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Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly joined the race to sign a Premier League star alongside interest from London rivals Chelsea.

Thomas Frank clarifies Sarr decision

It’s early days in the Thomas Frank era, but Tottenham have already shown marked improvement. The Lilywhites have already shown glimpses of their best form under the Dane, albeit whilst also slipping up more than once, and should look to hand him all the resources he needs to step things up in 2026.

It’s still a transitional period for the new manager, himself, who was questioned earlier this week for dropping Pape Matar Sarr in recent games just weeks after it seemed as though the midfielder would play a pivotal part.

The decision to drop the midfielder has been an interesting one given how he initially started, but one that represents how Frank is still attempting to find his best side.

Sunday’s clash against Everton is certainly a game that Spurs could do with winning, with or without Sarr. Coming in off the back of defeat against Aston Villa and then a midweek draw in Monaco, the Lilywhites should be desperate to avoid three games without victory.

Aston Villa eyeing £150,000-a-week Man City star who Pep is set to sell

The Villans are ready to pounce ahead of competition from elsewhere.

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 24, 2025

Meanwhile, away from the pitch, those in North London are also commencing a new era without Daniel Levy and already reportedly have one of their first signings in mind.

Tottenham join race to sign Konsa

Setting their sights on defensive reinforcements, Tottenham have joined the race to sign Ezri Konsa. According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites have joined Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool in pursuit of the centre-back’s signature in 2026, with Aston Villa still facing PSR issues.

Considering the previous injury woes of Mick van de Ven and Cristian Romero, who is one of the best defenders in the Premier League when fit, signing an additional centre-back would be no bad idea. Konsa, as an experienced Premier League star, also stands out as a formidable option to target.

The £75,000-a-week England international has already earned praise from the likes of Jamie Redknapp too, with the former Tottenham star going as far as to describe the Villa star as “tremendous” last year.

It’s now up to a new-look board to secure what would be an excellent signing for Tottenham ahead of a number of Premier League rivals.

Bumrah is set to return after being rested in Edgbaston, while Archer will play his first Test in more than four years

Andrew Miller09-Jul-20251:39

Manjrekar: India should not get carried away with Edgbaston win

Big picture: India have the momentum after Edgbaston triumphAt Headingley, India lost the unlosable Test. At Edgbaston, they made spectacular amends, in circumstances that belied even their most optimistic pre-series hopes.If there had been a quiet belief before the tour that Shubman Gill was too good to keep averaging below 30 in overseas Tests, then the captain’s match haul of 430 runs – second only to Graham Gooch in a famous forerunner of this latest Lord’s contest 35 years ago – was an insatiable response to his team’s hour of need.And if India’s team selection – with their focus on batting depth in the lower-middle order – had implied a willingness to settle for a draw while their star strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah preserved his strength for the back end of the campaign, then no one told Akash Deep that he was intended as a conservative pick.Related

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Akash Deep’s superb ten-wicket haul dripped with a new-ball threat of which Bumrah himself would have been proud, most particularly his candidate for ball of the series to Joe Root in the second innings (and no, it was not a back-foot no-ball – MCC has clarified the ruling).With Mohammed Siraj stepping up as he has often done in Bumrah’s absence (his average in 15 Tests without Bumrah is almost eight points lower than when he plays second fiddle), India’s seamers harnessed an especially truculent Dukes ball and made sure that barely an over went to waste while it was at its shiniest and newest. England’s startling tally of six ducks in the first innings confirmed the extent to which England were caught cold by fast bowling of the highest class.Not that England will be unduly rattled by the extent of this setback. It’s easy to mock their determination to take on any given run-chase, particularly when two of their last four fourth innings have resulted in defeats by 423 runs against New Zealand in Hamilton in December, and now by 336 runs at Edgbaston.But six 250-plus chases in the Bazball era, with India on the receiving end of each of their two highest in history, confirms the extent of England’s divorce from precedent. Where once there might have been shame at such a monumental thumping in a Test match, now there’s merely a shrug, and a determination to do the same again next time, only better.4:11

