Liam Livingstone dropped, Jos Buttler included for Harry Brook’s first engagements as full-time captain

Andrew Miller13-May-2025Liam Dawson is set to play his first T20I for almost three years, while Tom Hartley has been picked as the frontline left-arm spinner in the 50-over format, as England name their squads for the forthcoming white-ball series against West Indies, which will be Harry Brook’s first as captain since taking over full-time from Jos Buttler.Brook’s tenure will begin with the first of three ODIs, at Edgbaston on May 29, with England looking to regroup after their calamitous Champions Trophy performance in Pakistan earlier this year, in which they were eliminated with three defeats out of three in the group stage.He will have Buttler alongside him in both formats, with the former captain back to form with the bat during a productive IPL campaign for Gujarat Titans. However, Liam Livingstone – who also stood in as England captain last year while Buttler was recovering from a calf injury – has been dropped from both squads after managing just 33 runs in three innings in the Champions Trophy.On the fast-bowling front, England have recalled Brydon Carse to both squads, after he was forced to undergo surgery on an injured toe, sustained during his hard-toiling efforts for the Test team in Pakistan and New Zealand last winter. Matthew Potts, who is in the Test squad for next week’s one-off match against Zimbabwe, is also named in both parties.ESPNcricinfo LtdJofra Archer has also been named in the ODI squad, alongside fellow quicks Gus Atkinson, Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton. However, Archer has been omitted for the three-match T20I series, which begins on June 6 – the same day as the second of two England Lions’ four-day fixtures against India at Northampton, in which he could feature as part of a potential return to Test action later this summer.Luke Wood, the Lancashire left-arm seamer, is instead named for the T20Is, his first return to the set-up since September 2023.Will Jacks, a notable omission from the Champions Trophy plans, is the beneficiary of Livingstone’s absence, as he returns to both squads, while Tom Banton, who was a surprise replacement for the injured Jacob Bethell for that tournament, is also named in both.ESPNcricinfo LtdPhil Salt has been cut from the ODI squad, after struggling to convert his explosive 20-over batting into the longer format, but on the whole England have opted for 50-over continuity rather than a complete overhaul. Joe Root is retained as the senior batter, while Adil Rashid keeps his place as England’s premier legspinner, even at the age of 37. Rehan Ahmed, his heir apparent, is included alongside Rashid for the T20Is only.Although he is only set to feature in the T20Is, Dawson’s return at the age of 35 is significant. His allround form across formats has been outstanding in recent seasons, including at South Africa’s SA20 where he has been a title-winner with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in each of the first two editions, and he was last month named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year for his county exploits with Hampshire in 2024.However, Dawson had not featured in England’s plans since November 2022, when he played the most recent of his six ODIs at Melbourne, in the immediate aftermath of the T20 World Cup win at the same venue a week earlier. He had been overlooked for that campaign, having also been a non-playing squad member for the 2019 win, and subsequently opted out of selection for England’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh in early 2023 to honour his PSL commitments with Lahore Qalandars.The timing of the series could create further club versus country dilemmas for three members of the squad, however. Following last week’s suspension of the IPL, due to escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan, the tournament final has now been pushed back to June 3 from its original May 25 date, meaning that Buttler (Gujarat Lions), Bethell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and Jacks (Mumbai Indians) – all of whom are involved in squads with realistic play-off ambitions – could conceivably miss the first two ODIs at least.England Men’s ODI squad: Harry Brook (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie SmithEngland Men’s T20I squad: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has no complaints about his surprise England omission and plans to use his some of his unexpected free time to visit grandparents.

Instead of being at Wembley to face Wales and then heading to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier the 21-year-old, who has become an integral part of the Eagles’ recent success, will instead catch up with relatives after being left out by national team boss by Thomas Tuchel.

Even Everton’s match-winner Jack Grealish, himself overlooked for England despite a resurgence after moving to Merseyside on loan from Manchester City, felt Wharton should have been given the man-of-the-match award instead of him in the Toffees’ late 2-1 victory on Sunday.

