Arsenal are now keen on signing a Premier League striker who has a £70m asking price, with his club now willing to sanction a departure this summer, according to a report.
Gunners' striker pursuit rumbles on
There have been persistent calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a striker for quite some time now, although Ian Wright has stressed the importance of signing the right player, rather than rushing into any decision.
The Gunners legend said: “I think that the worry [for Arsenal] more than anything is that you can go out there and pay 60, 70, 80 for a striker and it doesn’t work. I don’t think Arsenal can afford to get that striker that doesn’t hit the ground running for them.
“They have to get the one that they want, and maybe that is what Mikel is doing, and in the meantime, he’s trying to get by and again we’ve fallen short of it.”
With the summer transfer window now rapidly approaching, there is certainly no shortage of options on the shortlist, with recruitment chiefs searching far and wide for a new forward, who could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Arteta’s side.
Target
Current club
Potential cost
Benjamin Sesko
RB Leipzig
£70m
Viktor Gyokeres
Sporting CP
£67m
Hugo Ekitike
Eintracht Frankfurt
£84m
Julian Alvarez
Atletico Madrid
£126m
There are also options from within the Premier League, however, and a report from The Sun has revealed Arsenal are now keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion striker Joao Pedro, with the Seagulls willing to cash-in for £70m this summer.
Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also credited with an interest in Pedro, while Chelsea are known to have made a £51m bid for the forward recently, with the Blues still looking to sign a striker despite advancing towards a deal for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap.
"Special" Pedro enjoyed impressive 24/25 campaign
It could make sense for Arsenal to bring in a striker who is already proven in the Premier League, and the Brighton star fits the bill in that regard, having picked up ten goals and six assists in 27 matches during the 2024-25 campaign.
Presenter Sam Ucko has also been left impressed by the Brazilian in the past, describing him as a “special player”, who will “go to the very top”.
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That said, there are doubts over whether the 23-year-old would be capable of taking Arsenal’s attack to the next level, given that he is not an out-and-out striker, ranking in just the 19th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year.
Instead, it may be suitable to bring in a striker who is clinical in front of goal, and the Gunners have now agreed personal terms with Gyokeres, who scored 39 goals in 33 games for Liga Portugal title-winners Sporting CP.
Leicester City appear to have their eyes on a new 4-2-3-1 manager who could come in to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium.
Update on Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester City after unwanted record
It has been a hugely disappointing campaign for the Foxes, who are on course for an immediate return to the Championship from the Premier League.
Van Nistelrooy’s side fell to a 3-0 defeat last time out, a record eighth successive top-flight loss at home where Leicester have failed to score a goal.
That is an unwanted record, and there has been plenty of speculation regarding Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester.
Talking to Leicester City news, Graeme Bailey said that it is “highly unlikely” Van Nistelrooy remains in charge following Leicester’s pending relegation.
“Ruud van Nistelrooy’s future has not officially been decided, but I am told at this point it is highly unlikely he continues, not impossible, but unlikely.
“He was not backed in January, and some would argue his position has been almost untenable since that failure from those above him, although there is also a feeling in the squad that they did not perform at their best.”
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And the reporter has also shared a potential managerial target for the Foxes.
Leicester eyeing up Rosenior as replacement for Van Nistelrooy
Bailey added that Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior could be a potential candidate to replace Van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 season.
“There is no denying that work is already being done on possible candidates to replace him. I would keep an eye on Liam Rosenior for sure, his stock is massively high. We know Southampton like him, and so no shock that Leicester would be looking, but don’t rule out Chelsea/BlueCo from tying him down to a new long-term deal too.”
RC Strasbourg coach LiamRosenior
The 40-year-old, formerly of Derby County and Hull City, has been impressing in France with Strasbourg and actually shares the same Wasserman agency as Leicester legend Jamie Vardy.
Rosenior, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, as per Transfermarkt, has Strasbourg occupying a Champions League spot in Ligue 1 with just six games remaining.
He has been linked with Southampton and previously came in for praise from Clinton Morrison, who said: “I actually think he’s a top manager. I spoke to a few people at Derby. He was unlucky to lose his job, the players respected him. He’s one of the best coaches ever.”
However, with Rosenior potentially in charge of a Champions League team next season, a drop down to the Championship could be a hard sell for Leicester.
