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Despite a 3-2 win over D.C. United that strengthened Inter Miami’s playoff position, head coach Javier Mascherano admitted that defensive lapses remain a key area to improve. The Argentine stressed the need to maintain composure when falling behind and to correct mistakes in transitions as the Herons enter the decisive stretch of the MLS season.

Defense a concern heading into Playoffs

In their last four matches, Miami has conceded nine goals and owns one of the worst defenses in the Eastern Conference. Among the top seven teams that currently qualify directly for the playoffs, Mascherano’s side is at the bottom with 46 goals conceded.

“It’s something I’m both concerned about and focused on," he stressed in his postgame comments. "We have to identify each game’s demands. Except for the PSG match, the team has generally defended well. In the Leagues Cup, apart from the final, we defended well too. These are moments. My biggest concern is when we fall behind, we lose our heads, lose our shape. In this league, we cannot afford that. 

"That’s what we need to work on in these last six matches. Details will be the key for this team to keep progressing – it’s my responsibility to convince the players of that.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTransition mistakes at fault

Mascherano refused to blame his defenders, instead highlighting errors in transitions as the main cause of the goals conceded.

“We conceded two goals, more because of transitions than defensive structure," he said. "They try to draw the opponent in to play long balls, and with players like Christian Benteke, who has great qualities, we wanted to disrupt that first launch. Clearly, today, some mistakes, some turnovers, cost us a lot."

Benteke scored the first goal off a diving header to tie the match, while Jacob Murrell scored D.C.'s second goal in the dying seconds off a transition play. 

"D.C. United may be in last place, but they hadn’t lost in four matches, and you could feel their presence," Mascherano explained. "Sometimes, facing a team with nothing to lose makes them dangerous. At times we suffered, but in the second half the subs came in well, even though we conceded again off another loss of possession.”

Getty Images SportMessi by the numbers

Lionel Messi has 30 goals and 12 assists in 37 matches this year. Already the MLS Golden Boot leader with 22 goals – one more than Sam Surridge – the Argentine has now reached 882 career goals in 1,123 appearances across club and country.

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The victory strengthens Inter Miami’s playoff hopes, moving them to fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points and three games in hand. Messi is now the MLS top scorer with 22 goals in 21 matches. The Herons will visit the Big Apple next Wednesday to face NYCFC in MLS action.

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall has been hailed as the most talented graduate of an academy that also produced Dejan Kulusevski and Viktor Gyokeres.

Bergvall a first-team star at SpursStill just 19Former coach waxes lyricalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Bergvall has developed into a first-team starter for Tottenham since arriving from Djurgarden in 2024, and his former coach Peter Kisfaludy, who worked with him at the Brommapojkarna academy, has hailed him as the best graduate from a set-up that has also produced Spurs team-mate Dejan Kulusevski and Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres. 

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Bergvall turned down Barcelona to join Spurs, and has already clocked 49 first-team appearances for the club; Kisfaludy is unsurprised by his success, given his "fantastic mentality". Indeed, the midfielder has also won four Sweden caps already in his young career, and he could have made the move to the Premier League even earlier, having had a trial with Manchester United in 2020. 

WHAT KISFALUDY SAID

Kisfaludy told The Sun: "I worked with him when he was nine-years-old until 14. And directly after the first training session I was thinking 'oh s***, this is something special'.

"He has always been the wonderkid that everyone is speaking about.

"I have worked in the Brommapojkarna academy for so many years; we had Gyokeres, Kulusevski, John Guidetti and Ludwig Augustinsson but Lucas has the most talent of anybody. He always had fantastic technique. And he is scanning the play, always, always the head is up high and he is scanning the play. He always knows what the next step is."

He added: "He was always the boy who if he lost playing seven-aside in the last 20 minutes of training he was totally upset when he was 10-years-old, totally upset. He hated to lose.

"In training he always worked so hard, so he had this special extra thing. He loves to train, he can train 100 days in a row.

"He's a fantastic player with a fantastic charisma. When he walks into a room he is shining."

