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Leeds United picked up an invaluable three points on Tuesday night away from home after a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough. It was never going to be an easy outing for Daniel Farke’s side, with Boro pushing for a playoff spot themselves.

The visitors scored the first, and only, goal of the game in just the second minute. Winger Daniel James was the goalscorer, darting into the box to get on the end of a low cross from loanee Manor Solomon.

It wasn’t the cleanest of finishes from the Welshman, but it was effective and somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Despite the scoreline, it should have been 3-0 to Leeds, although through no fault of their own. They had two goals wrongly ruled out for offside, with Ao Tanaka’s first-half strike getting chalked off and Patrick Bamford suffering the same fate in the second period.

Both players were onside, and both goals should have stood.

Regardless, the Whites held on for a crucial three points, which has swung momentum back their way in the race for automatic promotion. With Sheffield United losing at home to Milwall and Burnley drawing away to Derby County, Leeds are now top of the table again on goal difference.

There were some standout Leeds players in the important win over Boro on Tuesday,

Leeds' best players vs. Middlesborough

On a huge night for Leeds, it needed their most important players to stand up for the count. Well, one of those, Ethan Ampadu, did just that. The Whites’ skipper was excellent at the heart of their defence, continually progressing play forwards throughout the game.

In fact, Isaac Johnson, Leeds reporter for Leeds Live, was very complimentary of the Welshman at full time. He gave Ampadu a 9/10 for his efforts, describing his performance against Boro as a “proper captain’s showing”.

Ampadu was not the only Leeds player who stood out. At the other end of the pitch, it was an eye-catching display from attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who looked in much better form than he has shown in recent weeks.

The United States international also received a strong post-match rating from Johnson, who gave Aaronson an 8/10 for his performance at the Riverside Stadium. The journalist said he made some “very neat touches” and that he “took on his man efficiently”.

So, it was certainly a good night at the office for the likes of Ampadu and Aaronson, who helped their side secure a vital three points. However, there were a couple of players who struggled.

Chalkboard

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

The Leeds midfielders who struggled

Despite the victory, there were times when Leeds lacked control in the middle of the park. Their pivot, made up of Tanaka and Ilia Gruev, did struggle to impart control on the game. The pair received 5/10 ratings at the end of the game from Leeds Live.

Indeed, their stats on Sofascore from the clash at the Riverside reflect those ratings. For example, Tanaka had 51 touches of the ball but lost possession seven times, and Gruev had 70 touches and lost the ball six times.

Leeds have struggled for fluency at times this season, and it doesn’t feel like on-pitch relationships have fully developed. There have been occasions where Aaronson and Joel Piroe, for example, have struggled to get the best out of each other. Indeed, the latter has now gone seven games without finding the net.

Well, while Tanaka has been one of the signings of the seasons, his partnership with Gruev doesn’t feel like the best for Farke in the back end of the season.

The pair, who earn £40k per week between them, have only played 14 times together, for a total of 644 minutes. They have only played a full 90 minutes as a pairing on three occasions, in which they are unbeaten, but if you contrast those numbers with Joe Rothwell, for instance, it’s safe to say that pairing is more effective.

They have played 31 times as a midfield combination and only lost on two occasions in which they have started alongside each other.

With the race for automatic promotion set to go down to the wire for Leeds this term, perhaps Farke will not want to take the risk of playing Gruev alongside Tanaka again, given they seem to lack synergy.

It is crunch time for the Yorkshire outfit. Perhaps starting a pivot who have not played much with each other is a risk that is too big to take at this stage of the season. There is no doubting Tanaka and Gruev as individual players, but as a pairing, Leeds have better options.

26 touches, 10 passes: Farke must drop Leeds dud after 2/10 display

Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough last night.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 9, 2025

England batter trades playing in franchise league for off-field role but remains contracted for her country

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2025Heather Knight has opted out of playing in next year’s Hundred to take up a role as London Spirit’s first women’s team General Manager.In a move that signals Knight, the former England captain, could be considering taking a larger step back from her playing career after the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil, her new franchise role involves offering technical support to coaching staff as well as acting as a sounding board for the on-field leadership team from the dugout on match days. She will work closely with Mo Bobat, London Spirit’s Director of Cricket.”I’m delighted to take up this new role with London Spirit,” Knight said. “I have absolutely loved my time at the franchise, as a player and also as a coach in last year’s edition of The Hundred.In addition to the T20 World Cup, England will also host the first Women’s Test match at Lord’s, against India in July, and Knight expects to play a key role in both under her ECB contract, which has another year to run.”I am still very much committed to and passionate about playing for England and Somerset, but this is a huge development opportunity for me,” she added. “It gives me the chance to learn from one of the best minds in the global game, in Mo, and broaden my experiences outside of my playing career. I am so excited for everything to come, on and off the field, in 2026.”Related