Wharton reveals Tuchel message

After pulling out of Tuchel’s last squad with injury there was no place for Wharton this time around but the player insists there are no hard feelings.

“He just gave me a message saying I’m playing well, I’m close and I deserve to be there but he’s going to stick with the same team,” said Wharton of learning of his omission.

“That’s football, I’m not too fussed about that. I can take the time off, go see my grandparents, and it’s not the end of the world as there’s another camp next month.

“Nothing is expected. England have some top players and he’s got a lot of players to choose from. No matter who he picks someone is not going to get in and there will be a fuss about it.

“I can’t sit here and cry about it, this is football and I’m happy playing for Palace and getting minutes and trying to do as well as I can and improve and if I get picked, I get picked.

“If not I’ll carry on playing for Palace and enjoying it – there’s nothing else I can do really.

“Obviously everyone wants to play for their country if they get chosen but, like I said, this is football and he’s got plenty of top players to choose from and that’s what he gets paid to do, pick the team and help England do well.

“Hopefully they kick on and get the results they need to qualify for the World Cup. I’ll keep knocking on the door and if I’m in, I’m in and if not I’ll carry on.”

Even Everton manager David Moyes accepted Palace should have been well out of sight after Daniel Munoz’s goal in a first half dominated by the visitors but after failing to capitalise they fell foul of an improved display after the break.

Iliman Ndiaye scored a 76th-minute penalty before Grealish, the Premier League’s player of the month for August, blocked a Munoz clearance and the ball cannoned back off him and into the net in the third minute of added time to end Palace’s 19-match unbeaten run.

“I think we got a bit complacent as we were playing so well but you can’t do that in the Premier League,” added Wharton

.

“They got a goal back and the crowd got behind them, a great atmosphere for them to kick on, get the momentum and it was difficult from there.”

It might not have been a win, but Monday night’s draw against Everton was about as good a start to Nuno Espírito Santo’s West Ham United tenure as anyone really expected.

The Hammers fought back from one-nil down and looked the more likely winner for large parts of the second half, with Jarrod Bowen, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Crysencio Summerville looking seriously impressive.

However, there were also several players who flattered to deceive, and might be in for a fight to keep their place under the new boss.

In fact, there was one player in particular who should be removed from the team and ultimately moved on as soon as possible by Nuno.

West Ham's underperformers

One of the starters who could have played himself out of the starting lineup on Monday night was defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.

The former Arsenal ace looked unsure of himself for much of the encounter, did poorly for Michel Kean’s opener and maintained a passing accuracy of just 82%.

Likewise, while he wasn’t to blame for the goal, and just generally wasn’t as bad as the Greek ace, Kyle Walker-Peters didn’t exactly impress against the Toffees.

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

0.00

Expected Assists

0.03

Clearances

3

Ground Duels (Won)

6 (3)

Aerial Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

3

Crosses (Accurate)

1 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

6 (1)

Shots on Target

0

The former Southampton star won just 50% of his aerial and ground duels, lost the ball 11 times, completed just 80% of his passes, didn’t deliver a single accurate cross, misplaced five of six long balls and committed three fouls.

Moreover, the Englishman’s performance was made all the more uninspiring by the fact that Diouf was a monster on the opposite flank and could have had a hat-trick of assists by the end of the game.

Finally, while there were a couple of moments in which he showed his undeniable class, it was an overall frustrating showing from summer signing Mateus Fernandes.

The Portuguese ace amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.12, failed to play a single key pass, and didn’t have a shot on target or complete a dribble, generally looking rather average at best.

However, while all three of these players underwhelmed on the night, there was one starter who was even worse, a starter who has to be removed from the team by Nuno going forward.

The West Ham star Nuno has to drop

Given the poor performers already mentioned, it will probably come as no surprise that the starter in question was Niclas Füllkrug.

Chalkboard

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

The German international is a striker with a record that suggests he should be thriving in the Premier League.

After all, before he moved to the London Stadium, the “old-fashioned” striker, as dubbed by Ally McCoist, spent a season with German giants Borussia Dortmund in which he scored 15 goals and provided ten assists in 43 games.