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Spurs play West Ham this weekend and Bergvall will hope to start in midfield. 

ESPNcricinfo has learned that the tournament is waiting to be greenlit by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi

Danyal Rasool19-Oct-2024

The tournament last year began on September 10, and was wrapped up by October 26•PCB

There is no clarity on when the 2024-25 season of the Quaid-e-Azam (QeA) Trophy will start despite Pakistan’s bumper international Test season being well underway. A schedule tentatively put out by the PCB in August had Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament beginning on October 20, but the day before that date, the fate of the tournament remains uncertain.While the dates for all domestic competitions announced by the PCB in August were tentative and subject to change, a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo as recently as last month that the QeA was set to keep to its October 20 plan. ESPNcricinfo understands that no one, even those in charge of domestic affairs at the PCB, knows when the tournament schedule will eventually be announced.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the tournament is waiting to be greenlit by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.The PCB declined to comment on what holds the approval back at this stage, though budgetary approval operationally comes from the chairman, and is understood to be one of the factors in the delay. Even so, the lack of information about the QeA is in stark contrast to the fanfare with which the Champions One-Day Cup, which was held in September, was marked by the board.The decision to host that one-day tournament in September, in Pakistan’s only meaningfully free window until May, was significant because it meant players wouldn’t be able to get domestic red-ball cricket under their belts ahead of England’s ongoing three-Test tour in October. Members of the national Test set-up were understood to have privately expressed frustration with the situation, though there was an acceptance that the schedule was out of their control.The QeA has never quite managed to keep to a schedule or format, but no information about its start this late into a season is unprecedented of late. In each but two of the last 15 years has the tournament started later than October 26, with the schedule usually out well before October. Each of the last two seasons saw it begin in September; the tournament last year began on September 10, and was wrapped up by October 26.The situation is even more jarring in a season where Pakistan are scheduled to play more Test matches than any other this century. They are already more than halfway into the seven home Test matches they play between August 2024 and January 2025, with two Test matches in South Africa at the turn of the year.

After dropping out of the race to sign Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe have now reportedly turned their focus towards an alternative option who’s more clinical than the Frenchman.

Newcastle's current striker shortlist

Whilst Ekitike did sit top of their striker shortlist before Liverpool entered the race and left them reeling, Newcastle still have a number of options that they could turn towards. The striker market is wide open. Even after watching Joao Pedro join Chelsea and Liverpool take the lead in the race for Ekitike, the likes of Victor Osimhen and Yoane Wissa remain on the market.

That said, even Howe couldn’t hide his frustration about how the transfer window has gone so far on Tyneside, telling reporters: “It was a difficult summer (to switch off) with everything going on behind the scenes.”

“Obviously losing Paul (Mitchell) and all of the dynamics changing within (the club). The Sporting Director role is such a pivotal role at the club, so there was a lot (of work) to pick up.

“There has been a lot of work, transfer wise, for very little incoming action, although we are delighted to get Anthony Elanga in, who has done very well in training so far. But a lot more work (is needed) behind the scenes in preparation for the new season.”

£50m England international now "very" open to joining Newcastle this summer

He’s got the same agent as Dan Burn…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 18, 2025

Howe’s verdict suggests that Newcastle’s work is far from over this summer. After missing out on Ekitike, all involved at St James’ Park will be desperate to ensure that their next pursuit goes off without a hitch – be it for Wissa or, as some reports have suggested is possible, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.

At this stage, the most ideal scenario for Newcastle is welcoming a striker who is even better than Ekitike and that’s exactly what one Bundesliga alternative would offer them.

Howe personally plotting Sesko move

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Howe is now personally plotting a move to sign Benjamin Sesko for Newcastle, having previously instructed St James’ Park chiefs to take a look at the Serbian.

The Magpies would once again have to spend big to secure his signature, with Leipzig reportedly demanding around €90m (£78m) to sell their star striker, but Sesko could prove to be worth every penny.

