently communicated his growing frustration with life at Tottenham to his representatives, revealing his weariness and how he’s ‘yearning’ for a Serie A return.

La Gazzetta claim the shot-stopper has grown tired of difficult seasons at Spurs and has informed his agents that the current term could mark his final year in English football.

The newspaper suggests a powerful emotional pull toward his homeland is driving his thinking, with a permanent return to Italy now firmly on his mind.

Inter have emerged as the frontrunners for his signature, with reports in Italy indicating the Nerazzurri have already opened discussions with Vicario’s representatives.

The Serie A champions are said to view him as an ideal long-term replacement for veteran Yann Sommer, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are reportedly already scouring the market for potential replacements.

Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen has been identified as a potential option, with TEAMtalk reporting earlier this week that Spurs have made contact over the keeper who Bayern are also looking at as an heir to Manuel Neuer.

Penny for Alexander Isak’s thoughts? Liverpool’s record-breaking striker has been down by the wayside right since the summer, and the fans are desperate to see him recover his form and showcase that world-class quality.

Isak left Newcastle United for Anfield at the end of the summer transfer window, on strike throughout August following a breakdown in relations on Tyneside. It’s been a struggle ever since, with the lack of a pre-season and injury issues in recent months limiting him to just four Premier League starts so far.

This is all symptomatic of the deeper malaise at Arne Slot’s Liverpool. Slot’s Liverpool, last season’s dominant league champions, have been pants this year, with nine losses in their past 12 matches in all competitions.

Not good enough. Isak’s only goal came against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, a competition the Merseysiders have since been dumped out of.

He will surely come good, but FSG will be anxiously waiting for proof that they have got bang for their buck. At the moment, Isak is offering less than Darwin Nunez before him.

Why Liverpool sold Darwin Nunez

Slot’s brand of football is built on structure and. Both he and Jurgen Klopp subscribe to attacking play, but where the German enjoys heavy metal, Slot is more of a purveyor of smooth jazz.

That was last season, though, with the Reds having left so much to desire this season. Liverpool are so tactically imbalanced, lacking the control of last season.

It’s for this reason that Nunez was sold. Wasteful in front of goal, yes, the Uruguayan was also erratic and mercurial, and given that Slot only started him once in the Premier League after Boxing Day, it’s clear he did not view him as the answer.

25/26(Al-Hilal

10 (6)

5 (2)

24/25 – Liverpool

47 (17)

7 + 7

23/24 – Liverpool

54 (33)

18 + 15

22/23 – Liverpool

42 (26)

15 + 4

21/22 – Benfica

41 (32)

34 + 4

So, it would not be that bold to assume that selling Nunez to Al-Hilal and replacing him with a clinical superstar like Isak was done with a view toward giving Liverpool more accuracy and presence in the final third.

It’s worth stressing that Isak is anticipated to be a success at Anfield. He is too good – and proven in the Premier League – not to click into gear.

But, as journalist David Lynch put it earlier in November, Isak is “offering Liverpool less than Darwin Nunez did” at the same stage last season, and that will certainly need to change going forward.

There is still full anticipation that the Sweden international will be a success story at the club, though, but the same can’t be said for another of Liverpool’s summer recruits, who has so much to prove after a wretched start to the season.

Liverpool's new version of Nunez

In fairness, Nunez scored on his Liverpool debut against Manchester City in the Community Shield. He posted a goal and an assist off the bench on his Premier League debut, a draw at Fulham.

But, ultimately, the 26-year-old’s erraticness and his inability to conform to Klopp and then Slot’s tactical systems led to his sale.

Now, Liverpool may have landed their new version of the South American, and not in Isak, but Milos Kerkez, who completed a £40m move from Bournemouth to the Anfield club this summer.

Kerkez, 22, was named as a part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2024/25, exceptional on the south coast. That fine form is a world away from what Liverpool fans have witnessed over the past three months, with journalist Jean Paul Schiberras claiming he “looks like he has never played football before” in Slot’s set-up.