All the stats from an extraordinary batting onslaught in the second T20I at Old Trafford
Sampath Bandarupalli12-Sep-2025304 for 2 England’s total in the second T20I against South Africa at Manchester. It is their highest total in men’s T20Is and the third highest by any team in the format.Zimbabwe’s 344 for 4 against Gambia in 2024 and Nepal’s 314 for 3 against Mongolia in 2023 are the higher totals.England’s total is also the fourth-highest in all men’s T20s and the highest in England, surpassing Somerset’s 265 for 5 against Derbyshire in 2022.141* Phil Salt’s score against South Africa is the highest for England in men’s T20Is, surpassing his own score of 119 against West Indies in 2023. It is also the seventh-highest individual score in men’s T20Is and the highest against South Africa.228 Runs scored off boundaries by England batters on Friday, the third-most by a team in a men’s T20I. Zimbabwe scored 282 runs off boundaries against Gambia during their record total, while India scored 232 boundary runs against Bangladesh in last year’s Hyderabad T20I.ESPNcricinfo LtdEngland batters hit 30 fours against South Africa, the joint-most by any team in a men’s T20I. The 48 boundaries they hit, including 18 sixes, are the second-most, behind the 57 by Zimbabwe (30 fours and 27 sixes) against Gambia.146 England’s margin of win by runs against South Africa is their biggest in men’s T20Is. It is also the heaviest defeat by runs for South Africa in this format.The margin of 146 runs is the third-biggest in a men’s T20I between two Full Member teams, behind India’s 168-run win against New Zealand in 2023 and their 150-run win against England earlier this year.462 Runs aggregated by England and South Africa at Manchester on Friday, the most for a men’s T20I match in England. It is also the eighth-most aggregated match in men’s T20I cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd39 Balls that Salt needed to complete his hundred, the fastest for England in men’s T20Is. The previous quickest was off 42 balls by Liam Livingstone against Pakistan at Nottingham in 2021.3 South Africa bowlers conceded 60-plus runs in England’s innings – Kagiso Rabada (70), Marco Jansen (60) and Lizaad Williams (62). It is the first instance of three bowlers conceding 60-plus runs in an innings in all men’s T20s.4 Number of hundreds for Salt in his 45-match T20I career. Only Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell, five each, are ahead of Salt, while Suryakumar Yadav also has four tons.16.2 Overs needed for England to bring up 250, the joint-fastest team 250 in men’s T20Is, where ball-by-ball data is available. Zimbabwe also reached the 250-run mark in 16.2 overs against Gambia last year.12.1 Overs that England needed to reach the 200-run mark. Only one team got there quicker in men’s T20Is – in 11.5 overs by Turkey against Bulgaria earlier this year (where ball-by-ball data is available). The fastest team 200 in all men’s T20s is off 10.5 overs by Baroda against Sikkim in 2024.England reached the 150-mark in 9 overs, which is also the second-fastest in men’s T20Is, behind Turkey’s effort in 8.3 overs against Bulgaria in that game.ESPNcricinfo Ltd166 for 1 England’s total at the halfway point of their innings, the second-highest by any team in men’s T20Is, a run behind Turkey’s 167 for 1 against Bulgaria (where ball-by-ball data is available).100 for 0 England’s total in the powerplay at Manchester is their highest in that phase in men’s T20Is. England’s effort is only the seventh instance of a three-figure total in the powerplay in men’s T20Is (where ball-by-ball data is available).Only one of the previous six has been against a full-member team – 102 for 0 by South Africa against West Indies in 2023.2 Salt and Jos Buttler are only the second opening pair to score fifties in 20 or fewer balls in men’s T20Is (where ball-by-ball data is available). Romania’s Taranjeet Singh and Ramesh Satheesan were the first to do so, against Serbia in 2021.70 Runs conceded by Rabada in his four overs, the most by a bowler for South Africa in a men’s T20I. Kyle Abbott’s 68 against West Indies in 2015 were the previous most. Rabada’s 70 runs are also the joint-fifth most conceded by a bowler in a men’s T20I.Rabada conceded only seven runs in his first over, but the next three overs went for 20, 23, and 20 runs, respectively, making him the first bowler to concede 20-plus runs in three different overs in a men’s T20I.2.1 Overs in which Williams conceded 50 runs. Only two bowlers conceded 50 runs in a quicker time in a men’s T20I than Williams (where ball-by-ball data is available).Romania’s Vasu Saini gave away 50 runs in only 1.4 overs against Belgium earlier this year, while Mongolia’s Mungun Altankhuyag conceded 50 in 2 overs against Nepal in 2023.