Starts

31

30

Goals

15

13

Assists

8

5

Expected Goals

21.6

10

Ekitike may have outscored Sesko last season, but it was the latter who proved to be the more clinical finisher – outperfoming his XG by three goals whilst the Frankfurt star underperformed significantly. That would suggest that, in a side offering him more chances, Sesko’s numbers would soar.

It should come as no surprise that the talented forward has earned previous praise from the likes of former Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, who said: “Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Arsenal’s attack in 2024/25 has been depleted over the last couple of months, with injuries massively hampering their Premier League title chances.

Mikel Arteta has been without Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka for large spells of the campaign, often having to utilise a make-shift front three.

However, the Gunners still managed to score 69 times in their 38 matches this season, with only Liverpool and Manchester City scoring more in England’s top-flight.

Such injuries have highlighted the need for added depth and quality in such a department, with the hierarchy needing to hand Arteta with the funds to make the improvements he demands.

With the summer rapidly approaching, it will allow the Spaniard to land any of the stars currently on his radar, bolstering their chances of a title charge next season.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new signings this summer

A new centre-forward has been at the top of Arsenal’s list over the last couple of months, with Benjamin Sesko the latest player in their sights during the off-season.

It’s been reported in recent days that the Gunners have already been in talks with RB Leipzig over a move for the 21-year-old talisman, who currently has an £84m clause in his contract.

However, he’s not the only attacker who’s been in direct contact with the hierarchy, with Real Sociedad forward Takefusa Kubo also in talks over a move to the Emirates, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report claims that Arteta’s side are facing a battle with fellow English side Liverpool for the signature of the 23-year-old, who’s registered 11 combined goals and assists this season.

It also states that he has a €60m (£50m) release clause in his deal with the LaLiga outfit, potentially moving to North London with teammate Martin Zubimendi this summer.

Why Arsenal’s £50m target would be a better signing than Sane

Despite the interest in the aforementioned duo, Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané has also been mentioned as a potential option for Arsenal this summer.

The German, who’s registered 11 goals in the Bundesliga this season, looks set to depart the Allianz Arena at the end of June when his current contract comes to an end.

The 29-year-old is also subject to interest from North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, potentially making for an intriguing transfer battle between the pair in the coming months.

Sane has previously starred in England’s top-flight, scoring 39 times in his 135 appearances for Manchester City during his four-year spell at the Etihad.

However, despite the interest in the Bayern attacker, Arteta should steer clear and make a move for Kubo instead, with the Japanese international outperforming Sane in numerous key areas.

The Sociedad star, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former Barcelona boss Xavi, may have scored fewer goals this season, but has managed a better goal per shot-on-target rate – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses.

He’s also registered more progressive carries and more take-ons completed, highlighting the threat he poses with the ball at his feet and running at the opposition.

Games played

36

30

Goals scored

5

11

Progressive carries

5.1

4.1

Progressive passes

4.2

3.5

Goals per shot-on-target

0.4

0.3

Passes into final third

2.2

1.3

Take-on success

48%

39%

Crosses completed

3.2

2.8

Kubo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, completing more crosses per 90, along with more passes into the final third, subsequently having the tools to aid others in attacking areas.

It may appear to be a bold call to move for Kubo over Sane given the difference in price this summer, but he’s demonstrated in LaLiga that he’s a more impressive option for Arteta.

He’s also six years younger than the Bayern star, having the potential to explode into life should he complete a £50m deal to the Emirates in the coming months.

More exciting than Zubimendi: Arsenal enter talks to sign £84m "monster"

Arsenal could be about to make a move to land a star who’d massively improve Mikel Arteta’s side.

ByEthan Lamb May 30, 2025

Make no mistake about it, this has been an utterly dreadful campaign for Manchester United.

Whether it was Erik ten Hag in the formative months of the season or Ruben Amorim in the latter stages of the term, no one has been able to get a tune out of this downtrodden Premier League giant.

After suffering a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford on Sunday afternoon, it reduced the Red Devils to their 16th league defeat of 2024/25. That’s the first time that’s happened since 1989/90, before the Premier League even existed.

