It has been just over a year since Douglas Luiz left Aston Villa to join Juventus. The move, unfortunately, did not work out for the Brazilian midfielder. He only played 27 times for the Old Lady, featuring for just 877 minutes across his time in Turin.

12 months on, and he is back in the Premier League, once again playing in the Midlands. Only, he is at Villa’s East Midlands rivals, Nottingham Forest, on a loan deal. Luiz is yet to make his debut for the club, but that could change under their new manager, Ange Postecoglou.

The Villans never really signed a replacement for the Brazilian. In fact, his replacement was in-house, with Boubacar Kamara stepping up.

Kamara’s 2024/25 season

French midfielder Kamara did play plenty of times with Luiz. The former Olympique Marseille player, who moved to Villa Park on a free transfer, lined up for the Villans 50 times alongside the Brazilian, according to Transfermarkt.

Yet, last season, in light of Luiz’s departure to Turin, saw the Frenchman feature as a key man for Unai Emery in the middle of the park. He did struggle with injury, but when fit, tended to play 90 minutes for his side.

In total, the 25-year-old, who signed a new deal at Villa Park over the summer, played 42 games for Emery’s side. That included his first, and to date, only Premier League goal, coming against Tottenham Hotspur right at the end of the campaign.

It was certainly an impressive campaign for Kamara, who was described as “a very important player” by his manager, Emery, last December.

Certainly, he did not make Luiz’s absence very felt, due to his stellar efforts.

What might sting Villa fans, however, is that they had a player as good as Kamara, who was viewed as an even better option than Luiz.

Aston Villa have offloaded the next Kamara

There is no doubt that, in their current squad, Villa have some good options in midfield. Youri Tielemans was another key player last season, and Amadou Onana provides a real presence in the centre of the park. Of course, they have Kamara, too.

Yet, how good would it have been if the Villans had also kept Enzo Barrenechea in and around the group? Although the young Argentine midfielder joined the club last summer, he has recently been sent out on his second loan spell, to Benfica. There is an obligation to buy him at the end of the move for a fee of around £13m.

Last term, the 24-year-old spent the season at Spanish giants Valencia. He played 32 times for the La Liga outfit, more often than not sitting in front of the defence as a number six.

Barrenechea chipped in with two assists and a goal, too.

As the video above shows, he is a dream profile. The now-Benfica player can break up play in the midfield, before pinging defence-splitting passes over or through the opposition lines.

In fact, football analyst Ben Mattinson rates him so highly that he said he has a “higher ceiling” than Luiz in that number six role.

The numbers from last season and the start of 2025/26 on FBref highlight the fact that he is similar statistically to Kamara. For example, Barrenechea averaged 5.29 progressive passes and 3.31 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes last season.

In comparison, Kamara played an average of 4.88 progressive passes and made 3.6 tackles and interceptions each game.

Key passes

0.59

0.54

Progressive passes

5.29

4.88

Progressive carries

0.77

0.99

Tackles and interceptions

3.31

3.6

Ball recoveries

4.89

4.58

All things considered, it is strange that Villa were willing to let Barrenechea go so easily.

His first loan to Valencia showed that he has the talent to compete at the highest level, and given Luiz’s departure, he could have been the dream option in Emery’s squad.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Looking back on this move, Villa fans might always rue the fact they let the second coming of Kamara slip through the net so easily.

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Chelsea hold concrete interest in signing a “spectacular” Barcelona star, with Enzo Maresca personally keen, and they could now be willing to submit an opening offer.

Blues keen to bolster options amid slow start to the season

After clinching Champions League qualification in the 2024-25 campaign, there was an expectation for the Blues to kick on this season, but it has been a slow start, having taken just eight points from their opening six games.

Most recently, Maresca’s side came up short in a 3-1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, which has led to speculation aboutthe manager’s future, with talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino suggesting the Italian may find it difficult to hold onto his job long-term.

One of the only bright sparks against the Seagulls was Enzo Fernandez, with the Argentinian getting on the scoresheet, while Moises Caicedo was also solid, winning eight of the 12 duels he contested and making three tackles.

However, according to a report from Spain, Chelsea still remain keen on bolstering their options in midfield, holding concrete interest in signing Barcelona’s Marc Casado, and they may even be willing to submit a €40m (£35m) bid for his services.

Maresca is personally keen on signing Casado, having identified the need to bring in a new central midfielder, and there are indications that the Spanish club could be open to a sale in the January transfer window.