Harmison draws parallels between Archer and Mo Salah

Whether India allow England to improve on that showing, however, is a different matter. Gill’s relentless run-making at Edgbaston reflected his determination not to be drawn into playing his opponents’ game – as had arguably been the case when he holed out for 147 to trigger the dramatic collapse that allowed England back into that first Test. In the second, fatigue eventually got the better of him on 269 but, until that point, he had been in control of 93% of his shots across 386 balls, a remarkable figure that confirmed his refusal to give any suckers an even break.Perhaps the return of Jofra Archer will give Gill the hurry-up that was so lacking at Edgbaston. The mind’s eye is sure to drift back to Archer’s stunning debut on this ground six years ago, when he felled Steven Smith in the midst of a witheringly quick spell in the 2019 Ashes.The reality, however, might be subtly different. At the age of 30 and with a litany of injuries now hopefully behind him, Archer would be within his rights to pitch himself as a different type of bowler for this second coming: a scalpel rather than the sledgehammer that Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue set out to be, with varying degrees of success, across the first two matches.Either way, it promises to be the grandest of events. Last month, the most illustrious stage in the game proved utterly pivotal to the success of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Now, Lord’s plays host to the modern game’s actual overlords, at the most perfect juncture of a compelling five-Test series. Neither team seems minded to take a backward step, but to judge by the battles that have gone before, someone will have been forced to blink by the time these five days are done.Form guideEngland LWWLW
India WLLLDIn the spotlight: Jofra Archer and Jasprit BumrahThere’s no denying the buzz of anticipation that Jofra Archer’s return to Test cricket has created. There aren’t many more box-office cricketers in England’s ranks, especially given his exploits here at Lord’s in 2019. To say a fair bit of water has flowed under the bridge since then is a gross understatement, but despite his well-documented elbow and back issues, Archer has now been injury-free for the best part of two years.That said, his robustness hasn’t been tested to the fullest extent in white-ball cricket. He bowled just 18 overs on his comeback for Sussex last month, on an admittedly placid deck at Chester-le-Street, but that was sufficient for England to fast-track him back into the big time.1:41

Who makes way for Bumrah?

When it comes to box-office, even Archer has to cede status to the undisputed grandee of contemporary seam bowling. Every ball that Jasprit Bumrah bowled in the first Test at Headingley felt like a wicket about to happen – and so it proved in the first innings, when he struck in each of his first three spells, and would surely have powered India into an indomitable position had it not been for his costly overstep with Harry Brook on 0.Even when his threat was negated in England’s second innings, it first required an outbreak of rare deference from Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett to set the course for their 371-run chase. He’ll be rested and raring to go at Lord’s, with a place on that dressing-room honours board very much in his sights.Team news: Will India persist with Nair at No. 3?True to form, England confirmed their XI well before the match, with Archer returning to the fray. He is the only change from the team that lost at Edgbaston, with Tongue – the series-leading wicket-taker with 11 at 33.63 – making way after his heavy workload in the first two Tests.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jofra Archer, 11 Shoaib BashirBumrah’s absence did not derail India’s ambitions at Edgbaston – far from it – but his return after a fortnight’s rest could turbo-charge their bid to move 2-1 up, in a series in which they’ve been on top for at least seven days out of ten. He is expected to slot back in in place of Prasidh Krishna, whose economy rate took a battering in the first two games.With Akash Deep and Siraj sharing 17 wickets at Edgbaston, that seam unit suddenly looks potent in the extreme. Which is all the more reason why India will likely resist the temptation to include the wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. Washington Sundar was the safer option and justified his pick with a key 42 from No. 8 in the first innings.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Akash Deep, 11 Mohammed Siraj2:22