In truth, United were not expected to win this one. Their focus is well and truly on their Europa League semi-final next Thursday, and as a result, Amorim rang the changes.

There was a first start for 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, while 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson started at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass was given a run out at left-wing back.

On that evidence, the defeat was not a shock. Still, it did little to help an already dispondent fanbase.

Where it went wrong for Man United at Brentford

While teenager Chido Obi struggled in attack, notably having just 18 touches of the ball, it was not an awful day for United in attack.

Mason Mount – who had not found the net in 400 days – opened the scoring, darting into the penalty area and finishing off a close-range opportunity.

Alejandro Garnacho and Amad also scored late on to save United’s blushes somewhat, but those two goals were too little too late. Still, it showed that there is promise for the future at Old Trafford.

It was at the back where United met their downfall. The tone was set when Brentford found their equaliser on 27 minutes. Amass was absolutely bullied by Michael Kayode who beat the youngster to the ball inside the area and then it cannoned off Luke Shaw for an own goal.

The second goal was equally as comical. Matthijs de Ligt went down injured and United switched off, which allowed Mikkel Damsgaard to find Kevin Schade who didn’t have to do much at the back stick.

For Schade’s second and the hosts’ third, there was very little resistance at the back post either where Fredricson left the Bees forward open at the and he was left with a simple finish.

It was then made all the worse when United failed to apply their offside trap correctly. The ball was slid in between the back line on the edge of the box and then Kayode laid it on a plate for Yoanne Wissa to score, completely unmarked again.

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

Clearly, very little in the United backline helped but it was Shaw who was notably bad.

Luke Shaw's performance in numbers

At the peak of his game, Shaw proved himself to be one of the best left-backs not just in the Premier League, but also in Europe.

That was certainly the case at Euro 2020 where as you should all remember, he scored in the final against Italy for England.

Well, since then, it’s been a sad and agonising tale of woe for the left-sided defender who has struggled to stay fit, most notably in the last few seasons.

While Shaw managed over 30 league appearances in 2022/23, he was only seen on 12 occasions in the top-flight last season and only five times in 2024/25 to date.

In truth, this should be his last start in United’s famous colours; he was not good enough.

Luke Shaw vs Brentford
Minutes played	45
Touches	30
Accurate passes	19/24 (79%)
Key passes	0
Shots	0
Successful dribbles	0
Clearances	2
Tackles	1
Interceptions	0
Duels won	1/3
Stats via Sofascore.

The own goal was bad enough but he had already nearly turned one into his own net in the first three minutes of the game. In the words of Manchester Evening News reporter, Samuel Luckhurst, he simply “wasn’t at it” having also been given the captain’s armband.

Well, it wasn’t a captain’s performance, let’s put it that way. The left-back was handed a 2/10 match rating by the Express and was consequently was hauled off after just 45 minutes.

One can excuse a lack of match fitness and you may well blame that for Shaw’s display in London this weekend, but he’s really not shown very much in his limited outings this season.

During his 45 minutes on the field, he only completed 79% of his passes and won just one of his three duels. Unsurprisingly, his 30 touches were also fewer than goalkeeper Altay Bayindir’s total of 57 touches.

We are so used to seeing Shaw as a flying wing-back and perhaps he should have started there on this occasion given Amass’ own struggles. Yet, this was evidence that he now completely lacks confidence, perhaps not just in his fitness but in his own abilities.

The 29-year-old left the action having been dominated by the Brentford attack. Their clever play and trickery on the edge of the box were simply too much for him to handle.

Don’t be surprised if this is one of, if not the last time, we see him start a game for the club.

Perfect for Cunha: Man Utd in advanced talks to sign "world-class" talent

Manchester United have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with a deal edging closer for one star.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 2, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now prepared to shell out a significant sum for one “impressive” forward wanted by Bayern Munich, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange doing their homework ahead of the summer window.

Tottenham preparing for Bodo/Glimt with Europa League final at stake

Carrying a 3-1 lead into their Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, the north Londoners have a major chance to seal their place in the final and potentially clinch a first major trophy in 17 years.