Barca, given their well-documented financial issues, need to free up wages, but the midfielder has previously expressed his desire to fight for his place, so it remains to be seen whether he is open to a departure.

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Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 27, 2025 "Spectacular" Casado may need to leave Barca this winter

Given the La Liga champions’ squad is so stocked with talent, the Spaniard has received inconsistent game time this season, although he has impressed when given the opportunity, picking up an assist in the emphatic 6-0 victory over Valencia.

Sergio Busquets was also left very impressed with the young midfielder during the 2024-25 campaign, calling him “spectacular” last November.

The 22-year-old has featured in the majority of Barca’s La Liga matches this season, but given his talent, that is not enough, so it would make sense to move to a new club this winter.

Signing a new goalkeeper should be Maresca’s number one priority, given the start Robert Sanchez has made to the season, most recently getting sent off in the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

However, should Chelsea decide to sign a new central midfielder, Casado has the ability to be a success at Stamford Bridge, and a fee in the region of £35m feels fair, given his age.

When Tottenham Hotspur sell a key player for mega money, there is history now to tell us that the cash isn’t always invested very well. Still, Daniel Levy is no longer at Spurs, so things may well change in the future.

After Gareth Bale left north London behind, heading to Real Madrid to the tune of £85m, the ‘Magnificent 7’, as they were infamously known, were not much of a success.

Enter Paulinho, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela. While the latter scored that ridiculous Rabona goal, the only real success story here was Eriksen, a creative and technical marvel.

Ten years later, it was Harry Kane’s time to leave Spurs. He moved to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, a relative bargain considering what he’s achieved since.

Arguably, like Bale, money was not well spent the summer he departed. The signings of summer 2023 were rather hit or miss. While Dejan Kulusevski arrived permanently, they spent £45m on an inconsistent Brennan Johnson and £50m on an injury-prone James Maddison.

Meanwhile, in 2024 £65m was spent on Dominic Solanke, who also cannot stay fit, while young gems in the form of Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert also joined. Not quite a magnificent seven, but more of an average trio. Gray and Odobert may well come good, but Solanke’s ceiling has likely already been hit.

So, perhaps Thomas Frank and Co will need to look to the academy again, just as they did when handing Kane his debut back in 2011. Once all was said and done, he’d found the net on 280 occasions, leaving as their all-time record goalscorer and Arsenal’s chief nemesis.

His form in Germany since has been nothing short of scintillating.

Harry Kane's season in numbers

Kane does goals. There’s not a whole lot else to say. Even bringing the likes of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak into the equation, he is currently the best centre-forward in world football. The numbers support that.

While Viktor Gyokeres won the Gerd Muller Trophy at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony, proclaimed as the best striker of 2024/25, Kane deserved to be in the conversation.

Gyokeres, for context, scored 54 times last season, but Kane ran him close, netting 41 in 51 outings.

Well, in 2025/26, he looks like he’s on track for the best season of his career as he moves into his 32nd year.

If you thought Kane couldn’t get any more ruthless, then think again. This season he has undeniably been the best player in Europe, scoring a mind-boggling 17 goals in nine games.

He’s scoring at a record of a goal every 46 minutes. It’s a level of potency we’ve very rarely ever seen from a striker in the elite game.

Truth be told, it’s peak Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo levels of goalscoring.

Kane has beaten the goalkeeper ten times in five Bundesliga fixtures while in the Champions League, he’s been a demon too, netting four in two matches, including a brace against Chelsea a couple of weeks ago.

The England skipper continued his rich vein of form against Cypriot side Pafos on Tuesday, bagging another two goals. This time he played as a no.10, behind Nicolas Jackson. It had no impact on his ability to score.

Replacing that type of output was always going to be impossible for Spurs. Solanke is a handy striker but he’s always going to be compared to Kane. That’s harsh but it’s the way of the world.

Fortunately, the Lilywhites do have one exciting academy prospect coming through the ranks who looks more exciting than Kane ever did at youth level.

Meet Spurs' most exciting academy talent since Harry Kane

At youth level Kane was impressive, scoring nine goals in 13 official matches for Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 side. Yet, he initially struggled at senior level.

The club’s record scorer didn’t find the net during five matches on loan at Norwich and also found life difficult at Leicester City and Leyton Orient, notching seven across 33 matches during those spells.

Spurs

435

280

England

107

74

Bayern

105

102

Millwall

27

9

Orient

18

5

Leicester

15

2

Norwich

5

0

Nine goals in 29 matches at Millwall was slightly more productive but it wasn’t until 2014/15 where he finally showcased his elite potential.