• Heather Knight departs as England captain after nine-year reign

• Age is just a number – the women's World Cup XI of seniors

• Heather Knight: Hamstrung no longer after slow road to recovery

Knight captained London Spirit in the first four editions of The Hundred, including to the 2024 title. Her new off-field role is a progression from the 2025 season when she acted as a team mentor and coach while recovering from a serious hamstring injury.Knight lost the England captaincy in March after a nine-year stint which ended with a winless Ashes tour of Australia at the start of 2025. She tore her hamstring tendon from the bone while batting against West Indies in May which sidelined her for much of the home summer but she recovered to be England’s leading run-scorer at the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. She finished with 228 runs at 48.00 and a strike rate of 85.71 as her side exited in the semi-finals.Knight had foreshadowed a move into sports administration in 2023, when she completed her Masters of Leadership In Sport at the Institute of Sports Humanities, co-founded by former England Men’s national selector Ed Smith. Her dissertation focused on balancing traditional international interests with the growth of domestic franchise leagues in the women’s game.Bobat described Knight as “an asset in every sense of the word”.”Heather’s deep understanding of the women’s game, and of what is required to perform at the highest level make her the ideal person to be our first Women’s General Manager,” Bobat said. “She knows what it takes to win The Hundred and the franchise will benefit from having one of the game’s leading current players in such a key role.”I’m looking forward to working closely with Heather and excited at the prospect of her forming a trusted partnership with our Women’s Head Coach. It’s also great to be able to support Heather with her long-term ambitions and future career transition. I know how passionate she remains about playing for England and her unwavering commitment to representing her country.”

Both Kohli and Gaikwad accessed similar areas in the field to help India score risk-free runs in the middle overs

Alagappan Muthu03-Dec-20254:31

Gaikwad: I decided I’d try to be consistent in any game this year

At the halfway stage, on a pitch that wasn’t completely straightforward to bat on, Virat Kohli was 51 not out. Considering he was playing two games in one that was pretty good going.As soon as the coin fell against them, India had to play both the ball in front of them – which in the first innings was holding up on the surface – and the ball that lay in wait – when dew in the second innings would make run-scoring a much more appealing occupation.A one in a million event – losing 20 tosses in a row – set the stage for a one in a million player. Kohli made his 53rd ODI century. South Africa haven’t been able to keep up with him. But someone else was.Related