Related Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager who Levy wants is tempted to replace Ange

He’s now open to joining Spurs.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 6, 2025

Uncertainty still surrounds the long-term future of manager Ange Postecoglou, but if the Australian does end up departing N17, he’ll be determined to end his two-year stay on a major high, following the tactician’s early-season suggestion that he always wins trophies during his second term in charge.

Tottenham’s final Premier League fixtures

Date

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Some bad news for Spurs is that star midfielder James Maddison will be absent from their semi-final clash and most likely the final, with the England international sustaining a serious knee injury.

Postecoglou has some key decisions to make in regard to who starts Thursday’s vital clash in Norway, and their London derby draw against West Ham over the weekend served as an audition for potential starters.

“The beauty about today was that a lot of our guys who haven’t played a lot of minutes recently, we’ve got some real meaningful minutes and I thought we did well on the day,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against West Ham.

“It’s important for Deki to play. He’s missed so much football with his injury, and he’s just getting back into some rhythm.

“Pape, Archie Gray, the two wingers, Mathys and guys like Djed and Kevin, I just think it’s really important those guys play and have Biss back up again for another 90 minutes and even Richy to play again. It’s been a juggling act for sure to try to get to a position where we’ve got a squad that’s capable of tackling what’s ahead. We’re still cursed with some bad luck along the way, but I was really pleased the guys that got the minutes today.”

Tottenham "ready to pay" £25 million-plus for Tim Kleindienst

Following a 2024/2025 campaign riddled with injuries to key men, Levy and Lange must back Postecoglou or any prospective new manager with fresh faces ahead of next season.

Tottenham are believed to be in the market for a new forward, and another name now attracting their attention is Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst.

The “underrated” and prolific German is enjoying the season of his life, having racked up 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, not to mention four goals in six caps at international level.

According to CaughtOffside, who labelled him “impressive”, Tottenham are “ready to pay” £25 million-plus for Kleindienst this summer and potentially sign him ahead of Kompany’s Bayern.

The Bavarians’ interest in him is a clear indicator of just how much the centre-forward has impressed in the Bundesliga this term, but Spurs are not the only Premier League side contending for his services either, so Kleindienst’s future will be an intriguing story of the summer.

As Matheus Cunha’s future continues to come into question, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly joined the race to sign an attacking midfielder who has outscored their star man this season.

Cunha clarifies "next step" comments

As if he wasn’t stealing enough headlines thanks to his talent alone, Cunha managed to grab hold of the spotlight once again away from the pitch when claiming that he’s ready to take “the next step” and “fight for titles”. With the club still in the middle of a relegation scrap, albeit one that looks almost certain to end in success, the Brazilian’s comments were far from ideal.

Cunha, however, has since added some clarity, taking to social media to say: “Hey guys, Cunha here. I only came here to talk about the noise around my name, the interview I gave, and show my point. I don’t think people read the interview, and I don’t think people have the correct interpretation.

“The point was talking about Wolves to show everyone how happy I am to be here, to play for this team and these team-mates, and to give back all the love they give me. Like ambitious players, we want to play for something more, to put this club on another level. Me and my team-mates will give our all to achieve this goal.”

Wolves make contact in shock move to sign "special" winger once worth £73m

This would be a major coup…

ByTom Cunningham Apr 4, 2025

When the summer arrives it will certainly be interesting to see whether that clarity sees Cunha stay put or if he does, indeed, go in search of fighting for titles. The Brazilian certainly won’t be short on options, with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur already linked with moves to secure his signature in the coming months.

Wolves, meanwhile, would benefit from his exit on the financial front, given that Cunha has a release clause worth £63m ahead of the transfer window. If that clause is triggered, those in the Midlands could instantly go in search of reinforcements, which could yet include one particular star.

Wolves plotting to sign Sem Steijn

Losing Cunha would undoubtedly be a major blow for Vitor Pereira and his side, but they could yet welcome a player who has outscored the Brazilian this season. According to The Boot Room, Wolves are now plotting a move to sign Sem Steijn from FC Twente this summer and have already sent scouts to watch the attacking midfielder in action.