That term the Englishman registered 31 goals for Spurs and since then, there hasn’t been a single campaign where he’s not scored fewer than 20 across a single season.

Many have come through the academy since then hoping to emulate that sort of record. The likes of Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott and Will Lankshear, while still young, did not show enough in their fleeting appearances.

There are still high hopes for Mikey Moore, too. The 17-year-old was compared to Neymar by James Maddison last season and has so much potential.

Yet, the most exciting talent bursting through the ranks is another 17-year-old, Luca Williams-Barnett.

The teenager may be unknown to many supporters but has already made his first-team debut, appearing for the final three minutes of Spurs’ League Cup win over Doncaster Rovers last week.

Those minutes were a fine reward for his remarkable development over the last few years. If Spurs were looking for their own Max Dowman, then they have found it here.

A no.10 by trade, who can also play up top, the talented teen was superb last season, scoring 20 goals and registering a further 12 assists in 23 outings.

He’s begun the 2025/26 term in a similar vein of form with six goals and four assists in eight appearances for the U21s.

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As data analyst Ben Mattinson has outlined, he is “one of England’s best talents at youth level” and he also “scores bangers”.

His hat-trick earlier this season may not have showcased this but it proved he’s usually always in the right place at the right time, influencing play positively.

A goalscorer, a creator, an innate dribbler, Williams-Barnett has all of the tools to thrive at Spurs in the coming years.

However, for Frank, the challenge will be finding him regular minutes now in the Premier League. Their fierce rivals Arsenal, have led the way by giving the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Dowman so many minutes over the last year.

Could Spurs be brewing their own version here? The future certainly looks bright.

Spurs may already have their new Luka Modric & it's not Palhinha

Tottenham Hotspur have found their next Luka Modric in North London, and it is not Joao Palhinha.

ByDan Emery Sep 30, 2025

Manchester City’s Champions League campaign is up and running with a victory.

On Thursday night at the Etihad, the 2023 winners beat Napoli 2-0 to commence the league phase with three points.

The key flash point of the first half was the red card shown to the visitors’ captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, dismissed by referee Felix Zwayer for a foul on Erling Braut Håland, deemed to be the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

The match remained goalless for almost an hour, Antonio Conte’s team staying compact and defending resolutely, featuring an extraordinary goal-line clearance from Matteo Politano on the cusp of half time.

Nevertheless, in the end, Man City did find the breakthrough, with Phil Foden’s chipped through-ball picking out Håland whose looping header beat Vanja Milinković-Savić, before Jérémy Doku lashed home the clincher a mere seven minutes later.

In last season’s Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s team only managed victories against Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Prague and Club Brugge, not exactly European juggernauts, so will be pleased to have overcome the reigning Scudetto holders.

It was a record-breaking night for one Man City player, while another showed his class, on a night when a returning Sky Blue great enjoyed an inauspicious home coming.

Erling Braut Håland's record breaking night

On a Champions League night, you can almost always rely on Erling Braut Håland to score a goal.

His header to break the deadlock was his 50th in the Champions League, bagging eight for RB Salzburg, 15 in the yellow of Borussia Dortmund and now 27 for Manchester City.

This makes him, by some considerable distance, the fastest player to this landmark in the competition’s history, as indicated below.

Here’s a mind-blowing piece of information for you, courtesy of Will Jeanes of the Athletic.

On 18 September 2007, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored for Real Madrid against Werder Bremen to become the fastest player to 50 European Cup or Champions League goals, breaking Raúl’s record, doing so in his 62nd appearance in the tournament.

Well, exactly 18 years to the day later, this record is shattered by Håland, who has reached 50 goals in just 49 games, very much with his sights set on Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 140.

However, the big Norwegian centre-forward was not the only man to impress in Sky Blue.

Manchester City's new Kevin De Bruyne

All the pre-match discussion ahead of Napoli’s visit to the Etihad was about the swift homecoming of Kevin De Bruyne; whoever at UEFA headquarters decided to put this fixture on matchday one knew what they were doing!

However, the night certainly did not go how the Belgian would have dreamt it, hooked after 20 minutes through no fault of his own, simply sacrificed by Conte, replaced by left-back Mathías Olivera, following Di Lorenzo’s aforementioned red card.

During his time in Manchester, De Bruyne and Håland directly combined for 25 goals, eight more than any other player in the goal machine’s career; Marco Reus the man second on this list.