Moreover, although he hasn’t played a game since June, the 32-year-old has won 24 senior caps for Germany, in which he has scored 14 goals and provided two assists.

Unfortunately, this eye for goal has not been apparent in England, as last season he managed only three goals and two assists in 20 games for the Irons, and this season he has yet to produce any goal involvement in six appearances.

It was another disappointing display on Monday, as the Hannover-born poacher looked miles off the pace on and off the ball, failed to make the right runs in behind and wasn’t even holding up the ball well.

On top of that, he seemed to lose the ball more regularly than you’d have expected, and while this all sounds harsh, his statistics more than justify this appraisal.

Minutes

89′

Expected Goals

0.24

Expected Assists

0.05

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots on Target

1

Touches

37

Passing Accuracy

15/23 (65%)

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (1)

Aerial Duels (Won)

14 (4)

Lost Possession

9

Fouls

1

Offsides

1

In 89 minutes of inaction, the German international produced a combined expected goal and assist figure of 0.29, had just one shot on target, took 37 touches – eight fewer than Alphonse Aréola – completed just 65% of his passes, lost 11 of 16 duels, lost the ball nine times and was offside once.

Ultimately, it really was a terrible showing from Füllkrug, and while Nuno isn’t blessed with striker options at the moment, he should axe the German, look to move him on in the winter, and start Callum Wilson up top for now.

West Ham star already looks like "one of the best" in the PL under Nuno

West Ham picked up a point during Nuno Santo’s first match in charge.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 30, 2025

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca boasts an array of star senior players in his large squad, but certain Cobham academy gems are still seriously impressing him.

In the last week, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen has made all the headlines as Chelsea’s next potential rising star after seriously impressing for England’s Under-17s.

The Young Lions starred in a 12-goal thriller, beating Germany 7-5, with Kavuma-McQueen scoring five and setting up another — making plenty of headlines in the process.

While a lot of noise surrounds 15-year-old Arsenal sensation Max Dowman right now – who recently become the second-youngest Premier League debutant in history behind teammate Ethan Nwaneri – there is reason to believe that Kavuma-McQueen could be the next star of England’s conveyor belt of budding starlets.

The 16-year-old is yet to be given a chance in the senior team by Maresca, but if he keeps up this imperious form at junior level, it may just be a matter of time.

Ian Hamilton

16 years, 138 days

1967 vs Tottenham

Kingsley Whiffen

16 years, 157 days

1967 vs Leicester City

Reggie Walsh

16 years, 193 days

2025 vs Djurgarden

Tommy Langley

16 years, 274 days

1974 vs Leicester City

Michael Woods

16 years, 275 days

2007 vs Macclesfield

Tyrique George is perhaps Chelsea’s biggest talent to watch out for right now, and the 19-year-old was on the verge of joining west London rivals Fulham before the £22 million move ultimately collapsed on summer deadline day.

However, Kavuma-McQueen is emerging as yet another gem produced by Chelsea’s famed Cobham academy set up.

That being said, the left-winger isn’t Chelsea’s only young prodigy who’s turning Maresca’s head right now.

Enzo Maresca watching Reggie Walsh at Chelsea

According to The Mail and journalist Kieran Gill, Kavuma-McQueen is one of three youngsters being closely monitored by Maresca, and of them is 16-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh.

The Englishman became one of Chelsea’s youngest ever players to make their senior debut back in May, coming off the bench late on during their 4-1 win away to Djurgarden in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final.

Walsh is apparently on Maresca’s Chelsea radar for this season, as per Gill, and he could yet be given a path to more senior football with summer signing Dario Essugo now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after thigh surgery.

The Blues have suddenly found themselves one man lighter in the engine room, with the prospect of more injuries there as Chelsea attempt to navigate the start of this season after a summer tournament and many games in 2024/2025.

Walsh should be given a chance to shine, as his “top quality” has even been noticed by senior stars like Nicolas Jackson.

Maresca also publicly praised the wonderkid, calling him a perfect player for Chelsea’s system.

Manchester United have problems to deal with on the field, but they could now be about to announce a new signing after he was spotted at Old Trafford.