• Ruturaj Gaikwad: 'I was pretty much confident' of batting at No. 4

• Belief surges for South Africa as Markram makes amends in style

• Rahul: Toss plays a 'huge part' and 'making a huge difference' with dew

• Kohli dictates South Africa's reality from within his bubble

• Stats – Kohli with back-to-back tons again; SA ace record chase

At the halfway stage, on a pitch that wasn’t completely straightforward to bat on, Ruturaj Gaikwad was 51 not out as well. When the ODI squad for this South Africa series was announced, it seemed like he would be more of a bench player. The back-up if one of the openers got injured. Except, on training day in Ranchi, he batted with Kohli. Shadowed him, almost. On match day, it became clear that India saw him in a different role. Eighty-one of his 88 List A innings may have come at the top of the order but here this team saw him as a No. 4. Or maybe, somewhere way out in the future, a No. 3.It is only one innings – played in Shreyas Iyer’s absence who will very likely get his spot back once he recovers from his injury – but right the way through, it mirrored one of the greatest of all time. Gaikwad being in such good sync with Kohli actually became vital to his health because there were a couple of blistering on drives that came straight at him and would’ve taken him out if he were even a step off.Virat Kohli gives Ruturaj Gaikwad a pat on the back after the latter tonned up•AFP/Getty ImagesThe two of them accessed similar areas in the field to further the same agenda. India needed regular, risk-free runs through the middle overs so that the wickets they ended up saving could help them launch at the back end (which they did, scoring 200 runs in 25 overs). Kohli directed it all. When the two of them got together in between overs, he kept pointing to the field in front of the wicket and gesturing “tap and run”.”Well, obviously a dream to bat with him and, you know, have a wonderful partnership,” Gaikwad told the broadcaster in between innings. “He helped me a lot throughout [our time in] the middle about how to access gaps, what lengths the bowler might be bowling and how you can adjust your technique and score some runs by taking less dot balls. So definitely very helpful and good learning for me.”Gaikwad followed suit so well that when they brought up their fifties, their underlying stats were almost identical: 24 singles and three twos for the master vs 23 singles and three twos for the protégé accessing areas in front of the wicket because the pitch was two-paced and searching for runs behind square was too risky.”I think we kept thinking about five-five overs,” Gaikwad said about how they broke their 195-run partnership. “We had set small targets and we just thought that five overs we have to achieve this, five overs we have to achieve this. Once we felt that we were really comfortable in the middle and there came a phase where the ball wasn’t doing much and it was coming really nicely onto the bat. And I just said that I’ll back my instincts, whatever it is, and let’s see how it goes on.”Gaikwad went from fifty to hundred in 25 balls. His boundary count nearly tripled, from five to 14. The moment came after a tiny bit of teasing. Deep midwicket tracked a pull shot placed past mid-on. Sixty-thousand people went “oooohhh” as the ball skipped across the outfield. Gaikwad himself couldn’t take his eyes off the ball even though he was in the middle of running between the wickets. When it hit the rope, all that tension melted away. The crowd went up in a roar. So did Gaikwad. Kohli stood back, letting his junior enjoy his moment, and when he was ready, the two of them embraced.All round the country – when Kohli landed in Mumbai, when he trained in Ranchi, when he batted in Raipur – people have been begging him for some attention. It was kinda funny that the one time he was instigating the PDA, he ended up having to wait. A first ODI hundred is always special but one made in the company of the king, matching him shot for shot, must feel even better. Unfortunately for him, this one suffered the same fate as his other international century, with the opposition pulling off a record chase.

Pitcher Aroldis Chapman locked down the save for the Red Sox in their playoff opener Tuesday—but only after a treacherous ninth inning that had Boston fans on pins and needles.

The Red Sox summoned Chapman in the eighth inning in relief of starter Garrett Crochet, who'd flummoxed the Yankees with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings to start this American League wild-card series. After inducing third baseman Jose Caballero to fly out, Chapman returned for the ninth up 3–1.

The first batter, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, singled. The second, right fielder Aaron Judge, did the same. When left fielder Cody Bellinger added a third, New York was able to load the bases.

After that, it was all Chapman. First, the eight-time All-Star fooled designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton on a nasty 92 mph splitter—one of the best pitches of the day in baseball.

Then, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. flied to shallow right before Chapman punched out center fielder Trent Grisham on a 101 mph four-seamer to end the game.

The two teams will meet again Wednesday, with Boston hoping for a smoother landing.

This relationship has always sent sparks flying in pivotal World Cup moments. What does Navi Mumbai have in store for us?