Instead of coming back to haunt the club who declined the opportunity to extend his contract, De Bruyne got to watch on like the rest of us as Foden staked a claim to be the heir to his vacant throne.

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At the weekend, the England international’s header to break the deadlock in the Manchester derby was his first Premier League goal since netting against Chelsea on 25 January, a draught of 232 days.

Then, in this match, his impudent assists teed up Håland to make the breakthrough, and the statistics below highlight how impactful he was throughout, having been handed an 8/10 match rating by the MEN.

Foden vs Napoli
Stat	Foden	Match rank
Assists	1	1st
Accurate passes	56	8th
Shots on target	1	2nd
Key passes	8	1st
Big chances created	1	1st
Accurate crosses	11	1st
Touches	82	6th
Average SofaScore rating	7.6	5th
All statistics courtesy of SofaScore

As the table documents, Foden was the creative hub of Manchester City’s team against Napoli, registering four more key passes than anyone else, as well as nine more accurate crosses than any other member of the Citizens’ squad.

Last season was frankly miserable for Foden, scoring just ten goals and accumulating four assists across the Premier League and Champions League, having registered 24 goals and 11 assists the season before, named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Player of the Year as a result.

Nevertheless, after scoring three times during the Club World Cup in the summer, there are further signs that Foden is getting back to his best.

Thus, he will surely be in Guardiola’s starting lineup for Sunday’s huge clash with Arsenal in North London, hoping he can live up to the departed De Bruyne’s legacy.

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Controversy has erupted in Spain after the television broadcast of Real Oviedo’s clash with Espanyol cut away from the opening moments of play, missing both teams’ planned 15-second protest against La Liga’s decision to move Barcelona’s upcoming league game to Miami. The censorship has drawn fresh criticism of the league’s handling of its controversial U.S. expansion plan.

• LaLiga censor protests

  LaLiga's weekend kicked off on Friday night with Real Oviedo hosting Espanyol — but what viewers saw was far from the full story. As both sets of players staged a silent 15-second protest against the league’s plan to stage Barcelona’s December fixture against Villarreal in Miami, the broadcast cut away from the pitch. When coverage resumed, play was already underway, effectively censoring the joint demonstration.

  The protest had been coordinated by the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), which called on all top-flight teams to pause play at kick-off to express frustration with La Liga’s “lack of transparency, dialogue, and consistency” in approving the U.S. fixture. As per The Athletic, Barcelona and Villarreal — the clubs directly involved in the Miami match — would not take part, though both are expected to respect the actions of their opponents this weekend. Real Oviedo and Espanyol’s unity, however, made the statement unmistakable, even if television cameras avoided it.

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• AFP
  

  Barca's Miami match

  The controversy stems from LaLiga’s historic decision to hold a competitive league match abroad for the first time. The fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal, scheduled for December 20, is set to take place at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium — home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins — instead of Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica. The move comes despite opposition from FIFA, Real Madrid, and player representatives across Spain, all of whom argue it prioritises commercial interests over player welfare and domestic fans.

  The AFE, representing Spain’s professional footballers, has criticised LaLiga for what it calls “constant refusals and unrealistic proposals” when asked to negotiate. Their statement emphasised that the plan lacks proper consultation with players — the “main protagonists” — and undermines existing labour protections. By excluding Barcelona and Villarreal from the protest, the AFE sought to prevent the action from being seen as an attack on either club, instead framing it as a stand against the process itself.

  Public sentiment has also turned sharply against LaLiga’s handling of the situation. Supporters’ federations, including the influential Federation of Shareholders and Members of Spanish Football (FASFE), have encouraged fans to join in the protests by applauding during the initial 15 seconds of every match this weekend. The solidarity between players and supporters underscores a growing frustration with La Liga’s governance, which many believe is drifting away from the cultural and community values that define Spanish football.

• Barca players equally unhappy

  Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick added further weight to the criticism by revealing that his players are unhappy about the Miami fixture. “My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,” he said in a press conference before Saturday’s match against Girona. His comments echoed those of club captain Frenkie de Jong, who previously called the additional 7,200-kilometre trip “unnecessary” amid an already packed football calendar.

  De Jong’s remarks underline a broader player fatigue issue, with both Barcelona and Villarreal also competing in the Champions League this season. Flick pointed out that the Miami match would come just before the short winter break and be followed soon after by another long-haul journey — this time to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup in early January. The concern, he said, was not just about travel but about fairness, given that no other La Liga club faces such extensive disruption to their schedule.