Both teams have had a forgettable few months, and now fresh challenges await in Khettarama
Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Jan-2024Like cartoon villains hanging in mid-air having just run off the edge of a cliff, both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe could have big, dramatic drops in their near future.Sri Lanka bombed their World Cup campaign to finish ninth and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2025. Zimbabwe are smarting from even bigger failures – first, they did not qualify for last year’s ODI World Cup despite being hosts for the qualifying tournament, and, more recently they have fallen short of making it to the upcoming T20 World Cup. This series – three ODIs and three T20Is, all at Khettarama – provides both teams with the opportunity to claw back some credibility.For Sri Lanka, nothing short of a dominant performance across both series will do. There will be some pressure on new ODI captain Kusal Mendis and new T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga to begin their tenures on bright notes. Zimbabwe had historically been a challenge that Sri Lanka brushes off, but in recent years these teams have come much closer together largely through Sri Lanka’s long-term decline. Since 2017, Zimbabwe have won five of these teams’ 11 ODIs, even winning a series. All but three of those matches were played in Sri Lanka. (In T20Is, these teams have not played each other since 2012.)Zimbabwe are just looking for something to celebrate. They’ve lost their four most recent ODIs and in the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, the losses to Namibia and Uganda which prevented their qualification for this year’s big ICC event, will haunt them for some time.On Khettarama tracks that are likely to be low and slow as usual, here are four questions that could define the contest.How will Zimbabwe’s top order cope? Since January 2023, no Zimbabwe batter has scored anywhere nearly as heavily as Sean Williams, who produced 720 at an average of 90, and a strike rate of 129. He has not travelled with the team, due to injury though, leaving the likes of captain Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl, and Sikandar Raza to feel the pressure of keeping the batting afloat. Wessly Madhevere is also absent after he breached anti-doping rules.Related
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Can Dilshan Madushanka sustain his excellence? If there was one silver lining to Sri Lanka’s torrid World Cup campaign, it was the 21 wickets provided by left-arm quick Madushanka. Those heroics have since earned him a contract worth more than USD 550,000 with Mumbai Indians, but he remains only a fledgling bowler at international level with 15 ODIs under his belt. He and Dushmantha Chameera – who also bowls at faster than 140kph – are both fit for the ODIs, and if at their best, will pose a serious dual threat with the new ball.Dasun Shanaka comes on the back of a decent List-A season•AFP/Getty ImagesCan Sri Lanka find more urgency with the bat? While Zimbabwe need substance, many of Sri Lanka’s problems in the World Cup had to do with their rate of scoring, with problems around finishing in particular. The new selectors have added Avishka Fernando back into the mix and named Nuwanidu Fernando, and Janith Liyanage in the squad – all batters capable of scoring quickly at the domestic level.Dasun Shanaka, freshly ousted as captain, is still in the squad too and has been having a decent domestic List A season. He is likely to be the first-choice finisher in the ODIs, with Wanindu Hasaranga still under an injury cloud. Sri Lanka need their boundary hitters to bring the team’s scoring rates up to where the best white-ball teams operate.Can Zimbabwe’s bowlers turn their results around in SL? Left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava has six wickets on the island at an average of 23.83, but aside from him, the other bowlers’ numbers on in Sri Lanka are unimpressive. Blessing Muzarabani averages 35.40, Raza 56, and Wellington Masakadza 105. Although Zimbabwe won an ODI series in Sri Lanka in 2017, that win had been largely down to their batting. With the square at Khettarama likely to wear as these series go on, we may be in for matches where bowlers chiefly define the outcome.