Sruthi Ravindranath29-Oct-2025When Harmanpreet Kaur tore Australia’s bowling apart with a sensational unbeaten 171 off 115 balls in the Derby semi-final of the 2017 World Cup, she did more than win India a match. She tore a hole in Australia’s cloak of invincibility. It remains one of the greatest innings ever played in a knockout game, and it marked the turning point of women’s cricket in India.That innings even changed Australia a little bit.”Look, I’ve forgotten a lot about the game, but you guys are pretty, pretty good at putting it on the telly at every opportunity possible, so it brings back the memory a little bit,” Alyssa Healy said before Australia’s league-stage meeting with India at this World Cup. “But we’ve spoken a lot about how it’s just drove us to rethink our standards and the way we wanted to approach our cricket. It made us rethink what we were doing and how we could do it better. And I think we’ve been really successful since that point.”It isn’t surprising, then, that whenever India and Australia have met in a global tournament since that day, one question has always hung in the air: what will Harmanpreet do this time?Harmanpreet cannot believe her luck: the heartbreaking run-out in Cape Town•ICC/Getty ImagesEight years on, that question still defines her. Between Derby and Thursday’s semi-final in Navi Mumbai, the journey of Harmanpreet and India in World Cups has been one of agonising near-misses. Whenever these have involved Australia, Harmanpreet has been front and centre.In the T20 World Cup semi-final in Cape Town, her 52 was set to become a career-defining innings, as she batted through illness and set India up for what looked like a famous chase. All until a freak run-out with her bat stuck in the pitch. At the post-match presentation, Harmanpreet wore sunglasses to hide her tears.Then came Sharjah, October 2024, where India met Australia again, this time with a semi-final berth hanging in the balance. Batting on 52 with India needing 14, Harmanpreet nudged a single off the first ball of the final over, and watched helplessly as four wickets tumbled in the next five balls. India had fallen short once more.In the years since that 171*, Harmanpreet has remained an exceptional ODI batter, averaging 38.73 and striking at 85.71 – both improvements on her career figures – while scoring five hundreds and 13 fifties in 80 innings. Yet, the conversation almost always circles back to Australia, against whom she seems to reserve her most memorable performances in ICC tournaments. She has scored more runs against them than any other opposition in both ODI and T20 World Cups, but Derby only showed how rare it is for one player to bend a result to her will. Since that match, India have won only two of their seven matches against Australia in ICC events.Sharjah, 2024. Another missed opportunity for Harmanpreet and India•ICC/Getty ImagesLeadership has added another layer to Harmanpreet’s story. Since taking over as India’s full-time white-ball captain in 2022, she has led the team through a transition from a group of bright but incomplete parts to one with more battle-hardened depth than ever, but for whom the ultimate prize has always seemed just out of reach.That prize is now two games away.This World Cup has been a patchy one for India, who stumbled to three successive losses after a bright start, all of them tight and therefore viewed from outside as avoidable and indicative of tactical and temperamental cracks. Questions arose over the team’s balance. Harmanpreet’s own form was up-and-down, intensifying the scrutiny around her decision-making. Her dismissals seemed like opportunities lost, particularly the late dab straight to short third, on 70, at a pivotal moment of India’s chase against England.But India are in the semi-finals now, and the sense of occasion feels heavier than ever. Here is another shot at breaking free of a cycle of close losses, this time in a home World Cup. For Harmanpreet, now 36, this could well be the final ODI World Cup. And perhaps the final World Cup showdown with the opposition that has defined her legacy.It’s India vs Australia, and the eternal question hangs in the air once more: what will Harmanpreet do?

Mykhailo Mudryk’s career at Chelsea remains in limbo as the Ukrainian winger continues serving a provisional suspension.

The £88.5 million signing last featured for the Blues in November 2024, scoring in a Conference League victory over Heidenheim before disappearing from matchday squads entirely.

The FA formally charged Mudryk in June following confirmation that his ‘B’ sample tested positive for meldonium, a prohibited performance-enhancing substance.

The charge carries potential sanctions ranging from several months to a maximum four-year ban, though significant uncertainty surrounds the case’s resolution timeline.

Mudryk has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, insisting the positive test came as ‘complete shock’ and that he never knowingly consumed banned substances.

Ukrainian journalist Igor Burbas offered an intriguing explanation, suggesting Mudryk received a stem cell injection during national team duty to address discomfort that was limiting his performance.

Aston Villa now want to tempt Chelsea summer signing with surprise January move

It would be a head turner.

By
Emilio Galantini

7 days ago

According to the report, these stem cells allegedly originated from a cow exposed to meldonium, inadvertently contaminating Mudryk’s sample.

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin recently confirmed Mudryk passed a polygraph test and continues building his defence case, though formal results remain pending.

Palkin revealed substantial financial stakes beyond Mudryk’s career, with Shakhtar potentially forfeiting €30 million in performance-related bonuses if the winger cannot return to action.

Chelsea have provided Mudryk with an individualised fitness programme during his exile from the Cobham training ground, though his number ten shirt was reassigned to Cole Palmer this summer.

The club also signed Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens during his absence, significantly diminishing his prospects of a first-team role under Enzo Maresca, even if the 24-year-old is eventually cleared.

Luckily for Mudryk, the west Londoners apparently have a plan for that scenario.

Chelsea hatch Mykhaylo Mudryk plan in roadmap to rescue his career

According to reports from Spain, Chelsea have devised a ‘carefully considered’ strategy to ‘rescue’ Mudryk’s career following his prolonged doping suspension that has sidelined him for over a year.

The club apparently plan to loan him to sister club Strasbourg, their sister club in Ligue 1, once his ban concludes.