Harmison: England don’t want a traditional England pitch

Pitch and conditions: Look up, not downLord’s, as the cliché goes, is a “look up, not down” venue, where the overhead conditions play a bigger role in the pitch’s behaviour than the surface itself. This notion was borne out at the WTC final last month, when the sun broke through for the final day and a bit, and a pitch on which both sides had struggled became a road.That precedent is unlikely to discourage England from their preferred “we’ll have a chase” mentality, for all that Stokes insists his team are not webbed to the notion. A clear and dry forecast will be a factor, and so too a surface that still had a covering of live grass on the eve of the match and might offer some assistance on the first morning.Stats and trivia: Root nears 3000 Archer is set to play his 14th Test, and his first since the tour of India in February 2021, 1595 days ago. In that period, he has missed 53 Tests across 18 series, home and away.Gill has a current series tally of 585 runs at 146.25, with three hundreds and a best of 269. Among the many records he could challenge in the remaining three Tests, Gill needs just 18 more to pass Rahul Dravid’s haul of 602 in 2002, the most by an India batter in England. Joe Root needs 45 runs to become the first batter to score 3000 against India in Test cricket. Chris Woakes has taken 32 wickets at 12.90 in seven Tests at Lord’s, including three five-wicket hauls. He has also scored 340 runs at 42.50, including his only Test century … against India in 2018. India have won just three of their previous 19 Tests at Lord’s (against England’s 12 wins). However, two of those have come in their last three visits, in 2014 and in 2021, when Siraj claimed eight wickets in the match after KL Rahul’s match-defining hundred.Quotes”It’s great for English fans, but also for Jof. It’s been a long time coming for him. He can be pretty proud of himself that he’s managed to get himself back here after two pretty big injury scares.”
“Everything. How accurate he is, the way his mind works. It is just amazing. It is more difficult for a wicketkeeper than for a batsman.”
Rishabh Pant is in awe of Bumrah, as he prepares to return for the Lord’s Test

“You’re seeing new faces in the team and that’s all part of us being in that exploration phase,” says South Africa’s captain

Firdose Moonda24-Aug-20253:58

Bavuma: We didn’t recover as a bowling unit and as a team

South Africa’s ODI squad is “quite far,” from where they want to be at the home World Cup in 2027 but have time to get there, according to captain Temba Bavuma.Despite completing a fifth successive bilateral series win over Australia, South Africa lost the final game by a record margin and still see themselves as a squad in transition.”You’re seeing new faces in the team and that’s all part of us being in that exploration phase,” Bavuma said after the third ODI in Mackay. “We’re getting to understand guys, what roles that they can fulfil within the team and what they bring in from a personality point of view. We have time. There’s two years left and we’re definitely not close to where we want to be as a team.”Related

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Though South Africa only handed out two new caps in the Australia ODIs – to Dewald Brevis and Prenelan Subrayen – they also tried a new opening batting combination in Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, moved Bavuma to No.3, had four different batters in three middle-order roles and played with their combination of allrounders and specialist bowlers with varying degrees of success.Markram and Rickelton put on a highest stand of 92 in three matches, but their other two scores were 2 and 11 and both are struggling with their play outside offstump. Bavuma played two of the three games with one score over fifty but a strike rate under 90, which could be cause for concern.In the middle-order, Matthew Breetzke was the standout performer, with two quick half-centuries in two matches before he missed the third with a hamstring concern. Tony de Zorzi looked good, especially off the back foot but gave his wicket away too easily. Similarly, Brevis, who became the holder of South Africa’s highest score in T20Is, holed out in all three innings in the ODIs. Still, Brevis is largely regarded as the cream of that crop and Bavuma and the team are enjoying his talent as much as the rest of us.”It’s refreshing watching him kind of go about his business. He’s not fazed by anything. What’s also quite refreshing is seeing his reaction when he does go out. For him, it’s all about, he should have hit the ball harder. Maybe the more experienced guys will be thinking, was that a good decision or not? But there’s an exuberance of youth from him,” Bavuma said. “The longer he plays, the more he’ll start getting a little bit more batsmanship in his game, especially in the longer formats. For now, it’s entertaining for not just the fans, but for us within the team as well.”From a bowling perspective, South Africa had obvious match-winners in the two games they won. Keshav Maharaj made his case about his value in white-ball cricket with a first ODI five-for and a series economy rate of 4.64 while Lungi Ngidi showed his seniority in a crafty display of variation in game two. The jury might still be out on which of Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder could be edging ahead, especially as they will be competing for a spot with Marco Jansen and while Nandre Burger showed what he can do, Kwena Maphaka’s only game in the series was a baptism of fire.All these are building blocks which Bavuma sees as markers of what the full construction could look like, when South Africa play to their potential. “As much as we won the series, we felt that we weren’t anywhere near our best. So I guess that’s exciting as well, to see us when we start playing close to 100%,” he said.They have their first opportunity to improve in just over a week when they begin a three-match series against England, where Bavuma expects, “a lot more balls to go flying,” and South Africa to keep developing their skills in different conditions. While Cairns and Mackay both heavily suited the team batting first as the ball moved significantly under lights, the way South Africa adapted to the surfaces was the most pleasing thing about the trip for Bavuma.”That we can win away from home – that’s a big thing,” he said. “In terms of what we’re trying to build and achieve as a team, we want to keep building on that winning habit, in whatever format it is. We want every opportunity to keep our standard up, from a skill point of view.”He acknowledged South Africa were severely lacking in the third game, where the bowlers conceded 431 runs and lacked the problem-solving ability that could have limited the damage. “From a control point of view, that definitely wasn’t there. When they put us under pressure, we weren’t able to come up with any type of solution. It is a learning curve, not just for the younger guys, but for even the batters. It’s not every day where you get to where you’re chasing 432. So to be able to come up with some type of formula, that’s something that we kind of need to get to terms with.”