Following the defeat to PSV, content creator Mark Goldbridge remarked that Kerkez has been “such a bad signing” for Slot’s team. It was a collective shambles on Wednesday evening, but the Hungary international was culpable for lackadaisical defending as the visitors surged forward and took the lead in the second half.

It is incomprehensible to think that Kerkez simply doesn’t have what it takes to play for Liverpool. Last season, he was arguably the best left-back in the league, such a ferocious mix of power and athleticism and energy.

But he is lacking, as it were, street smarts. Kerkez has the skills to succeed at a club like Liverpool, but too often he has suffered from poor decision-making, lacking the awareness and positioning to read danger and ensure he is one, two, three steps ahead.

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

11 (10)

Goals

2

1

Assists

5

0

Touches*

59.6

50.8

Accurate passes*

28.6 (80%)

27.9 (86%)

Chances created*

1.0

0.6

Dribble (success)*

0.6

0.3

Recoveries*

4.7

2.8

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

1.6

Clearances*

2.6

3.3

Duels won*

4.0 (54%)

3.6 (61%)

Errors made

4x

2x

This is why he is an endangered member of this squad. This is why he faces the potential of leaving with a reputation akin to Nunez, brimming with quality but arriving as a young and uncut gem, ultimately failing to bring it all together.

Is he a liability in this team? Perhaps so. It is useful to use Andy Robertson as a yardstick for the conundrum: last season, the Scotsman was clearly on the decline; a left-back was clearly a priority for FSG to sort out. But there are many calls now for the vice-captain to restore a nailed-down starting berth.

Slot has started using the 31-year-old more frequently, yes, but he has only started two of 12 Premier League fixtures this season, one of which includes the comprehensive 2-0 win over Aston Villa earlier this month.

Described as a “nervous wreck” by pundit Jamie Carragher, it’s clear that Kerkez is feeling the weight of moving to one of the world’s largest outfits. It doesn’t help that Slot’s tactics have proved so dysfunctional this term.

But left-back was a glaring weakness at Liverpool last year, and with Kostas Tsimikas out on loan and Robertson winding down, things have only gotten worse for the champions.

In this, Kerkez is becoming a major problem, a liability as concerning as Nunez was.

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Pakistan fast bowler suffered the same penalty as India captain Suryakumar Yadav

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2025

Haris Rauf was penalised for the gestures he made to the crowd during the game against India on September 21•Getty Images

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct during the Super Four game against India in the Asia Cup on September 21. Rauf was fined 30% of his match fee by ICC match referee Richie Richardson.It is understood that Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan was not fined and let off with a warning by Richardson on Friday.During an ill-tempered game in Dubai, Rauf was seen responding to heckling from Indian fans by signalling 6-0 with his hands and making gestures depicting the downing of aircraft, in an apparent reference to the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year. Farhan had celebrated his fifty by mimicking a gunshot.India captain Suryakumar Yadav was also fined 30% after being found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct for making comments that alluded to the military conflict after the group game against Pakistan on September 14. India had appealed against the verdict.The PCB had filed a complaint against Suryakumar, while the BCCI had done the same against Rauf and Farhan. All three players had pleaded not guilty to the charges, which necessitated hearings with Richardson.There was heightened tension between India and Pakistan during their group game on September 14, with India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan at the toss and after the game, which India won by seven wickets. In the Super Four match between the sides, there were a number of confrontations between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s openers. Abhishek Sharma later accused Pakistan of “coming at us for no reason”.The two teams are set to play each other for the third time in the tournament, in the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that the north Londoners will soon benefit from a “very unpredictable” weapon that is set to add something new.

This weekend, Sunderland are next in line to try and break down Arsenal’s imperious defence, which hasn’t been breached since their dramatic 2-1 win away to Newcastle back in September.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

The Black Cats, led by their arguable player of the season so far in ex-Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, are no easy customers and have made one of the best starts by a newly-promoted side in Premier League history.