  Even as Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the club will “play wherever LaLiga tells them to,” the mood among players and coaches remains uneasy. While the league defends the Miami plan as a step toward global growth, the backlash from within Spain — from players, fans, and even some club executives — suggests that many view it as an overreach. For now, the Oviedo-Espanyol protest has reignited the debate about who truly benefits from football’s growing globalisation.

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  What comes next?

  La Liga has yet to comment on the broadcast decision that censored the Oviedo-Espanyol protest, but pressure is mounting on the organisation to respond. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the remaining matches this weekend to see whether similar censorship occurs. Girona’s clash with Barcelona on Saturday and Villarreal’s meeting with Real Betis are expected to feature further demonstrations of solidarity, even though the two clubs at the centre of the Miami controversy are not directly participating. Should broadcasters continue to withhold coverage, the fallout could escalate into a deeper conflict between La Liga, its players, and the fans.

  For the league itself, the Miami experiment could set a precedent for future international fixtures — or backfire spectacularly if domestic unrest intensifies. What began as a symbolic 15-second stand has quickly become a defining moment for Spanish football’s power dynamics.

Tottenham Hotspur have made an excellent start to life under Thomas Frank over the last couple of weeks, with the Dane only losing one of his first nine games at the helm.

Part of his success in North London has been down to the immediate impact of summer addition Mohammed Kudus, with the Ghanaian nailing his place in the starting eleven.

The 25-year-old cost £55m from Premier League rivals West Ham United, already hitting the ground running and contributing to the Lilywhites’ success on the pitch.

He’s already registered four assists across all competitions, two of which came on the opening day in the 3-0 triumph over Burnley – a game which was his competitive debut for the club.

Such an achievement matched a record set by one other first-team member, but the new addition has yet to feature alongside him in the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign.

James Maddison’s highs and lows at Spurs

James Maddison became the first player in Spurs’ Premier League history to register two assists on his league debut, subsequently being joined in such a club by Kudus.

The Englishman joined the Lilywhites back in the summer of 2023 for a fee in the region of £40m from Leicester City after the Foxes’ relegation the season prior.

Since his transfer, he’s racked up 75 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring 16 times and registering 19 assists across all competitions – but such numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Injuries have massively plagued the 28-year-old over recent years, already suffering four injuries in his two-year spell, subsequently missing 25 matches through various setbacks.

Maddison has since suffered an ACL injury, further adding to his frustrations and is now expected to miss out on the vast majority of the Dane’s first campaign in charge.

There’s no denying that the attacking midfielder is a player who possesses huge talent, but ultimately his lack of fitness has constantly prevented him from making an impact on a consistent basis.

As a result, he could easily lose his number ten shirt in the near future, with one player already on the books deserving of the opportunity to wear such a historic shirt.

The Spurs star who could steal Maddison’s #10

Over the last couple of years, Spurs have been fortunate to see multiple top talents wear the number ten shirt – none more so than former striker Harry Kane.

The centre-forward emerged through the ranks in North London, before making his mark in the first-team and cementing himself in the Lilywhites’ history forever.

He found the net on 280 occasions during his decade-long spell with the club, subsequently surpassing the late Jimmy Greaves and becoming their all-time top-scorer.

However, Maddison was the player to inherit such a shirt after the former’s departure to join Bayern Munich, but the club may look to hand another first-team star the responsibility of wearing such a historic number.

Pape Matar Sarr joined the Lilywhites as an unknown quantity to many of the supporters, but it’s safe to say he’s now become one of the club’s best players at present.

The Senegalese international joined for just £14.6m in 2021, but would have to wait until the following summer to make his first competitive appearance for the English outfit.

However, since such a day, the 23-year-old hasn’t looked back, subsequently racking up over 100 appearances in all competitions – five of which have come in the Premier League under Frank.

Sarr, who’s been dubbed “unbelievable” by Jamie O’Hara, has already registered a goal and two assists in England’s top flight this season, highlighting his attacking quality despite his deep-lying role.

He’s now posted a total of 10 goals and eight assists since making the move to England, which has allowed him to be a vital component within the club’s midfield department.

Games played

5

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success

50%

Fouls won

1.2

Duels won

5.1

Recoveries made

4.8

Touches in opposition box

2.3

Out of possession, Sarr has been just as impressive, winning 5.1 duels per 90, along with 4.8 recoveries made – arguably being one of the best box-to-box options in the league.

At 23, he had plenty of time to build on his early success in North London, potentially playing a crucial role in any future success achieved during Frank’s tenure in the role.