Former Chelsea and Brazil star Oscar has been rushed to hospital by ambulance after suffering a heart scare in training with current side Sao Paulo. According to ESPN, the 34-year-old felt dizzy and lost consciousness for several moments during a bicycle test at the club's training centre. Oscar is currently in the intensive care unit, where he is under observation and said to be in a stable condition.

Oscar suffers heart scare

Oscar began to feel unwell on Tuesday at the club's Barra Funda training center and was promptly treated by the club's medical staff, as reported by ESPN Brasil. The midfielder showed "cardiac changes" during his bicycle test and was promptly taken to hospital for more tests on his heart and an MRI scan. Sources at the club have described the incident as "very serious" and believe his family will not allow him to play professional football again. Oscar's wife is currently pregnant and was asked not to visit the hospital by the midfielder.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesSao Paulo issue statement

Sao Paulo issued a statement following the incident that read: "During tests carried out on the morning of this Tuesday (11), at SuperCT, as part of the preparation aimed at the 2026 pre-season, the athlete Oscar presented an incident with cardiological changes, being promptly attended to by the club's professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita, which was present at the site. The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is currently in stable condition and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis. As per standard procedure and respecting the player's privacy, new information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar."

Club president offers 'positive' update on Oscar

Sao Paulo president Julio Casares has since offered an update on the midfielder. He says he has spoken to Oscar in hospital and offered some detail on what happened at the training ground before he was rushed to hospital.

"I just wanted to inform you that São Paulo, as is customary, conducts group health assessments of its athletes every year in preparation for the following season. Especially since the preseason starts on January 11th, it will be important, and we are bringing forward some of the exams," he told ESPN Brasil.

"Today, the Albert Einstein team was there, a large number of professionals, and a cardiac incident was detected in the athlete Oscar. We were surprised at the time, but he recovered quickly. The team and professionals took him to the Albert Einstein hospital, and he is undergoing tests. I spoke with him in the afternoon; he interacted well, with messages, he is doing very well, and now we have to wait for the results of these tests and wish him a speedy recovery. He is a great athlete who has benefited from the institution and receives very important support. 

"Right now, the focus is on Oscar's recovery and reassuring his family that the initial results are already positive. Now, we need a technical evaluation and a diagnosis of what actually happened. Our leaders will speak about it; I have another commitment, but I'm certain that Oscar will recover."

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AFPOscar's career highlights

Oscar began his career at Sao Paulo and returned to the club back in 2025 after a career that has taken him around the world. The midfielder is perhaps best known for his five years at Chelsea, which brought Premier League, Europa League and League Cup titles. However, he subsequently stunned the football world by leaving the Premier League at the age of just 25 for a lucrative transfer to Shanghai SIPG in January 2017. Oscar spoke about his decision after completing the switch, admitting he had put his family first.

"When I made my decision to come here, I was certainly thinking more of my family than of my career," he told Copa90. "Because in my career I had other very good offers from big teams in Europe. But I thought a little more of my family, and after that – I am still young – I can return."

Oscar didn't come back to Europe and instead spent seven years in China before returning home to his boyhood club on a three-year contract.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has responded to an approach by Juventus this week as the Serie A giants search for Igor Tudor’s replacement.

It’s been an extremely mixed start to 2025/2026 for Maresca after delivering two major trophies in the space of a few months earlier this year.

A win of four straight wins in all competitions before their damning loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last weekend best sums up their inconsistency thus far, with Chelsea only just getting past Premier League bottom side Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

The west Londoners were 3-0 up and cruising thanks to first-half goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao, but the home side seriously threatened an unlikely comeback when Tolu Arokodare and David Wolfe pulled it back to 3-2.