In all competitions, the Dutchman has scored an impressive 27 goals whilst assisting another six. Cunha, meanwhile, has managed 15 goals and four assists in all competitions for Wolves this season. And when it comes to league action, there’s only one winner on the stats front.

Starts

26

24

Goals

23

13

Assists

5

4

Dubbed “superb” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Steijn’s steady improvement season after season should result in a move away from the Netherlands sooner rather than later. If Cunha does depart Wolves, it’s those in the Midlands who should do everything to secure the FC Twente star’s signature. There’s no doubt that he’s one to watch.

Harvey Barnes played an important role in Newcastle United’s most recent outing against Brentford, in which the Magpies won 2-1. Goals from Alexander Isak and a sublime effort from Sandro Tonali were enough to claim all three points for Eddie Howe’s side.

For that strike from the Italian, it was Barnes who provided the assist. The winger, who started on the left wing, put in a strong performance. As per Sofascore, he created three chances, completed two dribbles, and, of course, grabbed his assist.

After a performance like that, you might expect he’d keep his place in the Newcastle starting lineup for their next game against Leicester City. But, with some players returning from injury, that is not a guarantee.

Newcastle’s team news vs. Leicester

There could be some big players returning from injury for the Magpies’ clash with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester side. One of those is experienced defender Kieran Trippier, who was withdrawn from the game against Brentford.

Likewise, Newcastle’s talismanic striker, Isak, was substituted in the 66th minute. Given his injury issues at times in a Magpies shirt, they certainly do not want to risk him getting sidelined for an extensive period of time.

In his pre-match press conference, Howe gave an update on both of their availability ahead of the Monday night trip to Leicester. The Englishman explained that his squad have managed to avoid “any big injuries from Wednesday night”.

With that being said, he did imply that there was a chance they might be sidelined at the King Power Stadium. Howe explained that his side “certainly have a few niggles”, and it remains to be seen if Trippier and Isak will be available.

There is another player who could be set to return from injury in time to feature in the East Midlands. Newcastle fans would surely love to have him available.

The Newcastle player who could feature vs. Leciester

If Newcastle have Anthony Gordon back for the game against the Foxes, it would be a huge boost. As well as his three-match suspension, the winger picked up an injury on England duty during the March international break.

Chalkboard

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

Howe was quizzed about him in the press conference before the Leicester game and gave an update on his progress. It certainly seemed positive, explaining that he is being “monitored” by the medical staff, before saying they “will have to wait and see” if he can play.

It has been another excellent season for Gordon in 2024/25. He has featured 34 times for the Magpies, scoring nine goals and grabbing seven assists. Between the start of November and the end of January, the winger went on an unstoppable run, scoring or assisting ten goals in a run of 14 games. As football talent scout Jacek Kulig said, he is “having a superb season”.

He is a player who steps up in the biggest moments, scoring goals in both legs against Arsenal, in the Carabao Cup semi-final. His goal in the second leg at St James’ Park was the fourth Newcastle scored in the tie and sealed their place at Wembley.

Gordon has the potential to hurt Leicester on Monday. His pace is deadly, and the directness with which he attacks is frightening for defenders. As per Sofascore, he has completed 1.5 dribbles and plays 2.1 key passes per game this term.

Goals and assists

0.5

11

Key passes

2.1

50

Dribbles completed

1.5

35

Expected goal involvements

0.54xGI

12.65xGI

Big chances created

0.3

6

Dropping Barnes for the “exceptional” Gordon, as football scout Antonio Mango called him, might be deemed harsh after his performance against Brentford. However, having the former Everton star available for the Champions League run-in will be crucial.

As he showed against Arsenal, he is a big game player, and with the skillset he possesses, he can be deadly against a fragile Foxes side. If Gordon is fit enough, he surely starts on Monday evening.