Rather than severing ties with their near-£100 million investment, Chelsea believe a spell in French football offers Mudryk the ideal environment to rebuild both physically and mentally.

The move would also provide fewer eyes compared to the Premier League’s intense spotlight, allowing Mudryk to rediscover his confidence through regular competitive action.

Stamford Bridge officials view the Strasbourg loan as mutually beneficial for all parties.

Mudryk gains essential playing time in a competitive league without overwhelming pressure, while Strasbourg acquire a player of significant talent, and Chelsea can monitor his development from a safe distance before determining his long-term future.

Contracted until 2031, BlueCo still have plenty of time to weigh up a decision on this, and hope that they can recover at least some of the eye-watering cash they spent on Mudryk in 2023.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri has sent a heartfelt message of support to his "brother" Ronald Araujo, insisting that the squad is desperate for the defender to return from his "spiritual journey" in Israel. The Spain international also urged the Uruguayan to look past his recent errors as he battles to recover from the emotional issues that have kept him on the sidelines.

• Araujo heads to Israel while Barca compete in the Champions League

  The situation surrounding Araujo has dominated the headlines in Catalonia over the past week. While Hansi Flick's side have been performing admirably on the pitch – staging a dramatic comeback against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday evening – the absence of a key defensive figure has left a void in the dressing room.

  It recently emerged that Araujo has been granted special permission by the club to travel to Tel Aviv. This was not a standard holiday, but rather a "spiritual journey" designed to help the centre-back disconnect from the relentless pressure of life at Barcelona and reset his mental state. Reports have suggested the player has been left "emotionally shaken" by a combination of injury setbacks and fierce criticism, prompting him to seek solace in the Holy Land.

  Speaking to the media, Pedri broke his silence on his team-mate's absence, offering a touching tribute to the bond they share and making it clear that the players are waiting with open arms for his return.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Pedri in touch with 'brother' Araujo

  When asked about Araujo’s current situation, the Spanish international revealed the personal connection he has with Araujo.

  "It is not an easy topic," Pedri admitted to . "I want to give him all the encouragement in the world, I already spoke with him in private. He is one more of the family, we love him very much and we need him both on and off the pitch."

  Araujo has faced intense scrutiny this season, often being made the scapegoat for defensive frailties. The pressure reached a boiling point recently, contributing to his decision to step away, but Pedri urged his friend to let go of any guilt he might be carrying, insisting that imperfection is part of the game and life.

  "These are things that happen; there are errors inside and outside the pitch," Pedri explained. "We all make mistakes and we need him because, for me, he is a brother. I love him very much and I wish for him to be with us as soon as possible, when he is well."

• Echoing Pique's defence

  Pedri’s emotional plea comes just days after Pique launched a fierce defence of Araujo. The former captain applauded the Uruguayan for "raising his hand and saying enough" regarding the abuse he receives. Pique criticised the "open bar" culture of insults in Spanish football, where players are expected to endure relentless toxicity without complaint.

  Pique noted that players often have to build an "armour" to survive, something he admitted was "not healthy." Araujo’s trip to Tel Aviv is an attempt to heal without becoming hardened or cynical. By taking a "spiritual" break, he is prioritising his long-term mental health over the short-term demands of the fixture list.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  Barcelona face Osasuna in La Liga this weekend with the aim of at least maintaining their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table, a match Araujo will miss as he continues his time away. The club have put no pressure on his return date, allowing the "spiritual journey" to take its natural course as Hansi Flick's men target a fifth consecutive win in all competitions this weekend.

  Araujo, 26, has featured in 15 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League this season. He was suspended for Tuesday's win at Camp Nou due to a red card he received against Chelsea last month and has missed the Catalan club's last three matches in La Liga.

Radha Yadav says “only the fielding part changed the momentum” in the fourth T20I where India restricted England to 126 with a supreme performance in the field

Valkerie Baynes10-Jul-2025Charlie Dean was face down and covered in dirt, so you couldn’t read her lips or hear her voice over the celebrating Indian fans, but the violent jerk of her head suggested an expletive or two may have been uttered.Her dismissal, and frustration at it, summed up England’s woes and India’s strength in the fourth T20I all at once; England failed to mount a challenge and their opponents were hungry, as illustrated by their superb fielding display.So, when Dean reverse-swept Radha Yadav straight to short third, yet set off for a single only to be sent back by partner Sophie Ecclestone, N Shree Charani fired the ball to the keeper’s end with speed and accuracy and Richa Ghosh whipped off the bails as Dean dived in vain.Related