Summer signing Jamie Gittens was then on hand to score Chelsea’s fourth and his first ever goal for the club, which ultimately sealed their place in the quarter-finals, even if Wolfe bagged another for Wolves in added time to make Maresca’s side sweat.

The 4-3 win at Molineux was overshadowed somewhat by Liam Delap’s needless red card, with Maresca lambasting his two bookable offences as “embarrassing”.

Delap is now set to miss Chelsea’s crunch clash against Tottenham this weekend through suspension, despite only just returning to the fold after weeks on the treatment table with a hamstring injury.

Away from the pitch, Juve are believed to have contacted Maresca’s entourage on the same day that Chelsea edged past Wolves.

Enzo Maresca responds to Juventus approach with Chelsea demands clear

Reports earlier this season suggested Maresca’s long-term future at Chelsea is far from certain, with tensions existing between the Italian and his club hierarchy.

As well as this, journalist Simon Phillips reported that both Cole Palmer and Reece James aren’t fully behind Maresca’s methodology, so if results continue to be topsy-turvy, this situation is worth keeping an eye on.

Now, Phillips has provided another update on the 45-year-old’s future.

Writing via his Substack, the reporter shares news that Juve approached Maresca’s camp on Wednesday amid their search for a new manager.

However, the tactician’s response is clear — he’s not looking to leave midway through the campaign.

While a move to Turin at the end of the season isn’t ruled out, Chelsea will demand a huge compensation fee — which could reach up to £10 million.

Chelsea are braced for a crucial run of games from now till the end of November, including Spurs, Arsenal and La Liga champions Barcelona in the Champions League.

Given their pretty weak defence and lack of options, particularly at centre-back, the Blues could also look to reinforce Maresca’s ranks in January.

Chelsea hold talks with Premier League centre-back over cut-price January move.

Scott Boras is doing that thing again.

Over the past few years, the MLB super agent has become known for one-liners and quips about his top clients. On Wednesday, he unleashed another that had the baseball world rolling it's collective eyes.

When asked about New York Mets first baseman and free agent Pete Alonso, Boras dropped maybe his worst ever. Alonso, whose nickname is the Polar Bear, got the following treatment from his agent: "There's been a lot of talk about this being a bear market for first baseman, but for Pete's sake it's the polar opposite."

Ouch. Seriously, ouch. This country has been through enough the last few months, the last thing we need is more cheesy Boras one-liners.

Fans took to social media to publicly groan at that line.

Boras is back to being Boras.

Alonso is expected to be one of the top free agent sluggers available this winter. During the 2024 season, the 29-year-old hit .240 with 34 home runs, 88 RBIs and an OPS of .788.

As MLB tests an Automated Ball-Strike challenge system in roughly half of its spring training games in the lead-up to the 2025 regular season, at least one team won't be participating in the experiment. Cicninnati Reds manager Terrry Francona, as he told reporters on Friday, has encouraged big leaguers on his club to utilize the challenge system, so as not to distract the team with a process it won't be able to use come regular season action.

"I'm OK with seeing our younger kids do it because they've done it," Francona said, via Field Level Media. "It's not a strategy for (the MLB teams), so why work on it? I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season and that's not helping us get ready."

Several of the Reds minor leaguers have prior experience with the ABS challenge system, which, along with full ABS (all balls and strikes automated) was tested at the Double and Triple-A levels in '23 and '24. By the end of '24, full ABS was dropped in favor of the happy middle ground, the ABS challenge system.

In the ABS system, teams will have two challenges per game. Only a hitter, pitcher and catcher can challenge a ball or strike call, and if the challenge is accepted, it's retained. A failed challenge attempt results in a lost challenge. Using Hawk-Eye technology, a replay of the pitch's location in the strike zone will be shown on broadcasts and stadium video scoreboards, demonstrating if the call made on the field was accurate or not.

13 ballparks have been fitted with the challenge system technology this spring.