Manchester United performances called out by Wayne Rooney

Since the time that Wayne Rooney played for Manchester United, anyone connected with the Premier League will tell you that the Red Devils have struggled to replicate the consistency of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Years have gone by and trophies have been won along the way, though Ruben Amorim’s club have never got close to reclaiming the top prize, and they are in a gradual decline that INEOS haven’t been able to alter since becoming involved at Old Trafford.

After a defeat against Brentford left Manchester United sitting 14th in the table with two wins from six, Rooney has called out the Red Devils and has ‘no faith’ in Amorim to turn around a wretched run of results.

He said: “I just don’t know what’s going on. I have tried my hand in management and it didn’t work out too well, so I get it. Ruben Amorim is my age, he’s still a young manager and I’m sure he’s got a massive future, but what’s going on at Man Utd, this is not Man Utd. I honestly hope he can turn it round and he does. But…after everything I’ve seen, honestly, I’ve got no faith in it.”

Ultimately, the Portuguese boss is here to stay for now and Manchester United need to keep fighting, starting with a pivotal fixture on home soil against Sunderland this Saturday.

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Supporters will hope a victory can kickstart a turnaround, and in the meantime, fans will also be intrigued to see that their club are closing in on a seemingly imminent deal.

Manchester United target Mouhamed Dabo spotted at Old Trafford

Earlier this week, it was reported that Manchester United are closing in on Barcelona target Mouhamed Dabo, who is currently on the books of Be Sport Academy and has spent the last few weeks on trial bidding to win a deal.

Now, he has been spotted at Old Trafford and has even trained at Carrington, indicating that an official announcement may not be too far away as INEOS close in on a sought after young player.

Building for the future is a necessary step for Manchester United to breed stars of the future, with Chido Obi-Martin, Diego Leon and Sekou Kone among their most exciting hopes, and Dabo may be another to add to their talent conveyor belt as INEOS look to the long-term.

Shadab Khan puts in a strong all-round show as Bangladesh fall for 164 in pursuit of 202 in the first T20I in Lahore

Mohammad Isam28-May-2025

Hasan Ali marked his return to T20Is with a five-for•Associated Press

Hasan Ali bagged career-best figures of 5 for 30 in his first T20I in a year and Shadab Khan produced a strong all-round performance as Pakistan eased past Bangladesh in the series opener in Lahore on Wednesday.After captain Salman Agha, who top-scored for Pakistan with 56 off 34 balls, and Shadab, who scored 48 off 25 balls, lifted Pakistan to 201, Hasan led their defence. After removing the Bangladesh openers with the new ball, Hasan returned to dismiss the dangerous Jaker Ali, Tanzim Hasan and Shoriful Islam.Litton Das top-scored for Bangladesh with 48 and Jaker hit 36 off 21 balls lower down the order, but it was not enough to stop Pakistan from claiming a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Bangladesh rock Pakistan earlyThe sight of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman walking out to open for Pakistan must have been soothing for their fans. But both the openers were back within two overs. Ayub, in his return for Pakistan from an ankle injury suffered in South Africa last year, got out first ball. He closed the face of his bat too early, offering a return catch to Mahedi Hasan. Shoriful then removed Fakhar next over, darting an inswinger back into the pads. Shoriful became the fourth Bangladesh bowler to take 50 wickets in T20Is.Mohammad Haris, however, brought Shoriful down to earth with three boundaries in a row, as the left-arm fast bowler went for 16 in the fourth over. Salman hit Mahedi for three fours in the next over, too, to help Pakistan cross fifty in the powerplay. Haris, though, fell in the seventh over for 31 off 18 balls.Mahedi Hasan celebrates with his team-mates after dismissing Saim Ayub•AFP/Getty Images