As a result, he could easily be handed the number ten shirt by the club to reflect his importance, but such a decision could prove to be harsh in Maddison, given his recent struggles.

However, football is a cruel industry and it remains to be seen what level the Englishman is at after such an injury lay-off, with the hierarchy having a huge call to make on his future.

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India international scores 87 on debut, to go along with fifties from Patterson-White and Pennington

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 23-Jun-2025

Dillon Pennington made a career-best 61•Jack Bird

Half-centuries from Ishan Kishan, Liam Patterson-White and Dillon Pennington put Division One leaders Nottinghamshire in control as they totalled 487 on day two of their Rothesay County Championship match against Yorkshire.Indian wicketkeeper-batter Kishan’s 87 came in his debut innings for the county, Patterson-White posting the same score and fast-bowler Pennington entertaining the Trent Bridge crowd with a career-best 61.Left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty took four for 91 – but a poor innings in the field for the visitors was at least followed by a better performance with the bat, Yorkshire recovering from the loss of a wicket first ball to close on 154 for 3, with Finlay Bean 86 not out, albeit losing the experience of Dawid Malan in the penultimate over.Yorkshire would have seen a Nottinghamshire first-innings total below 350 as a half-decent outcome for their endeavours with the ball. In the event, they were unable even to keep them below 450 at lunch as Nottinghamshire piled 155 in the session on to their overnight 298 for 6 for the loss of only two more wickets.Kishan, dropped at midwicket off Jack White without addition to his 44 overnight – another costly error in the field after Ben Slater was put down on 11 on day one – advanced to 87 from 98 balls before being caught there off Dom Bess, having struck 12 fours and a six down the ground off George Hill in a thrilling first instalment of his two-match stay at Trent Bridge.Farhan Ahmed edged to first slip but if Yorkshire imagined things might get easier thereafter, they reckoned without Pennington, not a renowned batter, choosing the 80th first-class innings of his career to register his second fifty.The 26-year-old fast bowler had gone past 20 only nine times in his career yet was able to hammer 24 in a single over this time, and off Yorkshire’s overseas quick Will O’Rourke for good measure, the New Zealander finding his figures pounded by three exuberant carves for four and two mighty pulls for six, finishing with 2 for 113.Being dropped on 49 confirmed it was Pennington’s day as he went on to reach 50 from just 39 balls. The eighth of his nine boundaries took him past his previous best of 56 before he was caught and bowled by Moriarty.In 18.2 soul-destroying overs for Yorkshire, he and Patterson-White added 96 for the ninth wicket. Patterson-White, who had hammered two sixes down the ground off Bess, still had time for a couple more off Moriarty before top-edging to backward point, ending the Nottinghamshire 11 overs after lunch.It had been a chastening day for Yorkshire, whose mood would not have been helped by the sight of Mohammad Abbas removing their top run-scorer, Adam Lyth, with his first ball. The Test veteran found enough movement to clip the outside edge.Mercifully, from a Yorkshire point of view, the Pakistan international, who dismissed Lyth and Bean in his opening spell on the way to a first-innings 6 for 45 as Nottinghamshire defeated Yorkshire at Headingley in May, could not conjure a repeat.Indeed, Bean completed his first half-century of what has been a lean season to date soon after he and James Wharton had steered their side to 65 for 1 at tea, their cause helped to the tune of five penalty runs when Pennington, having fielded off his own bowling, was cautioned for throwing the ball aggressively in Wharton’s direction.In fairly benign conditions, the second-wicket pair were able to stretch their partnership to 99 before the home side made a second breakthrough, Pennington the bowler to induce it early in his second spell as Wharton failed to control his drive and was caught at mid-off.Bean and Malan chipped a further 55 off the deficit but Yorkshire suffered a setback they could have done without in the penultimate over when Malan, looking to drive Patterson-White’s left-arm spin, could only edge the ball behind, a deflection off Kishan dropping into the hands of slip Freddie McCann.

West Ham sporting director Mark Noble has pushed another name to the hierarchy, as chairman David Sullivan and co weigh up potential replacements for under-fire boss Graham Potter.

West Ham players back Graham Potter amid mounting pressure

After a disastrous start to 2025/2026, with West Ham losing four of their five opening Premier League games whilst conceding more goals than any other side in the top flight, time is seriously running out for Potter.

They didn’t fare much better last season, either, and Potter has won just six of his 25 total games in charge since taking over from Julen Lopetegui in January.