Nawaz took 5 for 19 – including a hat-trick – as Afghanistan chose the most important day of the series to put in their worst performance

Danyal Rasool07-Sep-2025A remarkable five-wicket haul from Mohammad Nawaz – including a hat-trick – on a surface that gripped on a dewy Sharjah night helped Pakistan steamroll to the tri-series title, scything though Afghanistan for 66 and securing a 75-run win. The 141 Pakistan put up in a spasmodic display after electing to bat first appeared inadequate halfway through, but an astonishing spell either side of the powerplay saw Afghanistan lose five wickets for four runs. It asphyxiated the chase before it began, giving Pakistan a handy boost ahead of the start of the Asia Cup next week.No side has lost a match after batting first throughout this tournament, and Salman Agha made no secret that was the reason he opted to set a target at the toss. Pakistan ran into early trouble when Sahibzada Farhan’s quiet series whimpered out as he fell for a first-over duck. Pakistan rebuilt cautiously but with Afghanistan’s spinners assisted by the deck, never truly breaking free. Several batters fell after starts, and by the end of the stuttering innings, none had crossed 30.But it didn’t matter once the chase rolled around. Shaheen Shah Afridi dispensed with Rahmanullah Gurbaz early to trigger a phase where the runs were strangled. It created the perfect conditions for Nawaz to come in and wrench the game from Afghanistan’s hands. It included four wickets in six balls before rounding the spell off with Rashid Khan’s scalp in front of a now-silenced Afghan-majority crowd that saw their team choose the most important day of the series to turn in their worst performance.Nawaz the matchwinnerOnly one place to start. Three years ago, Babar Azam famously referred to Mohammad Nawaz as a matchwinner, and over the past couple of months, the left-arm spinner has begun to fit that characterisation. Thrown the ball in the fifth over, he was slightly fortunate with an lbw shout he positively squeezed out of the umpire under duress with the strength of his appeal, before following up Darwesh Rasooli’s dismissal with an edge that got rid of Azmatullah first ball.Mohammad Nawaz hit a couple of sixes in his 21-ball 25•ACCOn a hat-trick, a lovely bit of flight drew Ibrahim Zadran out of his crease and Mohammad Haris whipped off the bails to catch him out stranded. Three balls later, an already incredible spell veered into the surreal with a fourth wicket to reduce Afghanistan to 32 for 6, trapping Karin Janat in front when he miscued a sweep. That kind of day would almost inevitably conclude with a five-wicket haul on a day Nawaz credibly looked like he might take a wicket off any delivery he wanted.Rashid Khan’s takedownPakistan’s display with the bat was little more than ordinary, but perhaps a now-forgotten over late in the first innings stood out as an exception to the trend. With the innings petering out, their run rate was just a smidge over six after 16 overs and five wickets down, Rashid Khan entered the attack for his final over to try and burrow into the tail.Salman Ali Agha was enduring a torrid time, having scratched his way to 12 off his first 23 balls. But when Rashid darted one in, he launched it towards square leg, clearing the fence before doubling up two deliveries later. Rashid did come back off the penultimate to get rid of the Pakistan captain, but Faheem smashed his first ball for four to bleed him for 17 in the over. In a game where spin found so much assistance, Pakistan’s ability to take 38 off one of the world’s best spinners was particularly impressive.

Mike Dean has recently opened up on what it was like to referee Arsenal during his 22 years as a Premier League official, and suggested legendary manager Arsene Wenger wasn’t his biggest fan.

As with most referees, Dean is a divisive figure, but he is one of the Premier League’s most talked about referees, not least because of some of his bizarre antics on the field.

Although officials are much-maligned, it is an impossible job to keep every player and manager happy, with the 57-year-old recently revealing that Craig Bellamy was the toughest player to referee, despite being fine to deal with off the pitch.

Speaking to Jamie Carragher and Wayne Rooney on the latest edition of The Overlap Fan Debate, the former referee also named which manager he found it difficult to get along with, revealing the feeling was very much mutual…

Mike Dean names Arsene Wenger as "hardest" manager to deal with

The Tranmere Rovers supporter revealed he was told by people who used to work at Arsenal that Wenger would effectively write off games when Dean was in charge, believing the Gunners had “no chance”.

Clarifying why Arsene Wenger was tough to deal with, he said: “I never got on with Arsene Wenger, and that was just, I don’t know what it was, whether it was every time I reffed them they lost, I don’t know, but I just couldn’t get on with him.”

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

In 2009, the Arsenal legend was also sent to the stands by Dean in the dying embers of a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United back in 2009, having been seen kicking a water bottle in frustration.