• Harmanpreet and Mandhana hope India 'break the barrier' for maiden World Cup glory

• Harmanpreet embraces 'happy headache' with India's depth on the rise

• 'One more ball, please' – The quiet rise of N Shree Charani

• Spinners set up historic series win for India

Charani, who only made her T20I debut at the start of this series and is the leading wicket-taker, already had two wickets for the match and England were 101 for 7 after electing to bat. They added 25 more runs as Ecclestone and Issy Wong attempted to give themselves something to bowl at.But India took the spoils, thanks firstly to Charani and fellow left-arm spinner Radha, who was named the Player of the Match for her 2 for 15 and contributions to India’s efforts in the field, which was a big improvement on the previous match at The Oval, which England won by five runs in the last over.In the fourth T20I at Old Trafford on Wednesday, India’s batters also showed what could be done on a pitch they had exploited with their spin-heavy attack when openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on a strong powerplay and Jemimah Rodrigues finished their pursuit of 127 with three overs to spare.”We spoke in the last meeting that we have to cut down the twos and we actually did that today and we were really pumped up to do that,” Radha said. “Only the fielding part, I thought, changed the momentum.”

“She probably would’ve batted through that on that wicket and got us to a score that we could have defended”Tammy Beaumont on the missing Nat Sciver-Brunt

Just as important for India had been delivering on a promise to themselves to take home a maiden T20I series victory on English soil, which they can now do with an unassailable 3-1 lead with one match to play on Saturday.”The day we came here, we spoke about eight matches and we were like, we will go absolutely hard at them no matter what,” Radha said. “The belief and the dedication this time is really different. I don’t know about the past, but this time, this team, this atmosphere, magical this is, and we are actually onto something. We want to create something big going forward.”So this is the path we want to go [on] and there’s still a lot of things we have to correct. We have that in our minds, but… this is a different team and we are going to dominate no matter what. Batting-wise, we are doing so well, but particularly bowling and fielding sets the tone for us. Batting has been really good, but bowling and fielding we touched upon and it is showing in the results.”Radha Yadav was named the Player of the Match•Getty ImagesSave for two minor blemishes – when Sophia Dunkley beat Deepti Sharma at cover point for the first boundary of the match, off the 15th ball, and when Amanjot Kaur, seeming blinded by the sun as she ran the wrong way from deep backward square leg and failed to stop a four off Tammy Beaumont – India were flawless in the field.Arundhati Reddy took three cool-as-you-like catches in the deep to remove Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Beaumont and Paige Scholfield, and Radha took a sharp, low catch at backward point to dismiss Dunkley, reaching for a slower, wider delivery as Deepti pulled her length back to the advancing batter.Radha also did brilliantly running and diving to her left to stop what had looked like a certain four as Scholfield attempted to pierce the gap between deep midwicket and long-on. Amanjot took a blow to her right wrist fielding off her own bowling as Scholfield struck the ball firmly back at her but she took a wicket two balls later, pinging the top of middle and off as Amy Jones backed away to give herself room.Charani trapped Alice Capsey lbw for 18 off 21 deliveries and Scholfield’s dismissal left England six wickets down before they had reached the 100-run mark. Dean followed and the hosts walked off at 126 for 7.Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh sealed the chase•ECB via Getty ImagesBeaumont, England’s stand-in captain while Nat Sciver-Brunt is injured, conceded that was 20 runs too few.England have lost 22 wickets to spin so far in this series, as India have persisted with the same four-spinner, two-seamer attack throughout, and Beaumont also acknowledged the hole left by Sciver-Brunt in offering a counter to that.”Nat Sciver-Brunt is irreplaceable, isn’t she, really? She’s come off as the leading run-scorer in the WPL, so she would’ve known the bowlers we’re facing inside out,” Beaumont said. “Her experience through that middle order and how aggressive she is and particularly the way she plays spin, it’s really aggressive, and she’s a real boundary-hitter for us. She probably would’ve batted through that on that wicket and got us to a score that we could have defended.”We’re so lucky to have someone like Nat, but her workload’s incredibly high and, unfortunately, these things happen. We’ve got three games where people need to step up into those shoes for just a little bit and hopefully she’s back and raring to go for some 50-over cricket for the next few months.”The final T20I will be played at Edgbaston on Saturday followed by a three-match ODI series starting in Southampton on July 16.

Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw at Elche sparked fresh controversy after Vinicius Jr collided with goalkeeper Inaki Pena in the build up to Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser. Elche protested fiercely as Peña was left bleeding, but La Liga’s "Review Time" panel will not re-examine the incident and former Madrid star Fernando Morientes, an member of the panel, has explained why.

• Madrid rescue point amid protests as Elche rage over Vinicius collision

  Los Blancos were forced to settle for a frustrating 2-2 draw against Elche, extending their winless run to three matches in all competitions. After falling behind twice to goals from Aleix Febas and Alvaro Rodriguez, Madrid salvaged a point when Bellingham struck in the 87th minute. But the equaliser triggered furious protests from the home side. In the build up, Vinicius collided with goalkeeper Pena, leaving the Elche goalkeeper bleeding from the nose. Despite strong protests and VAR checks, the goal stood.

  Elche manager Eder Sarabia was livid afterward, insisting the challenge should have been given as a foul, saying: “It’s a clear foul. Not a normal part of the game. That’s what VAR is for. It’s a very clear foul; it hits the goalkeeper and even draws blood. It’s crystal clear.”

  He doubled down in his post-match remarks: “I’m not at all happy with the result, especially considering the decisive moments of the match. Vinicius’s foul for the 2-2 equalizer was crystal clear. Inaki didn’t see the play, but it wasn’t just a normal part of the game, it was a clear foul. It makes me angry to waste time on these things.” His anger set the stage for a fresh refereeing debate and all eyes turned to the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) new “Review Time” system.

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• AFP
  

  Real Madrid legend explains why the play won’t be reviewed

  On , former Madrid striker Morientes, a member of the advisory group that selects which incidents are reviewed, revealed why the collision will not be included.

  Before delivering the verdict, he clarified that the panel had already agreed unanimously on which plays to review this week: “There were already some plays that we had unanimously chosen and this one comes in the last game and almost in the last minutes of the game and unanimously we all think it was a totally fortuitous play, not just me,” Morientes said. “I have already shown that I don't care that he is from Madrid.”

  He insisted the contact looked accidental: “Live, it seemed totally accidental to me, a play between a striker and a goalkeeper.”

  Morientes then gave a striker’s perspective from experience: "I put myself a little in the striker's shoes, which I've experienced 50,000 times, I mean, 50,000 times I've had to bleed from contact with the opponent's head, elbow, shoulder… and the goalkeeper, unfortunately, many more times because he usually goes low and in those kinds of situations." 

• Pena changes his stance after seeing the replay

  While the incident was dismissed as “fortuitous” by the Review Time committee, Pena offered a different view after seeing the footage inside the dressing room.

  He revised his initial pitch-side comments and expressed frustration with what he saw on video: “He shoots, tries to go for the rebound, but on the second play he doesn't let me participate because he knocks me out. For me, it is a foul, but if the referee goes to VAR and says it's not a foul, there's nothing we can do.”

  His shift in tone reflected a deeper anger in the Elche camp, who felt they had earned more than a single point after leading the match twice. For them, it was another example of a decisive moment where decisions went Madrid’s way – a narrative that has shaped much of the wider debate around officiating in Spain this season.

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  Madrid look to reset ahead of key fixtures

  Madrid now turn their attention to the Champions League, where they face Olympiacos in Athens on Wednesday. A win would help restore momentum and strengthen their group position after a difficult domestic run. After returning from Europe, Madrid play Girona, currently 18th at the Estadi Montilivi as they push to steady their La Liga form. Despite recent setbacks, they remain top of the league with 32 points, just one point ahead of Barcelona.

  Xabi Alonso has urged his squad to raise their intensity and return to the standards that defined their strong start to the campaign. All eyes will now be on whether Los Blancos can convert that message into results and move past another heated refereeing flashpoint.

After returning to club action following the final international break of 2025, Liverpool needed to find a remedy for their issues.

A defeat to Manchester City two weeks ago is hardly something to be ashamed about, but after consecutive wins across league and European action, it was a return to the doldrums of the previous month.

In truth, Arne Slot’s men have been way off it in 2025/26. The Anfield outfit are severely lagging behind in the race for the Premier League title and they can probably already forget about any hopes of retaining England’s biggest prize, but for a major miracle.