The season has also witnessed a record-breaking 29 straight games in which teams have opted to chase
Gaurav Sundararaman18-Apr-20228:18
IPL 2022 trends: Pain at the death for the bowlers
The 2022 IPL has almost reached the halfway stage and there are some clear trends emerging. Retained players are performing below par, uncapped Indians are doing very well, bowling in the death overs is a struggle, and teams are reluctant to bat first after winning the toss. We dig a bit deeper. Retained players struggling for form At the end of 29 matches, a few franchises must be pretty disappointed with the performances of their retained picks. Moeen Ali for Chennai Super Kings, Mohammad Siraj and Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard for Mumbai Indians and Axar Patel for Delhi Capitals are some of the retained players who have been below par. The likes of Abdul Samad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Anrich Nortje are not finding a spot in the XI. Both Mumbai and Super Kings find themselves at the bottom of the pack probably due to the failure of these key players. In contrast, the players that were picked through the draft for the new franchises have had a good tournament so far. The two new teams are one and two respectively in the points table. The retained players often form the core of the franchise and their form would be vital as the tournament moves towards the business end.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Uncapped Indians thrive under pressure There was some scepticism on how a ten-team IPL would affect the quality of the league. However, the league has thrived with some amazing uncapped talents showcasing no nerves. The likes of Jitesh Sharma, Tilak Verma, Dewald Brevis, Vaibhav Arora, Abhinav Manohar and Ayush Badoni have all seamlessly transitioned to the big stage confidently. In an eight-team IPL, these players may not have got enough game time but the larger pool has allowed these talents to flourish. The pitches and conditions have also been batting-friendly thereby helping these youngsters to be aggressive. Most of the above players have struck at over 150 in their first season and also have come in at difficult situations and performed. The overseas players seem to be the ones under pressure to keep their spots with more teams looking to back the Indian talent and not playing the full quota of overseas players. Mumbai have not played Tim David in spite of buying him for INR 8.5 crores at the auction. This season has already seen 11 instances of teams not using their four overseas players which is the most across all seasons after 29 games. Win toss, bowl first This season has witnessed a record-breaking 29 consecutive games in which the captains have won the toss and chosen to chase. In the last 12 games, the results have been spread evenly with teams batting first winning six and teams chasing winning six. Teams are just reluctant to choose to bat first irrespective of the way the results have gone. Teams are reluctant to go against the dew. Shane Watson, the assistant coach of Delhi Capitals in Podcast said that it was impossible to predict when dew would set and when it would not. As a result the captains are not willing to risk the option of batting first and are happy to know what the target is to plan their innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdScore big at the death The death overs (17-20) run-rate of 11.53 is the highest so far across any IPL season after 29 games. This means teams are on an average scoring 47 runs in the last four overs. In most of the previous seasons, teams scored at an average of 10 runs per over in the death. The 2020 season in UAE and this current season are the ones in which the run-rate at the death has gone over 11.5.Related
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Death overs bowling with dew and short boundaries have made it very hard for the bowlers to make an impact. As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, the yorker and short-of-good-length balls have given the best results. While the yorker length has gone just for 5.76 runs per over the short-of-good-length has gone for just 8.76 runs per over. But we have seen a lot of bowlers fail to execute the yorker with the wet ball. There have been 16 instances in which a bowler has conceded more than 20 runs in the last four overs. The traditional death bowlers have all struggled to maintain consistency in these tough conditions.
With a minimum of 24 balls bowled in the last four overs the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Dwayne Bravo and Mohammed Shami have conceded less than nine runs per over. Other death-over specialists – Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, T Natarajan, Avesh Khan and Mustafizur Rahman – have all gone in excess of 10 runs per over. At this stage of the tournament, Gujarat Titans (8.41) are the only team that have conceded less than 10 runs per over in the last four overs. At the other end of the spectrum are Royal Challengers and Mumbai who have conceded in excess of 13 runs per over. The teams would be hoping for better execution in the death overs as the margin of error in this season is very less.
Slow off the blocks While the death overs have resulted in the highest run-rate after 29 games, the powerplay has been a struggle for most batters this season. The run-rate in this phase of the innings by the batters is just 7.04 and they average 27.04. Surprisingly a number of batters are scoring at less than a run a ball in this phase. Out of the 17 batters who have faced a minimum of 50 balls this season, eight have scored at a strike rate of less than 110. This includes the likes of Faf du Plessis, Kane Williamson and Venkatesh Iyer. While the fast bowlers have dominated this phase by extracting whatever help they have got, the batters have not been able to break this pattern. With the pitches potentially getting slower as the tournament moves on, the powerplay phase may be the most important one from a batting perspective. It will be interesting to see if these players alter their approach over the next few games.