The Hammers have arguably regressed under Potter, with the tactician recording a worse win percentage (26.1) than Lopetegui and West Ham’s second lowest in Premier League history — bar Avram Grant.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Their poor 2025 form has culminated in a reported stay of execution for the 50-year-old.

According to ExWHUemployee, depending on their result against Everton this weekend, Potter could be sacked after the Arsenal game to give any new manager the best possible chance of a good start at home to Brentford on October 20 — just after the next international break.

West Ham have a host of candidates under consideration to replace Potter, including Nuno Espírito Santo, Slaven Bilic, Gary O’Neil, Scott Parker, Marco Silva and Sean Dyche.

However, despite his uncertain future, multiple reliable media sources, like Sky Sports and The Telegraph, are reporting that Potter has significant backing behind-the-scenes at Rush Green.

Senior West Ham players have apparently told friends that Potter is the right man for the job (The Telegraph), but even with this show of support, it’ll count for very little if results continue on this downward spiral.

Irons shareholders are increasingly concerned by the prospect of relegation (Claret & Hugh), with Daniel Křetínský and other members of the boardroom, like Noble, all involved in the managerial re-hire process.

Mark Noble has pushed West Ham to consider Michael Carrick

The abundance of former players linked with the West Ham hot seat is growing larger, as Noble has now pushed Michael Carrick’s name during internal discussions.

The ex-Hammer and Man United legend is a free agent after leaving his most recent job at Middlesbrough, and was briefly caretaker manager at Old Trafford before Ralf Rangnick stepped in.

Journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to Hammers News, has now claimed that Carrick is being internally discussed at West Ham after Noble’s recommendation.

Carrick attracted praise from ex-teammate Rio Ferdinand as a “class act”, but does that make him the right choice to take Potter’s mantle?

West Ham must avoid Michael Carrick as managerial target

The 44-year-old took charge of 136 Boro matches before leaving in June, averaging 1.57 points per game and missing out on the Championship play-offs last season by just four points.

Boro also just missed out on a play-off place the season before that, and by the exact same number of points.

Carrick did guide them to the 22/23 play-off semi-finals, only to go out to Coventry City, losing 1-0 on aggregate.

His stint at the Riverside Stadium showed signs of promise, but it was very much a ‘close but no cigar’ era for the club. Since Carrick’s departure, Boro find themselves top of the second tier table and unbeaten, as they look to finally seal a place back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

The jury is out on whether Carrick has done enough to earn the West Ham job, and Nuno comes as a far more appealing alternative, even if there are certain roadblocks that Sullivan and the board need to navigate.

Arsenal are braced for another Premier League title challenge with Liverpool, and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggests an emerging leader in their squad could be crucial.

Arsenal agree William Saliba deal in huge boost for Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta was boosted by the official announcement of a new deal for star defender William Saliba earlier this week.

The Frenchman, who’s been a vital component of Arsenal’s title-chasing side since the beginning of 2022/2023, was attracting serious interest from Real Madrid. Los Blancos even approached him in the summer window, but Saliba was clear that he wanted to remain at the Emirates Stadium (HandOfArsenal).

William Saliba’s defensive numbers for Arsenal in the Premier League — 2025/2026	Stats
Appearances	5
Minutes played	319
Clean sheets	2
Tackles made	8
Interceptions	3
Ground duels won	24/34
Aerial duels won	12
Clearances	20
via Footy Stats

Saliba’s contract was due to expire in 2027, and sporting director Andrea Berta took a hands-on role in new contract negotiations as he eventually convinced the 24-year-old to agree fresh terms (Charles Watts).

Saliba’s new deal expires in 2030, committing him to Arsenal for another five years, with Berta praising the “incredible” defender after the Gunners confirmed his extension.

Arteta’s side take on Olympiacos in the Champions League tonight, with the Greek Super League champions travelling to North London and could face off against Arsenal’s newly-committed star in Saliba.

The France international is slowly being reintegrated into the starting eleven after recovering from an ankle injury, having started their 1-1 draw with Man City and Carabao Cup win over Port Vale, but was dropped to the bench for Arsenal’s dramatic victory at Newcastle.

Summer signing Cristhian Mosquera has seriously impressed whenever he’s asked to fill in for Saliba, and that is an avenue Arteta may well go down again in Europe tonight as he looks to avoid any more fitness issues with his star man.

Alongside Saliba, another defender has been vital to Arsenal’s success in recent years.

That man is, of course, Gabriel.