However, the numbers suggest Regis Le Bris’ side might have their work cut out for them at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Arsenal haven’t just kept eight clean sheets in a row across all competitions, but they also boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues and have marked themselves out as England’s set piece specialists in that time.

No other Premier League side has scored more goals from dead ball situations than Arsenal so far this season (12), with Arteta’s side bringing the dark acts back into fashion.

While Arsenal have been criticised by some for their perceived ‘boring’ style of play, especially from ex-Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, Arteta won’t be fussed in the slightest as his team sit pretty at the top of the table.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline and threat from set pieces are undoubtedly the two main reasons why they’re currently in pole position to win their first Premier League title in 22 years, but speaking ahead of their clash with Sunderland, Arteta revealed they’re about to have another weapon at their disposal.

Mikel Arteta says "very unpredictable" Gabriel Jesus will add something new to Arsenal

£265,000-per-week striker Gabriel Jesus hasn’t played since Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United back in January after rupturing his ACL, and reports once claimed that the Brazilian might not be back in action until next year.

However, Jesus has now returned to training, so his comeback is nigh, as Arteta explains how “thrilled” he is by the news.

The 28-year-old has been repeatedly linked with a January exit following the arrival of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to return from injury in time for the North London derby at the end of November.

That being said, it appears Arteta still has big plans for Jesus at Arsenal, with the forward capable of playing out wide as well as at centre-forward.

It will be very interesting to see how the former Man City star fits into Arteta’s tactical set-up, especially once their full complement of attackers in Gyokeres, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke return from injury too.

Just three of England’s men’s Ashes squad will join the Lions to play in the Prime Minster’s XI fixture in Canberra, with only Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue dropping in for the two-day match which begins on Saturday.The trio were unused for the first Test in Perth, with Bethell and Potts playing for the Lions against a Cricket Australia XI, which ran parallel to the Ashes opener. Both matches started on Friday, but the match at Lilac Hill ended up running twice as long. However, it concluded on Monday with an identical result; a dominant eight-wicket win by the home team, led by a glitzy century from Josh Inglis, opening the batting in the Travis Head role.That England are not sending their ‘starters’ to Canberra will draw scorn, with many pundits already critical of their anticipated absence even before Monday’s confirmation.Related

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As well as offering them more cricket after the opening Test lasted just two days, the day-night fixture would have given them invaluable experience ahead of the the pink-ball Test match at the Gabba, which begins on December 4. England do not have a great day-night record, losing five out of seven, including two on the previous Ashes tour. Australia, meanwhile, have won 13 out of 14 under lights.”It’s amateurish if they don’t go and play now,” Michael Vaughan, England’s 2005 Ashes-winning captain, said. “What harm is playing two days of cricket with a pink ball under lights?”It’s not being old-school to suggest that a pink ball is different to a red ball. Playing under the lights is different. Australia have won pretty much every pink-ball game in Australia: they’ve lost once. I’m not too old-school to suggest that they should play in that game… I’d like to know why they wouldn’t.”Both Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum espoused the value of keeping the squad together after Saturday’s chastening conclusion to the first Test, both to isolate them from the outside noise and maintain spirits. That they are sticking to their guns is no surprise.The main squad will travel from Perth to Brisbane on Wednesday, and will begin training at the Gabba this weekend. The Lions, along with Bethell, Potts and Tongue, head to Canberra on Tuesday.