Pat Cummins has not been included in what is an unchanged Australia squad for the day-night Test against England at the Gabba, but there remains a slim chance he could be parachuted into a comeback appearance if things go well during training in Brisbane.For now, the selectors have retained the 14 players who were on duty in Perth, with Josh Inglis, Michael Neser and Beau Webster among those who did not make the XI.Cummins, who had an extensive training session at the SCG on Friday, when he bowled to stand-in captain Steven Smith, will travel to Brisbane to continue his return to bowling.He is next due to bowl on Monday and, while there is nothing stopping the selectors adding him to the squad nearer the game, the likely outcome is a return for the third Test in Adelaide which gives him another two weeks to prepare and build his loads. However, ESPNcricinfo understands he has not been completely ruled out of the pink-ball Test.During his rehab, Cummins has yet to bowl on back-to-back days and had a three day gap between each of his sessions this after returning from Perth.Related
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Speaking to broadcasters during the Perth Test, Cummins had given himself “half a chance” of being ready for Brisbane and had bowled with the pink ball since returning to Sydney after the two-day finish.”It looked like a player that was nearing the completion of his rehabilitation,” coach Andrew McDonald said after Perth. “The intensity was there, the ball speed was there. There’s a lot of positives, but now it’s just really building that resilience within the soft tissue and making sure that we’re not putting him in harm’s way in terms of accelerating it too much.”Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja has retained his place in the squad after back spasms in Perth limited his role, leaving him unable to open the batting in either innings. Travis Head’s success in the position during Australia’s chase, where he hammered 123 off 83 balls, has prompted debate about whether it should be made a permanent move.Providing Khawaja is fit, he is favoured to retain his spot, although Inglis and Webster are middle-order options should the selectors opt for a change.Speaking at event for his foundation, Khawaja said his recovery was tracking well ahead of his home Test.Pat Cummins runs in with a pink ball•Getty Images
“I’m really glad that we got it done that night, because the next day I already had the radiology booked,” he said. “Next day I was going to get an epidural in my back, so I can actually move somewhat. It was a tough three days, but I was trying to do everything I could to actually get on the field and play for Australia … so if the team needed me, I was there.””I’ve never had back spasms before, so it’s very new to me. But the last few days, it’s been good.”The absence of Cummins means that Brendan Doggett, who claimed five wickets in Perth, will likely retain his place, alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.”I am going to control what I can control, keep ticking the legs over, and keep bowling and trying to improve in every session and game,” Doggett said on Thursday. “If I get called on in that second Test, I feel like I am ready to go again.”However, a question mark hangs over the role of Nathan Lyon, given he only bowled two overs in Perth, and did not play Australia’s most recent pink-ball Test in Jamaica. Webster may come into the mix as an extra allrounder which would lengthen the batting or Neser, who is also a capable batter, could be drafted in.Josh Hazlewood, who was never a chance to feature in Brisbane, continued his recovery from a hamstring injury with another light bowl on Friday and there remains a chance he could play a part later in the series.”It’s coming along slowly,” Hazlewood told Fox Sports at the SCG on Friday. “[I have been] running and everything’s going well. It’s probably tough to put a timeline on it. I think ‘Ron’ [Andrew McDonald] probably nailed it the other day…play a part in the back end, hopefully.”Australia will gather in Brisbane on Sunday.
Australia squad for second Test vs England
Steve Smith (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
Things are quickly going from bad to worse for Chelsea at the moment.
It was just a couple of weeks ago that Enzo Maresca’s side demolished Barcelona and drew with Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Yet, their defeat at the hands of Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night was their second loss in three games and the third match in a row they were expected to win.
It really was a night to forget for Chelsea, and one that should see the manager make more than a few changes ahead of the weekend.
Chelsea's poor performers
Unfortunately for Maresca, there were plenty of Chelsea players who looked way off the pace in Bergamo on Tuesday night, with Enzo Fernández being particularly poor.
The Argentine international was tasked with playing in the ten again, and while he has had more than a few games in which he’s looked a threat there this season, this was not one of them.
On the ball, the former Benfica star was consistently making the wrong decisions, and off of it, he looked so lethargic that one analyst asked if “someone put weights in Enzo’s boots?”
Minutes
67′
Expected Goals
0.01
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.42
Assists
0
Key Passes
1
Crosses (Accurate)
1 (0)
Passes (Accurate)
24/33 (73%)
Lost Possession
15
Dribbles
0
Duels (Won)
10 (3)
By the time he was taken off in the 67th minute, he had completed just 24 of his 33 attempted passes, which is nowhere near good enough for someone in his position.
Moving a little deeper, it was also an uncharacteristically poor performance from the club’s record signing, Moises Caicedo.
Due to his three-match ban only applying to the Premier League, the manager decided to bring the Ecuadorian international back into the team, but he looked way off the pace.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion gem didn’t make a game-costing mistake, but he also felt like more of a passenger, failing to play a single key pass, losing the ball eight times, not taking a shot, committing two fouls and losing four ground duels.
Finally, Wesley Fofana and Robert Sanchez were also disappointing on the night.
The former seemed to completely lose Gianluca Scamacca for the hosts’ equalising goal, and then the former should have done better for Charles De Ketelaere’s winning strike.
Now, all these players were poor, but there is an argument for them keeping their places in the team for the game on the weekend, which cannot be said for the next player.