Best since Isak: Howe struck gold signing “big game player” for Newcastle

Eddie Howe hit the jackpot signing this “big game player” who’s Newcastle’s best signing since Isak.

ByConnor Holden Apr 6, 2025

Leg-spinner says qualifiers Scotland are keen to prove themselves on big stage

Valkerie Baynes20-Sep-2024Abtaha Maqsood was struggling to stay calm. Scotland were on the verge of qualifying for a maiden T20 Women’s World Cup and, for a little while, she couldn’t watch. What followed was the high point in what she describes as “one of the best months of my life”.Scotland’s eight-wicket defeat of Ireland in the semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi in May sealed their place in history. They were comprehensively beaten by fellow qualifiers Sri Lanka in the final but had secured a place on the big stage for the first time.A 49-run opening stand between Saskia Horley and Megan McColl, who went on to score a 47-ball fifty, set the foundation for Scotland’s pursuit of 111 after skipper Kathryn Bryce’s 4 for 8 had restricted Ireland to 110 for 9. Bryce’s unbeaten 35 saw Scotland over the line.Related

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• Women's T20 World Cup winners to get big increase in prize money

• Powerplay podcast: Abtaha Maqsood – Living the dream with Scotland

“I tried my best to stay as level as possible,” Maqsood told the ESPNcricinfo Powerplay podcast, as she recalled watching the run-chase against Ireland. “There was a point when we had quite a good partnership to start off with Megan and Saskia that I thought, ‘yeah, I think we might qualify here, I think this is it.'”I had to actually leave from the tent a little for a little bit just because I wasn’t very level at that moment. But when we finally found out it was just an amazing experience. I don’t think I can ever put that into words.”It was probably one of the best months of my life to be honest, and to run on and celebrate with the whole team with the Scottish flags and stuff, it was just amazing. It’s just so great to finally be here after 10 years of a lot of struggle and a lot of hardship.”Legspinner Maqsood finished the qualifying tournament among the top five wicket-takers, level on nine with Bryce and Ireland’s Arlene Kelly and behind only countrywoman Rachel Slater with 11 and Nasimana Navaika of Vanuatu on 10. Her best performance was 3 for 10 in Scotland’s opening match against Uganda, where Slater took a five-for.Getting to the World Cup is one thing, now Scotland are keen to show what they can do on the big stage.”Just getting to a World Cup is a huge statement, isn’t it? Nobody really expected it,” Maqsood said. “The experience is so important for a lot of us, especially because not all of us are professional cricketers, so it’s just a totally different thing for all of us.”But I guess we’re not just here to experience it. We’re here to compete. We’re here to show the world what our skills are and how good we really are. That’s really important for me, to just show the world that Scotland are here to compete. Obviously I’m very happy to be here, but we do really want to show the world what we can do.”Scotland are already in Dubai ahead of the World Cup which starts on October 3, acclimatising to the excessive heat with temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius. But conditions won’t be completely unfamiliar, with Scotland having played in the UAE both during qualifying and in the lead-up to that tournament. They played an ODI tri-series in Dubai immediately before the T20 World Cup qualifiers, with Maqsood taking career-best figures of 4 for 30 in the 50-over format against USA.Abtaha Maqsood celebrates a wicket with Scotland team-mates•ICC via Getty ImagesAs an Associate Member, Scotland has long had to contend with a lack of funding and fixtures, which is at the root of the hardships that Maqsood mentions when highlighting her team’s achievement in simply reaching the World Cup.”Fixtures is the main thing,” Maqsood said. “We’ve always struggled to be prepped for World Cup qualifiers because we just get thrown into it without much prep.”This time around we had quite a bit of prep. We were in the UAE for about two weeks beforehand and managed to get a lot of prep time in there and a lot of fixtures in, so we felt really good and momentum was in our favour. We were winning and we felt really good going into the tournament.”There’s been a lot of hardships in terms of trying to get fixtures and working around lack of funding and stuff. But yeah, just really glad to be here finally.”Maqsood believes the bigger, richer teams can play a part in helping smaller ones develop through the experience of playing against them.