According to some reports, Saliba and Gabriel made a pact to remain at Arsenal and challenge for major silverware, with the Brazilian also signing a contract extension earlier this year.

Jamie Carragher admits he was wrong about Arsenal star Gabriel

He’s been just as crucial to Arsenal’s defensive prowess as Saliba, and their partnership is widely viewed as one of Europe’s best.

Largely thanks to the duo, Arteta’s men have conceded the fewest goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

Gabriel’s threat from set pieces has also got Arsenal out of jail on numerous occasions, with the 27-year-old — after his winner against Newcastle — bagging more goals than any other defender in the Premier League since he made his debut in 2020 (18).

Speaking to Sky Sports (via The Metro), Carragher has made an admission about Gabriel in praise of the ex-Lille star — claiming he was wrong about Saliba being on another level to his centre-back partner.

The ex-Liverpool defender also praised Gabriel as an emerging leader in Arsenal’s side.

While Carragher has taken more time to hand Gabriel his well-deserved praise, the South American’s quality has never been lost on Arteta, who called the defender’s performances “undeniable” as far back as September last year.

Yorkshire 143 for 3 (Lyth 65*) trail Essex 368 (Thain 50*, White 3-68) by 225 runsThe Rothesay County Championship clash between Division One strugglers Yorkshire and Essex is nicely poised at its midway point after an engaging day two at York.The opening day was a slow-burner which saw Essex close on 248 for 3. But things were different upon the resumption this morning, with Yorkshire claiming the last seven Essex wickets for 95 on a placid Clifton Park pitch, bowling the visitors out for 368 during the early stages of the afternoon.Yorkshire then closed on 143 for 3 from 54 overs, including opener Adam Lyth’s 65 not out off 172 balls. They trail by 225.This was a tireless display from a Yorkshire bowling unit who gained little reward on day one, with new-ball seamer Jack White returning 3 for 68 from 27 overs.He, alongside George Hill and Dom Bess, struck twice during the first half of day two, while Noah Thain compiled an unbeaten 50 not out off 81 balls.Thain was then one of Essex’s three wicket-takers before close via his seamers, alongside Shane Snater and Simon Harmer. Like Yorkshire’s bowlers had done, Essex’s bowlers also stuck to their task well in difficult conditions.Essex’s innings was a curious affair, highlighted by the fact they batted through 110 overs on a pitch lacking pace for 278 for 6 and only one batting bonus point. They really did seem to get stuck between a rock and hard place today. Unable to attack whilst being unable to survive.While Yorkshire didn’t race away in their reply, they started more positively than Essex had batted. Lyth drove particularly well.The White Rose county struck three times in five overs for the addition of only three runs just before midday as Essex slipped from 273 for 3 in the 104th over to 276 for 6 in the 109th. With it, Yorkshire secured a second bowling point.Hill claimed two of those wickets, with England fringe batter Jordan Cox caught behind for 33 playing off the back foot and Charlie Allison caught slicing to point.Thain shared a seventh-wicket 56 with Michael Pepper through until early afternoon and reached his fifty off the last ball that he faced, with the last four wickets falling for 36. Offspinner Bess picked up two of those. He had Harmer caught at slip and Snater caught at long-on.Yorkshire openers Fin Bean and Lyth then started their reply confidently either side of the tea break, sharing 81 on a pitch lacking pace. Both men pulled confidently, with Bean looking a completely different player to the one who had posted a top-score of only 31 in the first seven games.An impressive 224 on a similarly slow pitch against leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge has done wonders for his confidence. It will, therefore, have been a major frustration to him that he couldn’t go on beyond 31 here as, after tea, he was caught behind down leg off Snater’s seam in the 27th over.James Wharton then drilled Harmer’s offspin to mid-on having advanced down the pitch looking to hit over the top – 110 for 2 in the 34th over.One man who did go on was Lyth. Sandwiched in between the two wickets, he reached 50 for the seventh time this season, this one off 110 balls. But the fixture’s fourth leg-side strangle did for Pakistani overseas debutant Abdullah Shafique for 4 as Thain left Yorkshire at 125 for 3 in the 41st over. Pepper took a brilliant one-handed catch going to his left.Survival was the main aim for Lyth and Jonny Bairstow late on. The former was stuck on 63 from the 39th over until the day’s last. He navigated the threat of Harmer, who was excellent for 1 for 18 from 15 overs.Early morning wickets on day three will put eighth-placed Essex in a strong position, whereas second-bottom Yorkshire will know batting big is imperative for their own victory hopes.