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Now, there is still time for him to come good in West London, but Tuesday night was another disappointing display from the former Borussia Dortmund star.
Maresca gave the Englishman plenty of game time, but he just couldn’t make an impact on the game, with or without the ball.
In fact, his one notable moment in the match was a shot in the second half that was comfortably saved. Other than that, he was utterly anonymous.
That might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by football.london’s Bobby Vincent, who gave the 21-year-old a 5/10 match rating at full-time and wrote that he ‘drifted out of the game.’
Minutes
94′
Expected Goals
0.03
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.23
Assists
0
Key Passes
1
Crosses (Accurate)
1 (0)
Passes (Accurate)
16/18 (89%)
Lost Possession
9
Dribbles (Successful)
4 (2)
Duels (Won)
10 (3)
Unsurprisingly, the winger’s statistics more than back up such an appraisal.
For example, in his 94 minutes of action, the Reading-born ace registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.26, played a single key pass, took 33 touches – 21 fewer than Sanchez -, lost the ball nine times, lost seven of his ten duels and failed in 50% of his dribbles.
If this were a one-off, just a bad day at the office for the Englishman, then there would be an argument to keep him in the team to get back on his feet at the weekend.
However, the summer signing has had more poor performances than good so far this season, and therefore, Maresca should drop him from the lineup ahead of the Everton game.
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Life before VAR was different. When goals would fly in undissected and celebrations could go on uninterrupted. That was a life without the need for weekly referee shows and the dreaded wait for the finest offside calls, but it is ultimately the reality of modern-day Premier League football.
Alas, what if it wasn’t? What if VAR didn’t exist? And the Premier League was forced to rely on the timing of the linesman’s flag and the whistle of the referee and referee only?
Stat site quawka have played out that scenario and put together the Premier League table without VAR errors this season.
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The ‘errors’ are voted by Squawka followers in polls based on the most controversial VAR calls every week and the latest standings have now been revealed.
Note: The standings have been compiled on the basis that penalties which should have been awarded would have been converted.
20 Wolverhampton Wanderers: +/- 0 places
Unfortunately for Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, not even a life without VAR errors would be enough to stop their current rot. The Midlands side are yet to have an error go against them, but have actually had one go in their favour.
With or without VAR, Rob Edwards’ side sit rock bottom on two points and without a single win in the first 12 games of the Premier League season. Whether it comes courtesy of refereeing decisions or on their own merit, Wolves desperately need three points from somewhere.
19 Leeds United: -1 place
With one error going their way, Leeds United should be among the few sides grateful for VAR in the Premier League this season. The Whites would be two points worse off without it and one position lower than where they currently find themselves.
Defeat at the hands of Aston Villa left Daniel Farke’s men in the dropzone last time out and those at Elland Road now have the task of keeping their composure in a desperate attempt to survive at the first time of asking.
18 Burnley: +1 place
Although they’ve had one error go against them and none in their favour, Burnley’s point total wouldn’t change without VAR. The Clarets would remain on 10 points, but in 18th rather than 19th. That shows just how tight the relegation scrap is down at the bottom and the difficulty of the task on Scott Parker’s hands.
The Burnley boss will at least be hoping to have more VAR calls go in his side’s favour in the coming months.
17 West Ham United: +/- 0 places
Like Burnley, West Ham United’s point total wouldn’t change if VAR wasn’t around. The Hammers would still sit just outside the dropzone on 11 points, despite having one VAR error in their favour.
Nuno Espirito Santo has so far done an impressive job to steer those at the London Stadium in the right direction, but will be well aware that there’s still plenty to do, with or without the help of VAR.
16 Nottingham Forest: +/- 0 places
At their third attempt this season, it seems as though Nottingham Forest have got their managerial appointment right. Sean Dyche mirrored Nuno’s achievement from last season by winning at Anfield, but did so in far better style – thrashing the Reds 3-0 in shocking fashion.
It was in that game that the Tricky Trees had a VAR error go against them, when Igor Jesus’ goal was controversially disallowed for handball just before the break. It wasn’t enough to stop Forest, however, whose points and position have not been affected by the technology.
15 Brentford: -1 place
Having had two VAR errors go in their favour and two go against them, it’s been a busy season for the technology at Brentford. As it turns out, the Bees would rather have the video assistant available, given that they’d have lost a point without it and drop down to 15th.
It has been a solid start for Keith Andrews, who is proving doubters wrong every week, but he will be well aware that every point matters in the Premier League.