Salman and Nawaz combine wellDespite the departure of Haris, Salman kept going for Pakistan. He struck Tanzim and Rishad Hossain for boundaries, before Hassan Nawaz, fresh from his PSL 2025 heroics, bashed Rishad for his first six. Salman mixed his big-hitting with delicate shots, like scoops and late cuts, as Pakistan’s run rate got a big boost.In the tenth over, Salman flicked Tanzim for a six, before pasting him through point and then dabbing him past the keeper. Nawaz, meanwhile, kept the pressure on Bangladesh with a pair of sixes off Rishad and Hasan Mahmud, before the latter removed Salman with a dipping full toss. It ended a 65-run stand for the fourth wicket.Nawaz batted on for Pakistan, smashing Rishad for a six over extra-cover, followed by two more fours. The second four was a chance, but Parvez Hossain Emon ended up dropping a sitter at long-on and parrying the ball into the boundary. Nawaz, however, fell next ball, caught and bowled by Rishad, for 44 off 22 balls.Shadab bosses the death oversPakistan went 18 balls without a boundary after Nawaz’s dismissal. Shamim Hossain was the surprise package with his part-time offbreaks; he dismissed Khushdil Shah in the 17th over for his maiden T20I cricket.Shadab, though, went after Rishad in the 18th, taking him for a sequence of 6, 6, 4. Faheem Ashraf launched Shamim over midwicket in the penultimate over before Shadab struck two more fours off Shoriful in the last over. Shadab’s hits were vital to Pakistan crossing 200.Shadab Khan’s big hits were crucial for Pakistan at the death•AFP/Getty Images

Hasan wrecks Bangladesh’s chaseHasan struck his first blow when he had Parvez caught at mid-on for 4 in his first over. In his next over, Tanzid took him for a brace of fours, but the fast bowler hit back to knock him over with a knuckle ball.When Hasan returned to the attack in the 18th over, Bangladesh were 141 for 6, still needing 61 off 18 balls. Jaker was on 30 off 18 balls at that point, with his big-hitting offering Bangladesh hope. Hasan conceded a six with his first legal ball in his second spell, but bounced Jaker out next ball for 36 off 20 balls. In the same over, he had Tanzim caught and bowled for 1.In the final over, Hasan completed his five-for and dismissed Bangladesh for 164.Litton, Hridoy get stuckLitton and Towhid Hridoy had added 63 for the third wicket, but they didn’t find the tempo that could have hurt Pakistan. Hridoy managed only 17 off 22 balls, with just one four. It was his slowest knock in a T20I in which he has faced at least 20 balls.His captain also had a slow start – Litton was on 11 off 12 balls at one point – but a four off Shadab saw him break free in the eighth over. Litton went on to hit three sixes before Shadab had the last laugh, having him caught at backward point. Litton’s dismissal precipitated Bangladesh’s slide.

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have shifted their recruitment focus to landing young talents who can develop and become key members of the first-team squad.

Lucas Bergvall joined the Lilywhites in a £8.5m deal from Djurgarden as an 18-year-old, but has been catapulted into the deep end due to the injury crisis endured throughout 2024/25.

The Swede has since racked up over 50 appearances for the club, arguably being one of their most important players – as seen by his goal against West Ham United last weekend.

He’s also been joined in the squad by Xavi Simons over recent weeks, after the Dutchman completed his own £52m transfer to North London in an attempt to further reinforce Thomas Frank’s ranks.

At just 22, he’s already a somewhat experienced option, racking up over 160 senior appearances, but still having the potential to grow into an elite-level talent in the near future.

Both players will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of one player who made a huge impact at the club over a short period of time, subsequently capturing the hearts of the fanbase.

Dele Alli’s time at Tottenham Hotspur

Dele Alli was seen as a youngster with huge talent at Spurs, but despite his early success at the club, he struggled to maintain his top-level performances.

The Englishman joined the Lilywhites in a £5m deal from MK Dons back in the summer of 2015, taking the Premier League by storm in his first couple of seasons.

He managed to register 46 goals and 35 appearances in his first 146 appearances for the club, with his first best spell in the capital coming early on in his stint.

Such form allowed the attacking midfielder to claim the PFA Young Player of the Year award twice, but his time with the Lilywhites would rapidly deteriorate over the following years.

José Mourinho’s appointment as boss saw the former Chelsea man question the players’ work ethic, which resulted in the star often being in minutes off the bench to make any form of impact.