Allrounder produced composed half-century in rare opportunity, but couldn’t set up victory

Valkerie Baynes18-Jul-2025Doing her own thing served Alice Davidson-Richards well in her comeback to the England Women’s ODI squad, even if it didn’t serve those back at HQ quite so well at the precise moment of her recall.Davidson-Richards scored a half-century in a 106-run stand with Surrey team-mate Sophia Dunkley in the first of three ODIs against India on Wednesday night.Their fifth-wicket partnership rescued England from 97 for 4, but it wasn’t enough to win the game, India prevailing off the back of Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 62 to make Saturday’s match at Lord’s a must-win prospect for the hosts.Related

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It was Davidson-Richards’ second innings for England since 2023, having played twice against West Indies earlier this season, although she was only required to bat once and scored 7 not out in a series dominated by the home side’s top-order.She said she had been so focused on playing for Surrey that, when England Women’s head coach Charlotte Edwards came calling, Davidson-Richards was in another world.”I had six missed calls,” Davidson-Richards said. “Lott was like, ‘where you’ve been?’ I said, ‘I was in a theatre with no signal, pal.'”They were waiting for the email for the squad to go out and I hadn’t got a signal, so I hadn’t found out yet. It was a bit of a surprise to come out and have all the missed calls and then speak on the phone with Lott, it was a pretty epic evening.”Davidson-Richards also said she hadn’t let Edwards’ edict that domestic performances would have greater influence on international selection into her mind too much, as she amassed 289 runs in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at an average of 48.16 and strike rate of 102.84, with a highest score of 100.She was also instrumental in cementing Surrey’s position at the top of the T20 Blast table with an unbeaten 28 and 3 for 11 against Warwickshire earlier this month.She credits working with Surrey sports psychologist Louise Byrne and head coach Johann Myburgh with helping her through nearly two years on the fringes of England selection. Now, her recall has come at an opportune time for Davidson-Richards, with the World Cup in India just over two months away.

“For me it’s always been a goal. It’s never gone away, but the focus on just myself and trying to win games for – then it was South East Stars and now it’s Surrey – became the main focus”Davidson-Richards on playing for England

“The main thing for me has being trusting my game and trusting myself and the skills that I do really well,” Davidson-Richards said. “I’m quite an up-and-down human at times, so trying to stay as level as possible and keep trusting myself as the games go on.””For me it’s always been a goal,” she added of her desire to play for England. “It’s never gone away, but the focus on just myself and trying to win games for, then it was South East Stars and now it’s Surrey, became the main focus.”When I started focusing on those sorts of things first, and the little things, then the stuff further along the line tends to come along.”Dunkley, who has batted up and down the order at international level in recent years, showed her own comfort at No. 5 with a top score of 83 in the opening ODI against India, where she enjoyed being reunited with Davidson-Richards.”I’ve batted with her loads at Surrey,” Dunkley said. “We’ve batted together in a lot of different partnerships, she’s great to bat with, really calm and really good at ODI cricket so it’s nice to bat with her.”I really like batting in the middle. I’ve batted all different places and I think I’ve settled in that role, batting four for Surrey and now batting five. It suits my game quite well and hopefully I can impact the game more going forward there.”The immediate task will be keeping the series alive at Lord’s, the scene of Deepti’s run-out of Charlie Dean while backing up, which sealed a 3-0 sweep of the corresponding series in 2022.Deepti and Dean have since played as team-mates at London Spirit in the Hundred, with Deepti telling ESPNcricinfo she had parked the dismissal as an “in-the-past” thing.If, at the time, the incident had represented India asserting themselves at the home of cricket, then they have gone a step further on this tour. India’s 3-2 victory in the T20I series was more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests, comprising three emphatic wins against two last-ball thrillers that went England’s way, including the dead-rubber fifth match. They have since gone on to win a scrappier affair at Southampton that left both sides with clear areas for improvement.For India, their fielding came under the microscope amid a rash of dropped catches, as did a top-order which failed to capitalise on starts and relied on a fifth-wicket stand worth 90 between Deepti and Jemimah Rodrigues to keep a modest target in sight.England found themselves at least 20 runs short upon batting first and will be looking for more from the top order which crushed West Indies at the start of summer.

This might be the first international break in some time that West Ham United fans can’t wait for it to end.