14 Fulham: +1 place
Fulham managerMarcoSilva
If anyone has reason to complain about VAR this season, it is Fulham. The West London side would move up one place in the Premier League and would have collected an extra two points without the technology this season.
Marco Silva’s men have had one error go their way and three go against them – the worst difference in the Premier League. As they look to push on from early relegation concerns, the Cottagers will be desperate for that to change.
13 Newcastle United: +1 place
Just like Fulham, Newcastle United would be two points better off without VAR and would be sat in 13th, rather than 14th. Of course, it still wouldn’t be enough to hide how poor Eddie Howe’s side have been at times in the current campaign, but life without the technology would have at least taken them closer to European places.
Howe is unlikely to look for excuses, however, and will be aware that the Magpies simply must kick on before they are down and out in the race for Champions League qualification. They’ve had two errors go their way and three against them.
12 Liverpool: +/- 0 places
Liverpool can’t even fall back on VAR controversy to hide just how disastrous their title defence is going. The Reds would still sit on just 18 points after 12 games without the technology.
That said, no team in the Premier League has had more VAR errors go against them than the four that Liverpool have. Whilst Arne Slot’s side simply haven’t been good enough, they could certainly do with a tad more luck when it comes to the officiating.
11 Bournemouth: -3 places
Without VAR, Bournemouth would be one point worse off and sit 11th rather than eighth — highlighting just how tight much of the Premier League table is after 12 games. The Cherries have largely impressed in the current campaign, but have had the fortune of enjoying two VAR errors in their favour and none against them.
Just one point adrift of the Champions League places, Andoni Iraola could yet Bournemouth to greater heights than ever before in the Premier League.
The New York Yankees on Tuesday continued their furious upgrade after losing the Juan Soto sweepstakes to the New York Mets, as the club acquired two-time All-Star and 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger, who plays two positions (first base and center field) the Yankees desperately need upgrades at, has a left-handed swing made for Yankee Stadium, and whose father won a pair of World Series titles in the Bronx in the 1990s, would seem to be a perfect fit for the pinstripes.
But Bellinger might just be a perfect fit for the Yankees for another reason. Shortly after news of the trade broke, an old interview of Bellinger from February of 2020 resurfaced, when the then-Los Angeles Dodgers star was very critical of the Houston Astros for their sign-stealing scandal, which had come to light in December of 2019, leading to discipline from MLB in January of 2020.
At one point, Bellinger even says that Astros star Jose Altuve "stole an MVP" from Yankees star Aaron Judge.
If looking for a trip down memory lane, here are Bellinger's full comments on the Astros.
Yankees fans still haven't forgiven the Astros, who defeated New York in the 2017 American League Championship Series when they were allegedly still stealing signs, for the scandal, which they feel denied them a chance at a World Series title. Heck, even Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is still miffed about it seven years later.
Of course, the Astros added fuel to the fire of Yankees' hatred when they went on to eliminate New York from the postseason two more times after 2017.
So, Astros' dislike seems to be a commonality among the organization and fanbase. Bellinger seems to check that box, among others.
Something feels different about Arsenal this season, doesn’t it? The Gunners sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table and they have a 100% record from their three Champions League matches.
A year ago, it was a struggle. Multiple red cards and injuries plagued a heavily talented squad and, until the latter stages of European competition, they struggled to hit top gear.
Yet for all of the reliance on set-pieces, for all of the ridiculous comments on long throws in recent days, Arsenal looks like the best team in the land.
Steady on. We know. Let’s not count our chickens just yet, but everything is looking rather rosy. Mikel Arteta’s men have shipped just one open-play goal all season and are yet to concede in the Champions League.
Their forward line, as demonstrated in that stunning 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid, is improving all the time too.
That’s hardly a surprise. Andrea Berta – once of Atleti’s parish – invested KSE’s money heavily over the summer on the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze.
Gyokeres went nine goals without finding the net before his brace on Tuesday night. The relief and delight were clear to see on the Swede’s face.
The number 14 has some way to go before he can be considered an all-time great but amidst Arteta’s setup, there are a few faces beginning to make themselves modern icons. Gabriel Magalhaes is the prime example.
Why Gabriel is now the best centre-back on the planet
Swing in a corner or set-piece and there is usually one result. Gabriel will be on hand to head home.
His record in recent years and indeed this season has been extraordinary. No central defender across the top five leagues in European football has scored more goals than his tally of 22 since 2020.
The big Brazilian is inevitable and his remarkable record in 2025/26 has only strengthened his argument as the best goalscoring defender around.