Dean has previously shared details of a particularly ferocious run-in they had after the Gunners drew 1-1 against West Bromwich Albion back in 2017, saying: “He was very aggressive leaning towards me, pointing aggressively at me saying: ‘You’re not honest’ on numerous occasions.

“I replied: ‘So you’re calling me a cheat.’ He replied: ‘I maintain what I say, you’re not honest.

“He then said: ‘You’ve done this to us many times before, you’re supposed to be professional, you’re a disgrace.’ He was then ushered out of the room by the West Brom safety officer.”

While they didn’t see eye-to-eye prior to the 76-year-old leaving Arsenal in 2018, it appears they have since managed to put their differences behind them, with Dean saying: “Since he has finished football I have seen him and he has been great. Cross the white line and everyone is different, like referees. We are normal people.”

Every referee in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Who is the top official in England right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

Napoli manager Antonio Conte played down talk of leaving after the club president made a controversial 'taking the team back' social media post following their win over Atalanta on Saturday. Conte reaffirmed his commitment to the club he had led to a title win only six months back. With the 3-1 victory over Atalanta, Napoli have climbed back to second position in Serie A.

Napoli chief's controversial post

Just hours after Napoli's triumph over Atalanta, courtesy of a brace from David Neres and a goal from Nao Lang, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis shared a social media post congratulating the manager and the team but his message was misconstrued by many. De Laurentiis' X post read: "Bravo Antonio Conte, who has taken the team back in time. Well done to the players who followed his instructions."

The 'taken the team back' statement came across as a wrong message, although the club chief wanted to convey that he had taken back control of the team after briefly losing it at the start of the season. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesConte confirms commitment to Napoli

Amid talks of him exiting Napoli, Conte told reporters: "There are aspects that are more concerning to those on the outside. I have a strong relationship with the players, we always tell each other the truth, I'm very honest and don't wear masks. I didn't need to take the team back. They were with me, they are with me, and they always will be with me. And I will always be with them, regardless of everything and everyone. They know they're dealing with an honest person who doesn't wear masks. I'm someone who exposes himself, something many don't have the courage to do. They know that nothing and no one will ever damage our relationship.

"A lot of things can happen, but our relationship will always be very strong. After Bologna, I thought I wasn't able to get the best out of them, and I took responsibility. Often, Anguissa, Lukaku, Gilmour, and De Bruyne are forgotten about. These things aren't taken into account; we try to focus more on gossip than on the real fact."

De Laurentiis praised Conte

Earlier this month, in another social media post, De Laurentiis had hailed Conte as the 'real man' as he wrote: "I came across the fairy tale of Conte's resignation on the web. I love social media a lot because they're a contemporary and fast way to spread thoughts. But you know that thoughts aren't always right or shareable. Between me and Conte there has always existed a special harmony that unites men who use the 3 "C"s [Character, Competence, and Courage]… which are very popular with Neapolitans and not only. 

"To the fans who've read some nonsense, I say: I'm proud to have by my side, and by the side of Napoli and the players, a real man like Antonio Conte, capable of sacrificing every second of his life for his profession, with extreme generosity and dedication. This is the most important guarantee that can be given today to a club, to the players, and to demanding fans like those of Napoli."

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Getty ImagesHow is Conte doing at Napoli?

Conte took charge of Napoli at the start of the 2024-25 season, stepping in to steady the ship after a disappointing campaign that had left the club in disarray. His tenure began on a poor note with a 3-0 home defeat to Hellas Verona, but Conte quickly adapted. Breaking away from his trademark 3-5-2 formation, he switched to a 4-3-3 system to better suit Napoli’s attacking strengths and the players at his disposal. The tactical adjustment paid off brilliantly as Napoli went on an incredible run, eventually clinching the Scudetto on the final matchday with a decisive victory over Cagliari. One of Conte’s most inspired moves was signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United, who thrived under his management and was named Serie A’s MVP in his debut season. 

Now competing in both Serie A and the Champions League, Conte's team have struggled to adapt to the new demands. Star striker Romelu Lukaku was ruled out with a long-term injury at the start of the season, while playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has now been sidelined for the time being. 

The reigning Italian champions next face Qarabag FK in a Champions League fixture at home on Tuesday.