The East Londoners are still in the Premier League relegation zone, but following back-to-back wins, there is a sense of optimism that they can avoid a protracted fight for survival this year.

After all, Nuno Espirtio Santo took Nottingham Forest from near the bottom of the table to Europa League football in a season and a half; why can’t he achieve something similar at the London Stadium?

However, before fans get carried away, there are still a number of players who need to be moved on from the squad, including one flop previously compared to Andrea Pirlo.

West Ham's biggest losers since Nuno arrived

After a slightly rocky start, Nuno does look to have finally stabilised and improved things at West Ham.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

However, while the team appears to be somewhat on the up, and the fans are starting to feel justifiably optimistic about what the rest of the campaign could bring, some players have lost out due to the appointment of the Portuguese coach.

For example, while James Ward-Prowse was a constant feature in Graham Potter’s midfield, he hasn’t played a minute under the new regime.

In fact, the former Southampton captain hasn’t even been named in a single squad, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise considering Nuno also froze him out when he was on loan at the City Ground last year.

Another Potter signing who has had no luck under the Sao-Tome-born boss is Igor Julio.

The Brazilian centre-back joined the Hammers on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion on deadline day, and so far has played 13 minutes of football under his new boss, which came in three short appearances off the bench.

What makes this worse is the fact that Konstantinos Mavropanos has been out injured for almost a month, and even so, he has still been limited to a bit-part role at best.

Finally, although this may be a bit harsh, the manager appears to have lost faith in Soungoutou Magassa.

The Frenchman started his first two games in charge, but has since played just 30 minutes of action across the last four league games, thanks to two substitutions.

With that said, he’s still young and clearly talented, so there is every chance Nuno will eventually use him more often, which cannot be said for a West Ham flop who was once compared to Pirlo, but now needs to be sold as soon as possible.

The West Ham flop compared to Pirlo

The midfield pairing of Freddie Potts and Mateus Fernandes, which has worked so well in recent games, has made it evident that West Ham need to get rid of their other midfield options, who have looked way off it this season: Andrew Irving.

The Hammers signed the Scotsman in the summer of 2023 from Austrian outfit Klagenfurt, and while it wasn’t really a big deal at the time, there was a hope he’d prove to be a bargain buy, especially as he’d been compared to the legendary Pirlo in the past.

Yes, while it was certainly tongue-in-cheek, he was given the nickname ‘Portobello Pirlo’ by the fans during his time with Scottish outfit Hearts, where he made 61 appearances, scoring five goals and providing 13 assists.

Unfortunately, while he was probably deserving of the comparison north of the border, he hasn’t shown any Pirlo-esque quality in the capital.

In fact, in the words of journalist Jordan Rushworth, he has looked more like a “National League standard” midfielder, adding that he “gets walked past every time an opposition midfielder has the ball.”

While harsh and probably a little over the top, the 25-year-old has looked miles off it in Claret and Blue, and was starting in the middle of the park during Nuno’s struggles against Brentford and Leeds United.

In fact, it was in the aftermath of the former that Jamie Carragher described the Hammers as “one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League history!”

This lack of dynamism in the middle of the park was largely down to the once-capped Scotsman, and his statistics from that game did not make for pleasant reading.

In his 61 minutes of inaction, he played a single key pass, misplaced four of five crosses, lost 100% of his tackles, didn’t make a single interception, clearance or block, and lost 100% of his aerial duels.

Minutes

61′

Expected Assists

0.02

Key Passes

1

Shots

0

Crosses (Accurate)

5 (1)

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Tackles (Won)

2 (0)

Clearances

0

Interceptions

0

Blocks

0

Ultimately, Irving has been really quite poor for West Ham this season, and with far better options currently doing the business for Nuno, he should be sold in January.

£67m spent & no Wilson or Fullkrug: Nuno's dream West Ham XI after January

This is the dream West Ham starting line-up that Nuno could build in the January window.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 15, 2025

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