Attitude issues also floated beneath the surface, before leaving on a free transfer to join Everton in January 2022 – bringing a sad end to what was once a promising start to his career at the club.

Other off-the-field issues have since reared their head, with the player now without a club after being released by Como at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The player who is Frank’s own version of Alli

Given the huge investment into the first-team squad over recent years, it’s no surprise to see current boss Frank being the beneficiary of the talent currently on the books of Spurs.

The likes of Bergvall and Simons currently provide the goods within the midfield department, with such an area set for many years to come, given their tender ages.

Such a duo will likely hold the keys to any future success during the Dane’s tenure – especially if the first couple of games in the current season are anything to go by.

Djed Spence is another player who could play a huge part in the first-team squad, enduring a rapid rise to stardom in North London as a result of their recent injury crisis.

After three unsuccessful loan spells with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, it appeared as though his career with the Lilywhites would be over – but he’s since secured his place in the first-team squad.

Such a crisis in Ange Postecoglou’s side last year led to the 25-year-old getting a regular role in the first-team squad – racking up a total of 35 appearances across all competitions.

Frank’s arrival has only strengthened the full-back’s grip on a starting role, being named as a starter in each of the Dane’s five competitive games in the Premier League and Champions League.

While he operates in a different role to former fan-favourite Alli, Spence, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, does possess some similarities to those of his compatriot.

Both joined the Lilywhites from EFL clubs, after the full-back joined from Middlesbrough, but also had question marks around their attitudes as the years have gone by.

Djed Spence – Spurs PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	25
Goals & assists	3
Progressive carries	3.1
Progressive passes	5.3
Tackles won	2.4
Interceptions made	1.1
Aerials won	1.1
Aerial success rate	60%
Stats via FBref

The 25-year-old has been known to have had a feud with former boss Neil Warnock, with the player himself previously posting messages directed to his former boss on social media.

However, the biggest underlying comparison is the natural talent the duo have shown in the Spurs first team, helping them achieve all sorts of achievements along the way.

Whilst Dele failed to maintain his early success, Spence will be hoping he can go one better and play a vital role in Frank’s hunt to bring more trophies to North London in the near future.

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Tottenham Hotspur may have hit the jackpot on one talent who could emulate Harry Kane’s success.

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Ethan Lamb

Sep 18, 2025

Mustafizur Rahman has been “granted” a no-objection certificate to link up with Delhi Capitals (DC) for “the period from 18-24 May 2025,” the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said in a statement on Friday afternoon.That makes him available – in Mitchell Starc’s absence – for DC’s three remaining league-phase games in IPL 2025, but not the playoffs, should DC make it to that stage. The BCB confirmed that Mustafizur would be available for Bangladesh’s first T20I against UAE in Sharjah on Saturday before travelling to India. Whether he is ready for action after reaching India on May 18 for DC’s game the same evening, however, remains to be seen.The arrangement between DC and Mustafizur had run into a bit of a snag earlier in the week, with the IPL and the franchise issuing a statement confirming his acquisition but the BCB then stating that it hadn’t been approached for a no-objection certificate yet.Related

• Parvez Hossain Emon hits 53-ball hundred as Bangladesh brush off UAE

• IPL 2025: which overseas players are available for the rest of the season?

On Friday morning, Starc confirmed that he wouldn’t be travelling to India for the remainder of IPL 2025, a week after being part of the match that was abandoned in Dharamsala – and will be replayed. Donovan Ferreira, who played one game this season, would also not be returning.The update means that Starc will have a clear runway into the World Test Championship (WTC) final, avoiding the possibility of playing T20s in India a week before the match. Starc is DC’s highest wicket-taker so far in the season with 14 wickets in 11 matches at 26.14.Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs have confirmed their return, but Stubbs will be available only for the rest of the league phase, after which he would be leaving for the WTC final.

Dominic Solanke was again absent from training ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt.

Solanke last played for Spurs on August 23 against Manchester City and, even though he recently returned to training after a troublesome ankle injury disrupted his pre-season, he was conspicuous by his absence on Monday morning in Enfield.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank played down concerns over Solanke’s fitness on Friday ahead of the visit of Wolves, but with the England forward not able to feature in open training before the club fly to Bodo for Tuesday’s Champions League clash, the squad are short of attacking options.