In his last five games, he has scored twice and also picked up two assists. There was that crashing header in the dying embers to win the game at Newcastle United and he followed that up by flicking on Bukayo Saka’s corner for Leandro Trossard’s winner at Craven Cottage a few days ago.
His performance against Atleti, however, was colossal. It was the 27-year-old who headed the Gunners in front from Declan Rice’s teasing free-kick and it was Gabriel who got on the end of Rice’s corner minutes later in the second half. He didn’t find the net this time but he did put it on a plate for Gyokeres to score from a matter of yards out.
But, can he defend too? You bet he can. Gabriel is one of the sternest central defenders in the land.
He has been dribbled past just 0.4 times per game in the league this season and is winning 77% of his ground duels. For context, of Premier League defenders to win more than ten ground duels in 2025/26, he ranks joint-fifth for percentage of ground duels won. He sits level with Virgil van Dijk in that regard.
Best ground duellers in the PL
Player
Ground duel % won
1. Joel Veltman
89%
2. Noussair Mazraoui
82%
3. Daniel Ballard
78.57%
3= Trevoh Chalobah
78.57%
4. Kenny Tete
77%
5. Virgil van Dijk
76.92%
5= Gabriel
76.92%
Defenders who have won 10 + duels only
Stats via Sofascore.
So, he’s a set-piece menace. He’s a warrior, he’s a leader of men and he’s a pretty damn good defender too.
Is there anything Gabriel cannot do? Perhaps not. He is undoubtedly one of the best players we’ve seen in the Emirates Stadium era. But, is he the best?
Arsenal's best player since Arsene Wenger retired
While Arsene Wenger’s final few years at Arsenal were not as victorious and triumphant as the early days, he is still remembered fondly. Besides the great Herbert Chapman, he is the finest manager the club have ever had and he had some remarkable players in his armoury.
Whether it was Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira or Robert Pires, the greats of Arsenal were around when Wenger was.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Yet, since he retired, the Gunners have struggled and it’s not until recent years that Arteta has transformed them into title challengers again.
The aforementioned Gabriel has been a big part of that. As has Saka. Without him, there’s a very realistic chance that Arteta wouldn’t even still be in the job.
During the infancy of the Spaniard’s coaching career in north London, it was the Hale End marvel who got the Gunners out of plenty of sticky situations.
Yet, in recent years, they’ve found a transformational player, a generational talent who looks like he could eclipse some of the best players we’ve seen at Arsenal since Wenger walked away. Mesut Ozil? He’s making a bigger impact than him. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? He’s certainly earned more respect than their former no.14.
Even better than Gabriel and Saka? Arguably so. Rice is your man and he’s becoming one of the finest specimens in world football.
Back in 2023, Edu and Co moved heaven and earth to bring the England international to the Emirates, paying a club-record £105m to sign him from West Ham. They fended off serial winners Manchester City to do so. It was a landmark move.
Well, since heading to Arsenal, Rice has made that fee look like a bargain. Since when has that sort of money ever looked cheap? Well, West Ham must be cursing their luck that they did not get more bang for their buck.
The midfielder was a mighty fine player at West Ham but he has gone on another level after his big-money move.
At the Irons, he was seen as a defensive midfielder but Arteta has transformed him into one of the best, if not the best box-to-box midfielder in the land. Rice’s work rate is simply incredible and his ability to win the ball back is second to very few.
But, at Arsenal, he’s now become a threat in the final third. He scored nine goals and registered ten assists last term, his best tally in a single season.
While the 26-year-old has only scored once in 2025/26, he has registered four assists, all from set-pieces. Indeed, that’s one area where Rice has been exceptional, particularly in the last year.
You won’t need a reminder but we’ll bring it up again anyway. His free-kicks against Real Madrid last season were a thing of beauty. However, it’s his delivery into the box that stands out most.
He was involved in two of the four goals against Atleti this week, swinging in a delicious ball for Gabriel to head home and then firing in the corner that led to Gyokeres’ second.
In the words of Sky Sports reporter Sam Blitz, the Three Lions star is now “the best set-piece taker in world football.”
If you didn’t think Rice could get any better, think again. He is the perfect all-rounder. Gabriel is a menacing centre-back and Saka’s creativity skills are sublime. Yet, the £240k-per-week earner has it all. He can score, he assist, he can defend and he’s arguably got the best set-piece delivery in Europe.
Few will argue against just how good Rice has been since he moved across London. The best signing we’ve seen since Wenger left? It’s hard to suggest he hasn’t been.