The nadir of the campaign so far came on Saturday. Nottingham Forest, sat inside the relegation places, visited Mersyeside and swatted aside Slot’s troops with ease, winning 3-0.

It was a ghastly defeat and one that was epitomised by the performance of club-record signing Alexander Isak.

The issues behind Alexander Isak

2025 has been a peculiar old year for Mr Isak. He began the year in career-best form and took Newcastle United to a Carabao Cup triumph at Wembley against his new employers.

Yet, he ruined his legacy. He chewed it up and spat it back in the faces of Newcastle supporters.

He didn’t go on the club’s pre-season tour in Asia and from that moment he was never seen in first-team training again.

Isak trained on his own at Newcastle’s complex and then after missing the opening weeks of the season, finally got his British record move to Liverpool. FSG shelled out a jaw-dropping £125m to sign him but he has not been worth that fee in the slightest.

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The Swede has struggled with fitness and injury since moving, hardly surprising given he didn’t have a proper pre-season. That, however, is the player’s fault and he’s now paying the price.

The striker has now played nine games for his new side but has only scored once, a solitary goal in the EFL Cup.

He’s gone five Premier League matches without scoring and all four of his Liverpool starts in top-flight action have ended in defeat.

His performance against Forest on Saturday was the epitome of what he’s gone through on Merseyside to date.

As Slot’s side lost 3-0, Isak was nowhere to be seen. BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty described his afternoon as a “symbol of one of the most limp Anfield displays in recent years.”

As a consequence, the attacker only lasted 68 minutes on the pitch, amassing just 14 touches of the football and winning zero of his duels.

Before this game had even taken place Liverpool correspondent David Lynch had suggested the Swede was “offering Liverpool less than Darwin Nunez did”. Still, while Nunez never really got up to speed, there is a belief that Isak will eventually come good.

The same cannot be said for someone who plays further back than Isak.

Liverpool star is becoming this season's Darwin Nunez

What a puzzling character Mr Nunez was. The Uruguayan arrived in a £85m move from Benfica back in June 2022 but failed to ever really set the world alight.

He missed a catalogue of big chances. In January 2024, he set a Premier League record when he hit the woodwork four times in one game against Chelsea. No one has ever hit the bar or post on as many occasions in one match as that.

Furthermore, back in 2023/24, only Erling Haaland (34) missed more big chances than Nunez (27) in the top-flight. The trouble is, while the Norwegian powerhouse scored 27 that term, Liverpool’s leading number nine only found the net on 11 occasions in league action.

Then, last season, the South American netted just seven goals in 47 fixtures, prompting his exit from English football. He has since moved to Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal, where he has netted five times in nine appearances.

Isak will likely have a better Anfield career than that, but he is arguably not the main scapegoat right now. That honour is in the hands of Ibrahima Konate.

The Frenchman, as Nunez did, has become the but of the jokes at Anfield this term and is the most under-fire player in Slot’s squad.

Yes, Florian Wirtz and Isak continue to disappoint, a huge problem given their price tags, but Konate has had one too many chances now and his Liverpool career is heading in a similar way to a certain Trent Alexander-Arnold.

His contract is due to expire at the end of the season and with Real Madrid allegedly chasing his services, it looks like the best option for all parties that he leaves on a free transfer.

Liverpool would love a fee, of course they would, but they just need to get him off their books now. He’s simply too error-prone. It’s not just one error either, something football analyst Raj Chohan outlined on social media during Saturday’s game.

Having made a dreadful mistake, beaten all ends up by Forest striker Igor Jesus, the Frenchman was extremely thankful that the goal that followed that sequence of events was ruled out for handball.

Writing afterwards, Chohan simply said, “every time he makes one error, he makes multiple.”

Tactical writer Dharnish Iqbal, further noted that Konate’s form at the moment is “shocking”, outlining him as one of the biggest problems at Slot’s disposal right now.

According to the official data, supplied by Sofascore, he has made three mistakes leading to a shot in league action alone this term. In the Champions League, he has made a further one. This is particularly bad as in the whole of the 2024/25 Premier League season, he made two. He’s already up to that number now from 12 starts.

He might not be like Nunez in the sense that he’s a striker, but he’s the new club scapegoat, and like Nunez, he needs to leave as soon as possible.

Worse than Konate: Slot must drop 2/10 Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels

Ibrahima Konate was not the only culprit during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

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By
Matt Dawson

Nov 23, 2025