Paris St Germain loanee Randal Kolo Muani was also absence as he deals with a dead leg, but Ben Davies did take part in the session after a minor knee issue.

Summer recruit Kota Takai also featured after a plantar fascia problem in recent months and Yves Bissouma was back.

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Bissouma has not played for Tottenham this season after he was dropped from the Super Cup squad for being late on multiple occasions. He then suffered a knee injury in training days later.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to face Leeds United in the Premier League this afternoon, looking to return to winning ways after their draw in the Champions League in midweek.

Thomas Frank will no doubt want to return to league action with a bang, after only managing to secure a 1-1 draw against struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

However, on the whole, it’s been an impressive start to life in North London for the Dane, only suffering one defeat in his first nine matches after taking the reins in the summer.

Whilst Daniel Farke’s side are a newly-promoted outfit, they are still a side to be feared, with the Whites unbeaten in each of their last two top-flight outings.

If the Lilywhites are to have the best chance of avoiding a shock defeat at Elland Road, the manager desperately needs to drop one player who’s been extremely poor as of late.

Richarlison’s poor form in recent weeks

After scoring twice in the Premier League opener of 2025/26, there was a sense of excitement building at Spurs that Richarlison could be the man to lead the line under Frank.

While he’s managed to find the back of the net three times in his first six outings, the Brazilian has become a scapegoat in recent outings, given his lack of impact in the final third.

His recent showing against Bodo Glimt in the Champions League was arguably one of his worst of the campaign, only achieving a total of ten touches in his 90-minute performance.

Richarlison also only managed to complete two passes, whilst also losing possession five times – an average of once every two times he made contact with the ball.

The 28-year-old may have had limited opportunities, but he was also wasteful when the ball fell his way, subsequently missing one big chance and costing the Lilywhites a chance of claiming all three points.

The injury situation in attacking areas has been less than ideal for Frank, but he desperately needs to drop the Brazilian and hand one player the chance to flourish this afternoon in Yorkshire.

The player who needs to replace Richarlison against Leeds

Dominic Solanke has been Spurs’ main talisman over the last 12 months, often providing the goods within the final third before Frank’s arrival during the off-season.

The Englishman cost a club-record £65m last summer from Bournemouth and subsequently endured a solid first campaign in North London – scoring 16 goals across all competitions.

However, he’d found minutes hard to come by, only featuring for a total of 31 minutes in the Premier League, with an ankle injury preventing him from putting a consistent run together.

Another option that Frank must consider against Farke’s men is French star Mathys Tel, with the youngster needing a run of games to showcase his talents in North London.

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with the Lilywhites, scoring three goals in his 20 appearances – but often struggled for consistency under Ange Postecoglou.

However, the hierarchy decided to fork out £30m for his signature during the off-season, with the board putting trust in the youngster to thrive in the years ahead.

Tel has only made four appearances in the Premier League this season, only one of which was from a starting position, with added minutes desperately needed to allow him to reach his full potential.

Despite his lack of action, he’s been labelled “Thierry Henry-like” by former fan-favourite Jermaine Defoe, further highlighting the talent he currently possesses.

The Englishman stated about his unbelievable ability to glide past his opponent, something which has been reflected in his tally of 67% dribble success rate in 2025/26.

Mathys Tel – PL stats 25/26

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

4

Minutes played

104

Starts

1

Pass accuracy

83%

Crosses completed

0.9

Dribble success

67%

Duels won

6.9

Recoveries made

2.6

Stats via FotMob

He’s also averaged 0.9 crosses per 90, along with 6.9 duels per 90 won – further highlighting his impressive all-round nature within attacking areas in North London.

It may be an unpopular call, but it’s one that needs to be done to give Frank the best chance of finding out his best eleven after taking the reins a few months ago.

Such a decision could give Richarlison the time he needs to recapture his form, which in time could create healthy competition for the Lilywhites within attacking areas.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Oct 3, 2025